As you are reading this article, hundreds of brass instruments throughout the world are being needlessly abused and neglected. Many lie in lonely cases with months’ worth of dirt, moisture and food deposits, ruthlessly eating away at their insides. What a shameful thing to allow to happen to an instrument that can be a thing of beauty! Look into your case: You may be surprised (or disgusted) at what you find.
The cleaning of brass instruments is really a relatively simple process. A little bit of work at regular intervals will keep an instrument in top shape and out of the depths of degradation in which some instruments find themselves.
Weekly
The mouthpiece should be washed and cleaned every week to prevent a build up of saliva deposits and dirt. A mouthpiece brush (available at music stores) makes this job very quick and simple. A pipe cleaner (with the end doubled over to prevent scratching) will also do.
The valves should be oiled no less than once a week --- more frequently is desirable. Do not wait until they get dry!
Monthly
Once a month the instrument should be flushed out with warm water (not hot – if your instrument is lacquered, hot water will cause the lacquer to peel) to remove dust and saliva deposits. While the water is running through the instrument, the valves should be worked to make sure the valve ports and valve slides are cleaned as well. Blow the water out of the instrument as thoroughly as possible and wipe the outside dry with a soft cloth of chamois. This will also help remove acids and dirt left by the hands, and keep it shiny longer.
Quarterly
Assuming that a regular maintenance program such as described above, is followed, a quarterly thorough cleaning and lubricating should not be a time-consuming or stomach-turning operation. The instrument should be lubricated and well cleaned both inside and out.
To clean the instrument:
1. Take the instrument apart, being careful not to bang the parts or put them where thy might roll away.
2. Soak parts in the sink or tub depending on size. Use lukewarm water and mild soap (liquid hand soap or soap flakes are good --- do not use detergents).
3. Run snakes and brushes through all slides. Be careful not to push the snake in too far so it doesn’t get stuck. Valve casings can be cleaned using a cloth and a cleaning rod if available. If using a cleaning rod, no metal part of the rod should touch the valve casing. Wrap the cloth around the end of the rod and twist it around the length of the rod. Run the cloth up and down the inside of the valve casing until it is clean. Valves and valve casings are very delicate and have a very fine tolerance, so any dirt, scratch, or dent will prevent the valves from working properly, therefore they must be handled with utmost care.
4. Rinse all parts thoroughly in lukewarm water.
5. Wipe all parts dry using a soft lint-free cloth.
6. Lubricate and reassemble the instrument as follows:
Valves: Oil valves with a commercial valve oil. Heavier oils (such as Holton – not 10W40!) are better for cheaper and older instruments. Be careful when reinserting valves, to line up the guide on the valve with the slot in the valve casing, while making sure that the proper valve is in the proper casing. The guide can be easily damaged if mistreated. The threads on the valve tops and bottoms can be greased lightly with the same grease you use on the slides to prevent them from sticking.
Slides: The slides should always have a thin layer of grease on them. Commercial slide greases are available at music stores. Vaseline petroleum jelly or pure lanolin are also good, or a drop of STP which will not attract dirt and will last for months. Wipe off any excess grease.
It is a good idea to check the water keys for air tightness during cleaning.
Most people are taught not to pop the slides by pulling them out without depressing the valves. This is a myth! The air vacuum created is not great enough to do any damage.
Trombones
The trombone is very simple to clean, but must be handled with great care as it is very delicate. The bell section should be washed and rinsed and the tuning slide lubricated, as already described. The outside of the inner slide should be wiped clean. The inside can be cleaned with a trombone cleaning rod wrapped with cloth. The outer slide should be cleaned with soapy water and a trombone cleaning snake which will clean around the U-bend. Take great care not to ‘nick’ the outer slide --- this is the greatest cause of poor slide action. Make sure all parts are well rinsed. The inner slide should be lubricated concentrating mostly on the stocking (the wider section at the bottom). The best lubrication is Conn “Superslick”. Cold cream or slide oil will also do. Don’t put oil and cream on together. If cream is used, add water to the slide – a spray bottle applicator is best.
Finish
The outside of silver plated instruments can be polished with a gentle non-abrasive silver polish or a treated silver polish cloth. Lacquered instruments should be wiped clean. Specially treated cloths are also available for lacquered instruments.
A note to Bandmasters and YP Bandleaders
Unless bandmembers are reminded to clean their instruments, they probably will not do so. It would help if the band purchased and made available instrument maintenance supplies. They are not very expensive and are a worthwhile investment if just one repair bill is prevented. Following is a list of supplies that would be useful to circulate throughout the band:
Various size cleaning snakes
Various size cleaning rods
Various size mouthpiece brushes
Mouthpiece puller (almost a necessity, especially for YP Bands)
If you do not have a music store nearby, some stores will mail order merchandise. As a general rule, leave repairs to the repair shop. Instruments are more delicate than they seem, and unless you really know what you are doing you can easily make the problem worse.
There are, however, a few minor repairs you can do. Slides that are stuck can be removed with a piece of cloth wrapped around the bow of the slide and the fist. Hold the instrument by the outer slide so that you don’t break it away from the instrument. Jerk the slide straight away in the line of the tubing. If after several tries it doesn’t work, apply some penetrating oil and try again. Failing that, send the instrument to a repair shop.
Mouthpieces that are stuck can be removed safely and easily with a proper mouthpiece puller. Other methods (shoes, ping pong racquets, pliers, etc) which sometimes work, often lead to damaged mouthpieces and bent mouth-pipes.
Once an instrument is in good clean working order, it can be maintained with very little effort and will give many years of efficient service. It just takes a little care.
Don’t be an instrument abuser!!
- written by Steve Brown, a 26 year veteran member of The Canadian Staff Band