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General Discussion => General Forum => Topic started by: DirtNap647 on April 24, 2016, 06:39:00 AM

Title: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: DirtNap647 on April 24, 2016, 06:39:00 AM
how do you guys clean your mouth calls I thought about a Listerine rinse but wondered if that would hurt the latex...? or what is your guys methods...? reason I ask is every year when I start using my mouth calls I develop a sore throat and wonder if they aren't linked
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: SteelerFan on April 24, 2016, 07:26:50 AM
I've done the mouthwash soak and then rinsed under water. Never noticed any negative effects on the material.
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: Candyman on April 24, 2016, 07:52:38 AM
I soak them in a solution of 50% water 50% alcohol free mouth wash for a minute or so. Rinse well, air dry then back in fridge. Never had issues using this method.
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: Timmer on April 24, 2016, 08:07:05 AM
soak them overnight in 50% water 50% scope mouthwash
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: Go G.W. on April 24, 2016, 09:24:57 AM
If you leave them in listerine very long it will ruin the reeds; rinsing doesn't hurt them. I have never tried cutting it with water so I don't know if that would ruin them or not.
I separate the reeds with a toothpick, soak in peroxide for a few minutes, rinse, and put in freezer. 
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: mikejd on April 24, 2016, 10:44:03 AM
I soak mine in alcohol free mouthwash for a little while. Then let them air dry. Then I store them in a clear plano tackle box in the refrigerator.
Title: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: BowBendr on April 24, 2016, 10:54:40 AM
Soak mine in Crest Pro Health alcohol free mouthwash for a few minutes. Rinse under the tap with cold water for a few seconds. Shake the excess water off in the sink and put the calls in a little tuperware bowl, then stick them straight in the freezer. Ive had calls last 5-6 years using this method. Calls stay in the freezer year round. The XT calls I'm running this year are 5 yrs old. Sound like new.


2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: paboxcall on April 25, 2016, 02:50:16 PM
Quote from: Timmer on April 24, 2016, 08:07:05 AM
soak them overnight in 50% water 50% scope mouthwash

:agreed:

Can't be too cautious with keeping them bacteria free.  I had to cut a week long hunt short by 4 days to come home with a sore throat.  After that I use 50/50 mouth wash and water solution and quick rinse with cold water.  Haven't gotten sick in years.

I also throw the mouth calls away after a few days - $6 is cheap health insurance, lot cheaper than my office visit and drug co-pay.
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: troutfisher13111 on April 25, 2016, 03:21:43 PM
Quote from: BowBendr on April 24, 2016, 10:54:40 AM
Soak mine in Crest Pro Health alcohol free mouthwash for a few minutes. Rinse under the tap with cold water for a few seconds. Shake the excess water off in the sink and put the calls in a little tuperware bowl, then stick them straight in the freezer. Ive had calls last 5-6 years using this method. Calls stay in the freezer year round. The XT calls I'm running this year are 5 yrs old. Sound like new.


2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions
Same here except I put in a reed separator before I store them in a fridge.
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: stinkpickle on April 25, 2016, 04:38:01 PM
I use the Crest Pro Health stuff, too.  I just pour it in the case with the call and shake it, so it cleans the case, too.
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: Bill Cooksey on April 25, 2016, 04:44:59 PM
I rinse last year's dip off with tap water when I pull the diaphragm wallet out of the closet a week or so before opening day. Honestly don't know why I've never gotten sick from them because they're bound to be little latex petri dishes, but I haven't. Usually get two seasons out of a call depending on how many days I hunt. Wore them out more quickly when I hunted 25+ days. Interesting to note, most are at their best right before they give out.
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: SteelerFan on April 25, 2016, 05:01:19 PM
Quote from: Bill Cooksey on April 25, 2016, 04:44:59 PM
I rinse last year's dip off with tap water when I pull the diaphragm wallet out of the closet a week or so before opening day. Honestly don't know why I've never gotten sick from them because they're bound to be little latex petri dishes, but I haven't. Usually get two seasons out of a call depending on how many days I hunt. Wore them out more quickly when I hunted 25+ days. Interesting to note, most are at their best right before they give out.

:TooFunny: :TooFunny:
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: Marc on April 25, 2016, 06:09:42 PM
I use dish washing soap (i.e. Dawn).

I rub it on and rinse it off... 

I also break off a plastic fork and use the pieces between the latex...  I put some dish soap on the fork piece to slide it in easier and really clean the latex with running water from the sink...

Never had a soapy taste (although when calling really aggressively I have noticed bubbles floating around near me), and there is no doubt but that the latex lasts longer...  The tape on my calls go bad before the latex does now...
Title: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: trkehunr93 on April 25, 2016, 06:54:03 PM
Mouthwash is fine.  I always rinse mine before putting them in my vest, nice to have the wintergreen flavor though.


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Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: born2hunt on April 25, 2016, 07:03:37 PM
I'll have to see what brand mouth wash it is but I leave mine in a jar soaking in the fridge all year. It doesn't hurt them a bit and keeps them clean and unstuck.  I also carry them in a snuff can with a mouth wash soaked paper towel so there fresh throughout the hunt and dont dry out. If I'm done for a couple days I through them back in the jar. No problems at all.
Title: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: mudhen on April 25, 2016, 07:30:29 PM
I stopped dealing with this about 15 years ago...sore throats...stretched reeds...

I just buy new ones...


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Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: albrubacker on April 25, 2016, 08:06:32 PM
I keep mine in a snuff can with Listerine during the season. Off season I wash and separate reeds with toothpick and stick em in the fridge.
Title: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: kdsberman on April 25, 2016, 08:41:46 PM
Mouth wash after every hunt


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Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: Gobspur on April 25, 2016, 08:42:44 PM
Too much work.  I just put a dip in first and then the mouth call.  Tobacco juice kills any bacteria...
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: MDSTRUTNRUT on April 26, 2016, 10:38:34 AM
 "soak them overnight in 50% water 50% scope mouthwash"   works for me, non alcohol mouthwash and get 2 years out of a call.  Funny my calls sound the best too right before they die!  LOL    I will try the freezer thing instead of soaking all year in the mouthwash solution.    I used to soak in full strength and did notice that some calls loosened up or the tape dissolved.   Read an article somewhere years ago by a dentist that always had a sore throat during turkey season so he let his call grow some uglies and then tested to see what was there.   He said you didnt want to know!
Title: Re: cleaning mouth calls
Post by: Bill Cooksey on April 26, 2016, 10:48:19 AM
Have to admit I did replace all of mine one year when I realized opened the wallet the week before season and realized the black specks weren't just dip. They were blue/green around the edges and growing beards. Bought all new calls and changed got away from flavored dip. Haven't had a problem since with my standard protocol. Course now I can't tell much about the black specks unless I happen to have my readers on, and I never do.