How to Clean Cymbals Using Household Items

Regularly cleaning your cymbals is an integral part of keeping your drum kit shiny and looking brand new. By following a few simple steps, you can clean your cymbals using ordinary, inexpensive household items. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a clean cloth
• gloves (if necessary)
• old newspapers/rags
• specialized cymbal or metal cleaner

1. First, lay down old newspapers or rags in the area that you want to clean your cymbals. This is done to prevent any stains from being made to the ground where you are working.

2. Next, wipe down the cymbals that you want to clean with a soft cloth to remove any dust or dirt from the surface.

3. Once the cymbal is free of dust, apply the cleaner to a small area. Avoid using too much cleaner at one time to prevent it from drying before you get a chance to use it.

4. Polish the cymbal with a clean cloth until it has the desired shine. Repeat until you have cleaned all of your cymbals. Place them back on the drum kit and you are ready to jam again.

Tips & Warnings

• Cymbal cleaning can really be done as often as you'd like. Some drummers prefer their cymbals clean and shiny while other enjoy the sound that a dirty cymbal eventually acquires.
• Be sure to at least wipe down your cymbals while tearing down your kit and before and after gigs.