- Lubricate the main slide<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
- Empty water<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
- Wipe it down<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Weekly Maintenance<\/strong><\/a>
- Give it a bath<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
- Grease the tuning slides<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Even before you take your trombone out of its case, you need to make sure you have some accessories at your disposal. While the list may be long, most of the products are included in trombone care kits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Trombone care kit<\/strong><\/a>
- Mouthpiece brush<\/strong><\/li>
- Slide lubricant<\/strong><\/li>
- Tuning slide grease<\/strong><\/li>
- Trombone bore brush<\/strong><\/li>
- Polish cloth<\/strong><\/li>
- Key & linkage oil (if you have a trombone with an F-attachment)<\/strong><\/li>
- Rotor Oil (if you have a trombone with an F-attachment)<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Trombone cleaning rod<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
- Trombone stand<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
- Dish soap<\/strong><\/li>
- Water (distilled is preferable)<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
NOTE: <\/strong>If you have a trombone with an F-attachment, you will need a trombone care kit that includes rotor oil and key & linkage oil<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daily Maintenance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Performing daily care and maintenance on your trombone is critical in making sure
it <\/s>works smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLubricate the main slide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
IMPORTANT: <\/strong>Make sure you use slide lubricant<\/em><\/strong><\/a>! Tuning slide grease is thicker and made of different compounds, making it very difficult to operate the slide while you\u2019re performing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main slide is easily the most critical part of a trombone, so lubricating it daily before you start playing will ensure it operates smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- If you have spray lubricant, spray some along the top and bottom of the inner tuning slide. If you have tuning lubricant cream, apply a small amount at the stocking part of the slide (the edge of the slide, which is often a little wider than the rest).
- If you are changing to a different brand trombone slide lubricant, make sure to wipe any existing lubricant off beforehand!<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Insert the outer main slide, then work it up and down so the lubricant is evenly distributed.
- If using lubricant cream, wipe any excess off with a soft fiber cloth.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Spray a tiny bit of distilled water on the inner tube, reinsert the outer main slide, and work it up and down a few more times.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
TIP: <\/strong>If you are using slide cream, you only need to spritz the inner slide with a little distilled water. With a few squeezes of water, those kinds of lubricants can last a while without needing more lubricant applied.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"image](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2023\/02\/image-showing-how-to-lubricate-a-trombone-slide-with-slide-grease-1024x536.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nApply slide lubricant to the main slide. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Empty water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Condensation will naturally build up while you play and eventually it will cause your trombone to make a gurgling sound. Emptying this moisture is important and easy to do. Push the water key and gently blow air through the mouthpiece to remove any moisture. You\u2019ll also want to remove the moisture before placing your trombone back in its case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Slightly moisten a cleaning cloth.<\/li>
- Thread one end of the cleaning cloth into the small hole of the trombone cleaning rod<\/a>, and wrap it around until it reaches the top.
