Instrument Maintenance - You all should have:

1. A mouthpiece brush
2. A snake with brushes at each end
   a. A trumpet snake for sopranos and Mid Voices
   b. A trombone snake for baritones & Contras
   c. Be careful when snaking tight turns in the tubing (especially where the water keys are), snake can get hung up!
3. A clean, soft, cleaning cloth (old T-shirt material or an old towel)
4. A “good” valve oil – I like Al Cass Fast or Hetman Synthetic
5. Slide grease for your tuning slides (Vaseline works well also)
   
   

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• Cotton Gloves will keep oils and grease from your horns finish. They can be bought at any Tuxedo shop (or Army/Navy store) for a few dollars.

• Windex is great for an outer cleaning

• After cleaning (scrubbing) your mouthpiece (every few months or after a cold), boil it or soak it in Listerine to sterilize it.

• I have a mouthpiece puller if your mouthpiece gets stuck – don’t try to take it out with pliers. You’ll scratch the finish or worse.

• I have spare parts (corks & felts etc.) in my tool kit. If anything doesn’t work right, bring it to me first. If I can’t fix it, I’ll let you know where to bring it.
  
  

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Brass Instrument Cleaning:

Brass instruments need to be cleaned internally on a regular basis. The following is a description of that process. To clean your instrument, you must take it apart completely. You will also need some cleaning brushes (available at music stores), valve oil, slide grease, and some liquid dish soap. You will also need a place to clean the instrument. Unless you have a large sink, the bathtub is probably the best place. Place a towel at the bottom of the bathtub to protect the instrument from scratches.

1. Carefully remove all slides, valves and valve bottom caps. Extreme care should be taken all parts (be careful not to lose a spring). If any of the slides are stuck take your instrument to a repair shop* to have them removed. They can be damaged if not removed properly.
2. Place all the parts, except for the valves, in warm water containing some liquid dish soap. Let the instrument parts soak in the water for about 10 minutes.
3. While the instrument soaks, take the valves and run warm water over them and brush out all openings in the valves with the valve brush. Shake off any extra water and set valves aside to dry.
4. Next brush out all tubes with the "snake" and the valve casings with the valve brush. Be sure to clean any debris from inside the valve bottom caps.
5. Use clean water and rinse out the instrument. Wipe off any excess moisture and set the instrument aside to dry thoroughly. It is important that the inside of your instrument is completely dry before you proceed.
6. Apply a small amount of slide grease to each slide and reassemble. Be sure to clean all grease from the outer tubing of your instrument. This grease can cause damage to the finish.
7. Install the valve bottom caps. Put a drop of valve oil on each valve and install them in their proper location. Valves should be numbered and must be in the correct location to operate properly.

TIPS FROM THE AUTHOR:
Before bringing any instrument to a repair shop, bring it to me. I can fix many minor problems. If it’s a major problem, I recommend National Music in Woburn or Osmun Brass (a little pricey, but their work is the best) in Arlington.

Usefull Websites: