Hot water can actually damage the lacquer. Lukewarm water will be just fine.
Hot water can actually damage the lacquer. Lukewarm water will be just fine.
Now you should have four (or five) parts in the water. Include the mouthpiece and you will have five (or six. )
Rinse the bell with cold water. Use the beach towel and dry the bell as much as possible. Set it aside in a safe place where it will not be knocked over and let it finish by air drying.
Often junk will come out into the water. That’s good! Keep working at it for at least a minute on each side. Using a clean stream of cold water, rinse the inside and outside of the outer slide. Dry with a beach towel and let it air dry with the bell.
Often the tuning slide grease will eventually gum on the part of the tuning slide that fits into the bell section. To clean this, use a penetrating oil like WD-40. Spray the tuning slide with the penetrating oil and let it sit for a few minutes, before wiping away as much “gunk” as possible. If the horn has not been cleaned in a while, you may have to repeat this process several times. [4] X Research source
After the horn has completely “air dried” you will have a nice clean trombone. You will have to reapply a slide lubricant to the slide, then apply tuning slide grease to the tuning slides. Use both sparingly – a little goes a long way. [6] X Research source Reinsert the tuning slide(s) into the bell section. Wipe any extra grease away with a clean cloth or cotton rag. Now your set to clean your trombone and remember clean well and clean often.
