How to Clean a Trombone
This should be done once Every 2 to 6 Months:; , Fill a bathtub with lukewarm water., Disassemble the trombone into its two main parts, the slide and the bell section., Place all the parts in the bathtub of lukewarm water and let them soak., Once...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: This should be done once Every 2 to 6 Months:;
Do not use hot water.
It helps to place a dampened towel or cloth at the bottom of the bathtub to avoid dents or scratches.
I repeat, WARNING:
Do NOT use hot water under any circumstances! Hot water can actually damage the lacquer.
Lukewarm water will be just fine. , Next, take the outer slide off the inner slide.
You should now have three parts.
Then remove the tuning slide (or both if you have a Bb/F trigger trombone).
Now you should have four (or five) parts in the water.
Include the mouthpiece and you will have five (or six.) , *Gently handle the parts at all times. , Rinse the bell with cold water.
Use the beach towel and dry the bell as much as possible.
Set it aside in a safe place where it will not be knocked over and let it finish by air drying. , Make sure the outer slide is filled with water.
Do this for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side of the slide.
Often junk will come out into the water.
That's good! Keep working at it for at least a minute on each side.
Using a clean stream of cold water, rinse the inside and outside of the outer slide.
Dry with a beach towel and let it air dry with the bell. , Next, take the snake and clean the inside of the inner slide as before with the outer slide.
Rinse and dry and place it with the other parts. , Often the tuning slide grease will eventually gum on the part of the tuning slide that fits into the bell section.
To clean this, use a penetrating oil like WD-40.
Spray the tuning slide with the penetrating oil and let it sit for a few minutes, before wiping away as much "gunk" as possible.
If the horn has not been cleaned in a while, you may have to repeat this process several times. , This will only take about 30 seconds or so.
Rub the mouthpiece with a cotton rag, then dry it.
If the mouthpiece gets gunk in the cup or shank, it will greatly disrupt the airflow when playing, so do not neglect your mouthpiece. , After the horn has completely "air dried" you will have a nice clean trombone.
You will have to reapply a slide lubricant to the slide, then apply tuning slide grease to the tuning slides.
Use both sparingly
-- a little goes a long way.
Reinsert the tuning slide(s) into the bell section.
Wipe any extra grease away with a clean cloth or cotton rag.
Now your set to clean your trombone and remember clean well and clean often... :) -
Step 2: Fill a bathtub with lukewarm water.
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Step 3: Disassemble the trombone into its two main parts
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Step 4: the slide and the bell section.
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Step 5: Place all the parts in the bathtub of lukewarm water and let them soak.
-
Step 6: Once the parts have soaked for five to ten minutes
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Step 7: stand the bell section up away from the other parts and gently rub the bell with the cotton rags on the outside and as much as you can on the inside.
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Step 8: Take the outer slide and run the snake back and fourth through inside of it.
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Step 9: Pick up the inner slide and using a clean cotton rag
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Step 10: wipe it firmly but gently up and down the outside.
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Step 11: Use the snake to clean the inside of the tuning slide.
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Step 12: Take the mouthpiece brush and push it back and forth into the shank (the part that fits into the trombone) of the mouthpiece.
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Step 13: Finishing off.
Detailed Guide
Do not use hot water.
It helps to place a dampened towel or cloth at the bottom of the bathtub to avoid dents or scratches.
I repeat, WARNING:
Do NOT use hot water under any circumstances! Hot water can actually damage the lacquer.
Lukewarm water will be just fine. , Next, take the outer slide off the inner slide.
You should now have three parts.
Then remove the tuning slide (or both if you have a Bb/F trigger trombone).
Now you should have four (or five) parts in the water.
Include the mouthpiece and you will have five (or six.) , *Gently handle the parts at all times. , Rinse the bell with cold water.
Use the beach towel and dry the bell as much as possible.
Set it aside in a safe place where it will not be knocked over and let it finish by air drying. , Make sure the outer slide is filled with water.
Do this for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side of the slide.
Often junk will come out into the water.
That's good! Keep working at it for at least a minute on each side.
Using a clean stream of cold water, rinse the inside and outside of the outer slide.
Dry with a beach towel and let it air dry with the bell. , Next, take the snake and clean the inside of the inner slide as before with the outer slide.
Rinse and dry and place it with the other parts. , Often the tuning slide grease will eventually gum on the part of the tuning slide that fits into the bell section.
To clean this, use a penetrating oil like WD-40.
Spray the tuning slide with the penetrating oil and let it sit for a few minutes, before wiping away as much "gunk" as possible.
If the horn has not been cleaned in a while, you may have to repeat this process several times. , This will only take about 30 seconds or so.
Rub the mouthpiece with a cotton rag, then dry it.
If the mouthpiece gets gunk in the cup or shank, it will greatly disrupt the airflow when playing, so do not neglect your mouthpiece. , After the horn has completely "air dried" you will have a nice clean trombone.
You will have to reapply a slide lubricant to the slide, then apply tuning slide grease to the tuning slides.
Use both sparingly
-- a little goes a long way.
Reinsert the tuning slide(s) into the bell section.
Wipe any extra grease away with a clean cloth or cotton rag.
Now your set to clean your trombone and remember clean well and clean often... :)
About the Author
Ashley Gonzales
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow organization tutorials.
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