How to Get Stick Marks Off a Cymbal
There is some debate on whether or not to clean cymbals. While some drummers want to remove stick marks on the cymbals, other drummers never wash their cymbals. The cleaners like the look and feel of a shiny clean cymbal. The non-cleaners like the warm sound of dirty cymbals. Some drummers even think that cleaning a cymbal damages it. With such differences in opinion, how a drummer takes care of his drum set is a personal choice. Gentle is the keyword -- never use harsh cleaners or abrasive tools that could scratch the cymbals.
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Instructions
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Fill a tub or pail with lukewarm water. Add several drops of mild dish washing liquid to make soapy water.
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Submerge the cymbal in the water. Let it soak for one to two minutes. This removes surface dirt.
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Remove cymbal from water and pat dry with a cloth.
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Place a towel on a flat surface. Put the cymbal on top of the towel.
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Apply a small amount of cymbal polish to a cloth.
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Rub the polish into a small section of the cymbal. Rub in the direction of the cymbal's groove. Polish one section of the cymbal at a time. Use a clean section of the cloth every time. This prevents the transference of dirt.
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Rinse the cymbal under running water.
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Dry the cymbal with a clean cloth.
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Tips & Warnings
To prevent stick marks on cymbals, use sticks with a wood tip.
References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images
