If you play the trumpet, you will have to know how to clean a trumpet. Good maintenance of the instrument is essential if you want it to keep producing an optimal sound. On this page you will find various tips, general information and step by step instructions on how to go about cleaning the Trumpet.

Whether you have purchased, borrowed or leased a trumpet, you will have to take good care of it. Some companies will rent or lease the instrument and include instrument repair and maintenance. However, if they don't, you will have to know how to take care of your Trumpet.

The Trumpet is one of the oldest instruments around. Because the Trumpet was played in the Middle Ages by the performer that stood next to the king's throne, the instrument is also referred to as the nobelman among all instruments. Over time the Trumpet has taken many different shapes. First it looked similar to a Clarinet, than a Flute and a French Horn. In the 1700's Orchestras starting using the Trumpet and today the wind instrument is used by marching bands, orchestras, jazz bands, and brass ensembles.Louis Armstrong, Herb Alpert, and Wynton Marsalis are some of the more well known Trumpet players.http://www.angelfire.com/band/vhstrumpets/pages/history.htmlhttp://musicouch.com/instruments/brass/trumpet-history/

Hopefully the steps below will be of some help to you when you plan on cleaning your Trumpet.

In order to complete the Trumpet cleaning steps below you will need the following items:

• ■ brushes, valve casing, mouthpiece, and a snake
• ■ dry soft cloths
• ■ soft towels
• ■ valve oil
• ■ slide grease
• ■ musical instrument soap
• ■ a bath tub or large container that fits your Trumpet
• ■ paper towels
• ■ plastic cup

If this is the first time that you clean your Trumpet, make sure that you set aside enough time for this. Make sure you have at least one hour of time to complete the entire cleaning process. In order to clean your Trumpet, you will need to be able to take it apart. The Trumpet is made of various different pieces. The include the valves, a mouthpiece, slides, valve nuts, valve buttons and valve caps. Start by take apart the slides followed by the valves. If you come across any slide grease, wipe it off with the paper towels. Make sure you write down and number the valves. You need to be able to put them back on the instrument exactly the same way they were when you took them off. If at any time while disassembling your instrument something seems stuck, ask your music teacher or music store for assistance. Don't try pulling or tugging at the instrument. Once the Trumpet is disassembled, you can proceed to step 2.http://www.musichem.com/articles/trmp_car_for_students.htm

You want to wash the Trumpet about once a month. If you are skeptical about doing this yourself, visit a repairman. He will be able to give the instrument an acid bath. This should not cost you over $25. If you want to wash your instrument yourself, do the following:

• ■ Fill the tub with about 7 inches of lukewarm water, so that the Trumpet is covered when lying in the water.
• ■ Add 2 tablespoons of dish soap to the water. Palmolive and Joy are good choices.
• ■ fill the plastic cup with some of the soap water and place the three valves in it. Make sure the felt part is not under the water.
• ■ With the casing brush you want to clean inside the valves.
• ■ Let the valves soak.
• ■ Put the horn, mouthpiece and slides into the water and use the valve casing brush to clean the valve casings.
• ■ Put soap on the snake and use it to clean the slides and the mouthpiece.
• ■ Let all the pieces soak until you feel they are clean.
• ■ Fill the tub with clean water and rinse all the soap off the parts.
• ■ Let the pieces dry on a soft towel.
• ■ Use a soft cloth (this can be an old pajama) to wipe the water off the horn.
• ■ Make sure to let the valves and casings air dry.http://www.musichem.com/articles/trmp_car_for_students.htmhttp://www.zacharymusic.com/Zachary_Music/TRcarePics.htm

Once you've finished up washing the instrument, and all the pieces have dried, you can assemble your instrument back to its original state. You will use valve oil and slide grease throughout this process.

• ■ Take the big slide and put a little slide grease on it and put it into the horn.
• ■ Take the first valve and put 10 drops of valve oil on it. Also put 10 drops down the first valve casing. You want to make sure to put the valve back exactly the way it was before you removed it.
• ■ Do the same this to the other slides and valves until your Trumpet is all put back together.
• ■ Take the mouthpiece and try to see what your Trumpet sounds like. If it doesn't sound right, it could be that a valve is in the wrong place. If after all efforts your Trumpet still doesn't sound right, take it to your teacher of to the music store to have them take a look at it. Never let anyone repair your instrument if they are not a professional wind instrument repair technician. Also make sure to keep your instrument in its case at all time if you are not playing it.http://www.musichem.com/articles/trmp_car_for_students.htm