How To Clean A Trumpet Without Causing Damage Items You Will Need. Disassemble the Instrument. Fill the Tub (or Bucket) with Water. Cleaning The Trumpet. Rinse All the Parts. Reassemble the Pieces. Oil also flushes out any small debris and dirt that gets in between the valve and walls of the valve casing. A layer of oil will also fill the small gap between the valve and the casing, reducing any air leakage, making your trumpet more efficient. OILING THE VALVES - do this about 2 times a week.
Vincent Bach, a famous American trumpet player and founder of the Vincent Bach Corporation, once said that 'choosing the perfect mouthpiece is often more difficult than choosing the perfect instrument.' Once you have chosen the best mouthpiece for your embouchure and skill level, though, cleaning and maintenance are crucial. Cleaning your trumpet mouthpiece requires very little time and will ultimately help you maintain a clear and powerful sound.
Regular Maintenance
Remove your trumpet mouthpiece when you are finished playing.
Shake the mouthpiece vigorously. This will remove any excess moisture on the inside of the mouthpiece.
Wipe the outside of the mouthpiece with a dry cloth, then replace it in your case.
Monthly Cleaning
Wipe the mouthpiece with a cloth soaked in warm, soapy water. You can use dish soap or any other mild cleaning soap, but do not use detergents.
Clean the inside of the mouthpiece with your mouthpiece brush.
Rinse the mouthpiece once more with clean water.
Dry the mouthpiece with a clean, dry cloth, then allow to air dry for about half an hour.
Repeat cleaning at least once a month.
Trumpets are pretty easy to look after, and mouthpieces even more so. All you need are oil, slide grease, and a lint-free cloth to care for your musical equipment.
- Oiling the valves: A new trumpet has a breaking-in period of about a month during which you should oil the valves and give the valves an oil change more frequently. During the first month, you should oil the valves every day. To do this, apply just two drops of good-quality valve oil (Hetman Synthetic Classic Piston Lubricant, Al Cass Fast Valve Oil, or Holton Valve Oil) on the silver section of the valve.In addition, once a week, do a full oil change: Carefully remove the valves and wipe them clean with a lint-free cloth; apply no more than three drops of valve oil on the silver section of the valve, and insert the valve into the casing, tightening the retaining cap without too much force. Work on one valve at a time.After the first month or so, oil your valves two or three times a week; if you’re playing several hours a day, you might want to oil them daily. Every couple of months, give your valves an oil change.
- Greasing the slides: Lubricate the main tuning slide with slide grease. (Hetman and Yamaha are two excellent manufacturers.) Don’t apply too much lubricant, and only do this maintenance once a month. The goal is for the slide to move smoothly, but not too freely. The third-valve slide does need to move easily, so a different, lighter lubricant (called key and rotor oil) is needed.
- Cleaning the mouthpiece: Mouthpieces are simple. Swab the inner diameter with a mouthpiece brush whenever you think of it.