The “tactile” approach to a brass instrument—or any lacquered instrument—is arguably more important than for any other wind instrument. Because you handle it so closely, regular maintenance is truly essential…
The Deep Clean. What’s the goal?
Eliminating bad odours caused by the bacteria/food-particle combo leads to several benefits: better hygiene, reduced lacquer corrosion from perspiration, cleaner tubing with no airflow obstructions, and proper lubrication of moving parts and screw-fit components.
The frequency of this cleaning will naturally depend on how intensively you play—from once a month or every two months to once a year. It’s wise to equip yourself with a small “cleaning kit,” like those available in the Woodbrass catalogue, especially for trumpet, which include all the useful tools.
The Cleaning Snake: A Must-Have
Start with the mouthpiece. Wash it with soapy water using a small conical brush, and avoid abrasive products that could damage the surface. Then disassemble everything that can be removed: valve pistons and valve mechanisms, slides… Of course, your teacher can show you the steps for disassembly. This is part and parcel of good pedagogy, just like learning to play.
If the pistons are stuck, a first light lubrication should let you loosen the top and bottom valve caps without effort after a few minutes. Then immerse the body of the instrument in lukewarm soapy water. Avoid very hot water, which could damage the lacquer! A gentle handheld sprayer will help flush the inside of the tubing. Rinse everything with cold water and dry thoroughly.
Running a cleaning snake—typically a braided nylon cable ending in a small round brush—will finish the internal cleaning. There are several kits available from various manufacturers including VCB, SML, Reka, and Gewa.
The Slides
Cleaning the slides removes built-up, broken-down grease that can make them stick. Start with a wash in lukewarm soapy water. Then use the dedicated cleaning snake to clear out any residue that’s accumulated inside. Follow up with a soft brush that won’t scratch the slide sleeves/casings but will remove remaining grease from the surfaces. If saliva stains persist, gently brush the marked areas with bicarbonate of soda, then rinse again.
After careful cleaning and drying, you can grease the slides, possibly using two different viscosities—one for slides 1 and 3, and another for slide 2 and the main tuning slide.
For more details, refer to the full article on greasing movable slides and tuning slides.
The Valves (Pistons)
Use lukewarm soapy water again for the valve tops, the caps (the threaded parts at the top and bottom of the valve casing), and the pistons themselves. Here too, a light pass with a soft brush and the cleaning snake works well. Be careful not to drop a soap-covered piston: a fall could damage it and make it unusable without a trip to the repair tech. After drying and identifying each piston, reassemble starting with the bottom cap. Leave each piston slightly out of its casing and apply a few drops of a suitable valve oil.
Work each valve several times to spread the oil through the entire casing (the valve block). Still, check that the piston hasn’t rotated before screwing the top cap back on. Valve oils come in different viscosities to suit various casings—for example Normal or Ultra-Light from Ultra-Pure.
It’s good practice to oil the valves once a week—without a full tear-down—to reduce metal-on-metal friction that can slow your action. Note that some valve oils have differing freezing points, which can cause action issues in very cold conditions.
Finishing Touches
A regular wipe-down with a soft cloth will remove fingerprints—a common cause of corrosion—and help preserve the appearance of the lacquer. Silver-plated instruments require a slightly different treatment. Definitely avoid household polishes like Mirror, which are particularly harmful to lacquer. And finally, a quick vacuum now and then in the instrument case will remove dust and snack crumbs left over from your last gig…
What About Our Own Skin Acidity?
Whatever your instrument (trumpet, trombone, cornet, tuba, saxophone, etc.), it usually comes lacquered when you buy it—to make it look nicer and shinier. That said, it’s often observed that this lacquer wears off after a few years, or even a few months or weeks! Is that due to poor lacquer quality or a bad application? Hard to say…
Some musicians maintain their instruments meticulously—even pamper them for hours—but it won’t change much if your personal skin acidity happens to be high.
If the lacquer does wear off more or less quickly, don’t panic! Your instrument’s sound quality won’t suffer. At worst, you may find it less pretty, but generally the sound will be even better. Some makers even offer instruments “unlacquered” to provide “unrestricted” resonance—since that extra layer can sometimes stifle the sound.
The right habits? They’re simple: wipe your instrument after every use, even if you only played for a few minutes—or even a few seconds. A slightly damp microfibre cloth will remove the thin film that forms on the surface.
So make those good habits second nature, keep that sparkle in your eyes, and enjoy the pleasure of playing your instrument… Give it the care it deserves!
