How did this post come about? So random and off?

My little princess, always will be even when she gets married and becomes a mother, is a rugby referee. She has been one for the last 5 years or so. Being a referee means having official whistles. Lots of blowing means lots of gunk building up inside and outside the whistle.

Being the great Mom that I think I am, as well as what has been shared with her, I thought I would give cleaning her old whistles a try.

So, how did I clean the Acme Thunderer? Do note that the Acme Thunderer in reference here is made of stainless steel and is considered a ‘pea-less’ whistle. It has a cork ball in it’s belly.

First off, most recommendations are to :-

1. Drop the whistle with a teaspoon of baking soda into a pan of boiling water for 1 minute or 60 seconds.
2. Soak the whistle in a mixture of vinegar & water for a few hours or overnight
3. Soak in baking soda & water overnight
4. Put the whistle in a pocket (shorts, jeans, trousers) and wash with regular laundry

What I tried :- all the above and

Soaking the whistle in a mixture of baking soda, vinegar & water for a few hours and overnight. 

After a few hours:

Overnight

Final result: Whistle is clean, whistle is clear & sharp

BUT the cork is still gungy after having been in storage for too many years