Washing the trumpet is very important and should be done at least once a month because, when you play it, you blow inside the food residues that accumulate and promote the growth of bacteria. Besides being disgusting, this makes the sound closed and indistinct. Follow these steps to learn how to clean your horn and remove the dirt inside it.
Steps
Step 1. Fill the bathtub with warm, soapy water
Step 2. Spread a towel on the bottom of the tub (under water) to avoid scratching the tool
Step 3. Remove the mouthpiece and set it aside for now
Step 4. Now rinse the trumpet by opening the tap and running hot water along the bell; this will remove some particles, and will simplify the cleaning of the tube that you will do later with the pipe cleaner
Step 5. Remove all drawstrings, and place them in the tub
Step 6. Remove the three valves
Make sure you remember the order of the tubes, especially if there is no number written on them. This is very important, so before mixing them check if the tubes say 1, 2 or 3. Currently some tubes have S1, S2 and S3 written to help you keep them in order. If nothing is written on it, simply put them aside (in order).
Step 7. Put the body of the trumpet in the tub, pour more soap into the water and let the instrument sit for 5 - 10 minutes
Step 8. While the rest of the horn is submerged in the water, run some VERY hot water with soap through the mouthpiece
Take a cloth and clean the outside of the mouthpiece with soap as well. Then, if you have a cleaning brush, run it through the mouthpiece to remove any dirt that has built up.
Step 9. Immediately after that, immerse the mouthpiece in hot water
Step 10. Return to the body of the trumpet, and pass the pipe cleaner over the drawstring and inside the body of the instrument
Step 11. Now, take a valve and wet it with water
Do not put the top of the valve in water as the felt could be damaged. Run the brush through the three holes on the valve making sure to remove any dirt. Repeat the process with the other valves.
Step 12. Take a cloth and soap and wash the outside of the horn, and other areas you think you skipped
Make sure you clean the inside of the bell well.
Step 13. Start putting the various components back together
Take them out of the water one piece at a time, place them on a towel and finally dry them with a cloth.
Step 14. Take some drawstring lubricant and apply it to the drawstrings to keep them from jamming, then mount them in the appropriate section
Step 15. Dry the valves and apply some lubricant
BE SURE TO RETURN THEM IN THE CORRECT ORDER.
Step 16. Once the drawstring and valves are in place, take the cloth to dry everything once more, and empty the water key to get rid of any excess
Step 17. Take the cloth again and swipe the trumpet
It will make it look even cleaner and brighter.
Step 18. Finally, take the mouthpiece out of the water, dry it and put it back on the trumpet
Are you ready to play again!
Advice
- As you wash your horn, take a look to see if any components need to be changed. For example the springs inside the valves, the felt on top, or the cork in the water key.
- Check that everything is working perfectly after cleaning the instrument.
- When you put them back in, screw the tubes tight otherwise you will get a bad sound.
- Be sure to remove all parts of the fabric on the horn (if any) before submerging it in water.
- Check for strange metallic sounds on the trumpet, as they can cause problems with airflow (and therefore intonation).
- During the first few steps, do not put the drawstrings in the water.
- If you don't have a cleaning brush, you can use an ordinary toothbrush to clean the valves.
Warnings
- If the water is too hot when you wash the trumpet (excluding the mouthpiece), the paint may come off, so make sure the water is hot but not boiling.
- Do not use the brush for cleaning or the pipe cleaner on the external body of the horn, you risk scratching it.
- Make sure you spread a towel on the bottom of the tub to avoid scratching the tool.
- Do not use any type of household cleaner when washing your trumpet.
