I shared how to clean your flute in a blogpost dated April 5, 2023. How often should you have your flute cleaned professionally?
Many recommend taking your flute in once a year for a COA, which stands for Clean-Oil-Adjust. Basically, it’s just what it sounds like.
Clean: Your flute is disassembled and the headjoint, body, footjoint, and keys will be cleaned thoroughly.
Oil: The rods, screws and hinge tubes will be cleaned and have new oil put on them.
Adjust: The headjoint cork can dry out and shrink over time so it will be replaced. They change or shim pads, check and replace felts or other bumpers, if needed. Your flute is reassembled and the key motion is checked to ensure that everything is working properly. Finally, it gets a playing test and then any final adjustments to pads or screws will be made.
If you want to know more, you can find YouTube videos that show you how this is done. Do NOT try this at home! Leave it to a professional flute repairman. Please remember to NEVER use a silver polishing cloth.
If you have an old flute from “aunt so-and-so” or “grandma’s old flute” and it’s been sitting in a closet for a while, it will definitely need to be looked at by a professional technician to make sure it is in good working condition before starting flute lessons or band.
After your instrument has had a tune up, the most important thing is to take good care of your flute on a regular, daily basis. A properly working flute is a happy flute which makes for a happier flute player.
Lynette Lewis Flute Studio 
Thank you for this helpful post! Do you have recommendations on where to get a flute professionally cleaned and tuned in Utah, ideally SLC? I have my childhood flute but am hesitant to play until it’s properly cleaned. Thank you!
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I’d recommend Bob Joffs (Mountainside Music) in Holladay 801-703-5248 or Jordan Winds in South Jordan, jordanwinds.com (385)429-3288. Best of luck.
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