Trumpet
Instrument Care

Trumpet Instrument Cleaning and Maintenance

Daily Care

• After every use, empty water key (spit valve) onto your spit rag or into a garbage can.

1. Hold onto the trumpet with your right hand.  Push down all three valves.  Hold trumpet over spit rag or garbage can.

2. With your left hand, squeeze open the water key on the end of the main tuning slide.

3. Put your lips around the mouthpiece.  Blow gently into the mouthpiece.

4. Empty the water key on the end of the third valve slide if there is one.

5. Remove mouthpiece by pulling and twisting.  Set in the case.  If the mouthpiece cannot be removed easily, bring the trumpet to school and have one of the band teachers remove it for you.

6. Carefully place the trumpet properly into the case.

7. Put your spit rag into the case.  Close the lid and latch/zip the case.

8. Place pencil and highlighter in pencil pouch.

9. Keep your binder, lesson, book, and instrument in one place so you don’t lose anything!

• Carry your trumpet upright and close to your upper body to prevent bumps.

• If you need to set it down, gently place it on your chair with as little of the trumpet hanging over the edge as possible – the action of setting it down should be SILENT!

• Never set the trumpet on a music stand or on its bell!

• Always put your trumpet completely away when you’re done playing, with all case latches or zippers closed.

Weekly Care 

• Oil valves (weekly or as needed)

1. Remove lid from valve oil and set valve oil on a flat surface within reach.

2. Put the instrument across your lap with the mouthpiece facing to the left and the valves facing away from your body (to create a flat lap, you may put your heels up on legs of the chair, raising your knees).

3. Unscrew the 1st valve cap.  Carefully remove the valve by pulling it straight out (ONLY REMOVE ONE VALVE AT A TIME).

4. Hold the valve horizontally above your spit rag or a garbage can.

5. Pick up the oil and turn it upside down, touching the tip of the bottle to the bottom half of the valve.

6. Squeeze gently to place one drop in 3 places along the valve to coat it.

7. Shake excess oil onto spit rag.

8. Insert the valve back into its casing – the number found on the valve should face toward the mouthpiece.

9. Rotate the valve to the right until it clicks into place.

10. Tighten the valve casing cap.

11. Check valve alignment by blowing air through the trumpet – if air does not move through, the valve is backwards (fix this before oiling more valves).

12. Repeat to oil the remaining valves.

13. Place the cap on the oil and put away.

• Scrub mouthpiece with warm water, soap, and mouthpiece brush.  Rinse well and dry.

• Polish trumpet with polishing cloth.

Monthly Care

• Check all slides and apply slide grease if needed.

  1. Push down the corresponding valve before moving the slide (for example, push down the 3rd valve when moving the 3rd valve slide in and out).

  2. Wipe the slide with a clean cloth.

  3. Apply a small amount of tuning slide grease to slide.

  4. Remember to push down the corresponding valve when pushing slide back in.

• Wash spit rag and put back in trumpet case.