"Does the H.W. Pad-Saver® really work? I’ve heard it keeps moisture in my sax. I’m confused." Yes, it absolutely works! Saliva is a corrosive material. So corrosive that it will eat your pads and damage your horn if it’s allowed to stay there. The H.W. swab was designed to immediately draw moisture away from the bore, tone holes, and pads. Our special micro-fiber then allows the moisture to dissipate completely. "I know I need to keep my flute pads clean and dry, but why worry about the head joint?" Sometimes when blowing into the flute, particles can enter the head joint. If allowed to remain inside, they can affect the sound. The H.W. Pad-Saver® flute set features a soft but effective sponge which removes moisture and particles, even from the hard-to-reach face plate inside the top of the head joint. "How often should I replace my pad-saver®?" Well, it depends on how often you play. If you play a lot, your H.W. swab is going to wear out faster. In general, once a year. Keep in mind that we listen to our customers’ needs, and are continually making changes for the better. If you still have your "first" H.W. swab, you are really missing out! "My swab sheds a lot and the cap fell off! What’s the deal?" If you have a swab that sheds or a cap that fell off you don't have an Original H.W. Pad-Saver® de-moisturizer . Our unique micro-fiber is custom formulated to be non-shedding, and non-shrinking. Our caps are designed to stay on permanently. All our materials meet the highest standards of quality. "Will this Brass-Saver thing really clean my horn?" Absolutely. The Brass-Saver® was developed to be a safe and easy way to mop out your horn during and after playing. Since it's so effective and simple to use, a player easily makes it part of his/her routine maintenance. "Will the Brass-Saver rid my horn of that hard green build up?" Yes. The Brass-Saver will keep a clean horn very clean and playing consistently. It will not, however, remove the deposits that are already there. The only way to get that build up out is through a professional cleaning. "Can I wash my Pad-Saver®?" Yes. To clean your Pad-Saver®, we recommend washing it with a mild dish soap and letting it air dry. (The wire is galvanized so it will not rust.) As to how often to clean it, that will depend on how often you play and how dirty the Pad-Saver® gets. Feel free to wash it as often as you like and/or feel is necessary. "I just bought a Brass-Saver and I can't figure out how to use it. Can you help?" Definitely. Here are some instructions on how to clean a trumpet. Or feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. "Is it really that important to clean the inside of my instrument?" Yes. Recent research has shown that various bacteria and molds often grow inside of woodwind and brass instruments. For more information, read these articles: LA Times Article - March 2011 "Microbial Contamination of Wind Instruments." International Journal of Environmental Health Research - May 2011 NPR - All Things Considered - September 2010