Hygiene
I've, unfortunately, been on leave for a week from work so I've had plenty of time to think about a million and one things (boy have I been bored). It's been a great opportunity to study for the basketball season though. It's good that work hasn't got in the way of my officiating.com reading ;)
Anyways, I was laying out all my equipment earlier and making sure I have extras of everything in my "gameday bag." Some of my whistles has had their better days to say the least. I started thinking about how many times I've probably dropped a spare whistle (while getting undressed after the game) and, subsequently, placed it in my mouth the next week. Do any of you disinfect your whistles regularly? I currently don't but I don't think it would be a bad idea. I was thinking back to the high school band days when we used a "mouth piece cleaner" to disinfect a shared instrument's mouthpiece before playing. Might not be a bad this to pick up and use occasionally. I wash my hands like crazy after the game because I've been touching the sweat-coated basketball. However, I never think about how often I've touched the whistle with the same hands before I washed them...ewww.. Just wondering if anyone uses good whistle hygiene :rolleyes: -Josh |
I just soak two whistles in a paper cup full of mouthwash for about half an hour on game day, then just rinse them under cold water. I prefer cinnamon over mint, but either works. Not only does it clean them, they taste great.
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I've soaked mine in a vinegar/water solution overnight to get it squeaky clean (rinse it good after that though if you do that). My favorite though is to soak it overnight in mouthwash - gets it clean and tastes good all at the same time. I don't do it as often as I should though...... thanks for the reminder!
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I'm shocked people actually do it. I thought about mouthwash earlier when I was writing the post.
-Josh |
I do the mouthwash soak with my whistles as well, ( learned that one during soccer season from an experienced ref).
Keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer in the bag also helps with "degerming". You think a sweaty basketball's bad, try realizing that you just shook hands with a soccer keeper with his gloves on. ( they do all sorts of nasty stuff in those gloves). Now, it's strictly "fist bumps" a la Howie Mandel. :D |
You really want it disinfected, soak it in bleach. You want to be sure and remember that rinse afterward part, though.
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Tastes Great, Less Filling ...
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You wouldn't eat with a fork, put it away without washing it and then use it again the next day, would you? Why would you use a whistle without cleaning it? I've done the mouthwash thing in the past and it works, but now I just scrub my whistle with hot water and dish detergent after every game and then keep it in a baggie. Works for me...been using the same clean whistle for 3 years now.
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Idioms For Dummies, Or For Idiots ...
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I hook mine in the dishwasher and run'em through with the dishes.
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Would Somat Rinse Aid Help ???
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I shouldn't admit this, but if I'm doing 3-4 kids games, I like to munch on a granola bar for a pick me up..trouble is I have granola buildup in my whistle, little chunks wind up in the chambers..........yuk. I've boiled them before but they lose their shine.
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I find that if I go more than about 1/2 a season without cleaning them, they start to fill up with goobers. Not that this grosses me out, but they stop sounding right.
I soak mine in hydrogen peroxide. You don't get that lovely cinnamon flavor, but they're reasonably sanitary. Afterward I rinse them in tap water. And if it's been a while, I'll blow through the "wrong" end just to blow out any goobers that may be lurking. I once found half a Wendy's single with cheese in one that way. :eek: |
Mouthwash. Just soak, rinse, and blow!
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