1. Do not eat or drink before practice and make sure your hands are clean and dry before handling your flute.

2. When assembling your instrument avoid placing the flute mechanism under any undue stress. This is best done by lifting the flute from its case by the ends and holding the instrument near the headjoint tenon when locating the headjoint into its socket. When fitting the footjoint, again, hold the instrument near the headjoint socket and not around any part of the mechanism. Hold the footjoint with your thumb on the C-- key.

3. Do not leave your instrument lying on the floor after or during practise. Better to use a recommended instrument stand to avoid accidental damage.

4. Always clean your instrument thoroughly after use. Avoid touching the pads when cleaning as when damp, pads are more susceptive to damage. Clean your instrument outside with a specialised silver cloth by carefully wiping away finger prints, grease and other dirt.Clean the inside surfaces with a specialised absorbent gauze cloth threaded through the wooden cleaning rod provided with your instrument. Never use the same cloth to clean both inside and outside your flute - you will damage the silver plating. Make sure you do not leave any damp cloths inside the case when replacing the flute into the box.

5. Do not use metal polish of any kind.

6. Do not try to oil your instrument. Lubrications used in the maintenance of instruments are of a specially formulated type. Better to contact your repairman who will be happy to correct any problems you may have. If the joints on your flute become stiff simply clean the tenon and socket with a silver polish cloth. If the problem persists contact your repairman.

7. NEVER attempt to adjust the settings on your instrument. Regulating a flute correctly is a skill and should not be undertaken by the untrained. What may seem a simple and straight forward task can soon develop into an expensive problem.

8. Do not store your instrument against a source of heat, such as a radiator for example, or leave your instrument in damp conditions. Instruments are delicate and should be stored in a safe place, away from little hands and at room temperature.

9. As a general rule, have your instrument serviced by a trained technician once a year if you practice regularly.

10. Enjoy your playing - that's what music is all about

Courtesy of http://www.worldwind.co.uk/