How to take care of my harmonica?

Harmonica Care and Maintenance

First, a few tips about the INSIDE of your harmonica:

• 
  The things that actually make the sound inside the harmonica are thin strips of metal
  called REEDS.
• 
  Your harmonicas’ reeds (if a key of C) are only 3/8” (9 mm) to 5/8” (16 mm). They aren’t very big!
  So, they need to be handled just right so they’ll work right for you:
  Because the reeds are small, small things caught in the harmonica can make them sound
  bad, so you want to keep those little reeds CLEAN.
• 
  Here are a few tips for taking care of your harmonica:
• 
  DON’T EAT and play your harmonica.
• 
  Don’t drink sticky, heavy drinks before playing.
• 
  Rinse your mouth out well, or brush your teeth if necessary, before
  playing the harmonica.
• 
  Keep your harmonica in the box or in some other clean place (pocket,
  purse) if you aren’t playing.
• 
  TAKE NOTE when you put your harmonica down - pay attention to where you
  put it: your harmonica is small and easily misplaced.
• 
  Tap your harmonica out gently after playing, tapping out the excess saliva - holes down.
• 
  DON’T LET OTHERS PLAY YOUR HARMONICA -
  unless it is someone you don’t mind kissing - because you’re definitely kissing your harmonica
  every time you play!

• Be aware that "bending" notes - though it can sound great - may literally bend the reeds out of tune - don't force the reeds when you bend them, use finesse.
• 
  KEEP YOUR HARMONICA SOMEWHERE CONVENIENT SO YOU CAN PLAY OFTEN.
• 
  Get in the habit of having a harmonica with you AT ALL TIMES - you never know when it
  could come in handy.