- If you don\u2019t have a cleaning cloth, you can use cheesecloth or muslin cloth, which you can find at many supermarkets.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Insert the cleaning rod into the outer tuning slide until you reach the crook of the slide, then twist the rod a few times. Don\u2019t jam the rod in, though!<\/li>
- Using a trombone snake weekly can help remove any sticky residue that can build up within the outer slide.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
TIP: <\/strong>When you open the water key, place a cleaning cloth between it and the water keyhole and let go. This will help draw some of the moisture from the cork padding, which, in turn, can help extend the life of the water valve\u2019s pad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"image](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2023\/02\/using-a-bore-brush-to-clean-out-the-outer-slide-1024x536.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nUse a bore brush to clean out any sticky<\/em> residue.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wipe it down<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This goes without saying, but you should always wipe the entirety of your trombone before you put it away. Not only does it keep your trombone looking nice and shiny, but it also helps prevent any corrosion that can form from the oil of your fingers and hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simply use a cleaning cloth and thoroughly clean all parts of the trombone, especially any part your hands have touched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"image](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2023\/02\/wiping-down-a-trombone-with-a-polishing-cloth-1024x536.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWipe down the trombone.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other daily maintenance tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What we\u2019ve covered above are all critical parts of taking care of your trombone, but there are a few other things to take into consideration when playing your trombone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- When inserting your mouthpiece, do so gently. Too hard, and the mouthpiece can get stuck. If you do run into that unfortunate situation, take your instrument to an ensemble teacher or an instrument repair shop for removal. Don\u2019t use household tools!<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- While this might not sound important, place your trombone on a stand, ensure the slide lock is engaged, and handle your trombone with care. If the slide lock isn\u2019t engaged, the slide will slip off and could get dented.<\/li>
- When you\u2019re not holding your trombone in your hands there are only a few other places it should be. The first is safely in your trombone case. The second is on a specially made trombone stand. When placing your trombone onto a trombone stand, make sure the slide lock is engaged, otherwise your outer slide will come off and strike the ground. Dented outer slides won\u2019t be able to move up and down anymore, so using the slide lock is critical!<\/li>
- Unless your trombone case has internal compartments, don\u2019t store anything in it that\u2019s not supposed to be there. A method book sitting on top of your slide can press into it when the case is closed and slowly cause the metal to bend.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Weekly Maintenance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You should perform more thorough maintenance once a week. Instead of just the tuning slide, you will be taking care of the entirety of your trombone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Give it a bath<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
TIP: <\/strong>If you don\u2019t have a bathtub or don\u2019t want to use it, fill your sink or a plastic tub with soap and water, soak a towel in the soap and water solution, then wipe your trombone down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once a week, you need to give your trombone a deep clean with a bath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Fill a bathtub with warm <\/strong>(not hot or cold) water and dish soap.<\/li>
- While the tub is filling, disassemble your trombone and lay everything out.<\/li>
- Once the tub is filled, submerge all the parts, and set them aside for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Wipe all the tuning grease off your tuning slide before submerging it.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Run your cleaning snake through each part while it\u2019s still in the water, then pull the parts out, rinse them, wipe them down, and set everything aside to air dry.
- When you take the body of the trombone out, make sure you take it out with the bell facing down. Doing it this way will remove much more moisture.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Clean the water keyhole using a pipe cleaner.<\/li>
- Once it\u2019s dried, use a brass cleaning cloth and thoroughly wipe your trombone down to remove any leftover water marks.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Grease the top tuning slide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
IMPORTANT: <\/strong>Make sure you\u2019re using tuning slide grease! Slide lubricant <\/em>is made specifically for your main slide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You always need to make sure that your tuning slide is correctly greased. If left dry, buildup will occur, and your slide may \u201cweld\u201d to the trombone, making it nearly impossible to pull out. This means you will need to take your trombone to your local shop to get it repaired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Apply a small amount of tuning slide grease<\/a> on the edges of the tuning slide, then work it back and forth to get everything evenly coated. Be sure to wipe any excess grease off!<\/li>
- Relubricate your main slide<\/a>, as we outlined earlier.<\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1779863,"template":"","categories":[142726],"tags":[352426,54925],"storecat":[328683],"itemids":[],"manufacturers":[202712],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n
- Apply a small amount of tuning slide grease<\/a> on the edges of the tuning slide, then work it back and forth to get everything evenly coated. Be sure to wipe any excess grease off!<\/li>
- Fill a bathtub with warm <\/strong>(not hot or cold) water and dish soap.<\/li>
- When inserting your mouthpiece, do so gently. Too hard, and the mouthpiece can get stuck. If you do run into that unfortunate situation, take your instrument to an ensemble teacher or an instrument repair shop for removal. Don\u2019t use household tools!<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Slide lubricant<\/strong><\/li>
- Mouthpiece brush<\/strong><\/li>
- Grease the tuning slides<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Empty water<\/strong><\/a><\/li>