Whistle Cleaning

[IHSAref]

Any tips on how to clean your whistles?? I am gearing up for AYBT and figured that I had better clean them. Thanks!!

[NewNCref]

Originally Posted by IHSAref

Any tips on how to clean your whistles?? I am gearing up for AYBT and figured that I had better clean them. Thanks!!

I clean all my Fox 40s in vinegar. Does wonders. You'll be surprised what all comes out. Just soak them for an hour or so.

[JRutledge]

I usually dip them in mouth wash and I have put Purell on them as well if they are really grimy and let it sit in my bag before I use it.

Peace

[IHSAref]

Thanks guys!! I was also wondering is it worth it to join the NASO if you already have insurance? I get Referee magazine and they keep sending me stuff in it sayin I can only join for $23, but most of the Benefits are about insurance. WHat do you think?

[JRutledge]

The insurance is extra. It is not required. I have been a NASO member for years. I like the fact that I can get many of their products at a discount and I get the magazine for free. If that is not worth it to you, then do not get it.

Peace

[tjones1]

I put my whistles in boiling water. Fast and easy.

[Old School]

Originally Posted by tjones1

I put my whistles in boiling water. Fast and easy.

Negative! Do not do this! The plastic will melt or start to deform if you leave it in there too long. Plus, a big no-no, the shine on the whistle will fade because of the hot water. The black will turn to an off dull black. Vinegar sounds the best to me because we use this to clean other things like coffee makers, etc. Leave it in over night, soak it in mouthwash before storing in your bag.

Actually, might not be a bad idea to do this treatment to your spare whistle in case one of your partners forgets theirs. They will appreciate the mouth-wash treatment.

[TRef21]

Originally Posted by IHSAref

Thanks guys!! I was also wondering is it worth it to join the NASO if you already have insurance? I get Referee magazine and they keep sending me stuff in it sayin I can only join for $23, but most of the Benefits are about insurance. WHat do you think?

i would join. the people at NASO are great and you get discounts. You also get legal advice if you need it if something happens.

[Mark Dexter]

Great tip that a veteran passed on to me was to soak your whistles in a solution of baking soda in water. It works really well to get all the 'gunk' out of your whistle.

I usually do the baking soda treatment, then soak my whistles in mouthwash for a nice mint (or sometimes cinammon) flavor.

[Jurassic Referee]

The absolute best way to clean your whistles to to drop them into a glass of Coke and leave them overnight. Be sure to use Coke Classic and not that snussy Diet Coke stuff. In the morning, everything that was in and on your whistle will have dissolved out and your whistles will be absolutely clean and sterile. As an added bonus, you can also drink the Coke for breakfast. It now has an added flavor that is quite tasty, and it is nutritious also.

It's true, it's true.....

WARNING: Make sure that you detach your lanyards before placing your whistles in the Coke. If not, the lanyards will also dissolve, and thus will ruin the taste of the Coke the next morning.

[Mark Padgett]

I soak mine in weasel extract. It's available at DieblerMart.

[rainmaker]

Or you can just chew and fidget through two or three whistles a season. Saves a lot of cleaning!!

[Raymond]

Hydrogen peroxide and mouth wash do the trick for me.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by whistleprod

I clean my whistle by using a unit found on cleanwhistleproducts.com. Great little gadget.

Seems more like you're the seller of this than just a user (your username is whistleprod and the device is cleanwhistleproducts.com. That is all fine if you're open about it but making it sound like you're a customer is a bit shady.

I also just looked at that. It seems like a waste of money and it really isn't cleaning them. It may be sanitizing them, however. It is blasting them with UV light. That will kill the germs that the light reaches but I'd be skeptical about whether the UV light can reach all the insides of the whistle where it is likely damp the longest and where the bacteria is most likely to grow.

Instead, I pour 2-3 ounces of Listerine in a small cup and drop the whistles into it for a couple hours. That definitely reaches the entire whistle, will kill anything that is there, and will dissolve or soften most of the residue that may have formed so that it can be rinsed away under the faucet. Cost... probably pennies per year.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Seems more like you're the seller of this than just a user (your username is whistleprod and the device is cleanwhistleproducts.com. That is all fine if you're open about it but making it sound like you're a customer is a bit shady.

I also just looked at that. It seems like a waste of money and it really isn't cleaning them. It may be sanitizing them, however. It is blasting them with UV light. That will kill the germs that the light reaches but I'd be skeptical about whether the UV light can reach all the insides of the whistle where it is likely damp the longest and where the bacteria is most likely to grow.

Instead, I pour 2-3 ounces of Listerine in a small cup and drop the whistles into it for a couple hours. That definitely reaches the entire whistle, will kill anything that is there, and will dissolve or soften most of the residue that may have formed so that it can be rinsed away under the faucet. Cost... probably pennies per year.

I just look at the ROI. For the number of whistles I buy over the course of a few yrs, and how long each one lasts (mostly the rubber mouthpiece cracking), how long would it take for this product (for $39.99 plus S&H) to stretch the life of each whistle to where their life and cleanliness would be so much better/longer to make it worth my while?

Guess I'll pass. For me, a solution for a non-problem.