Instrument Maintenance Suggestions

Brass Instrument Supply List

  • Care Kit, including:
    • Tuning slide grease
    • Snakes
    • Mouthpiece brushes
    • Valve casing brushes
    • Polishing cloths – silver and lacquer
  • Valve oil – 2 weights (please note that rotary valves require special oil and care)
  • Trombone Hand slide lubricant
  • Trombone cleaning rod
  • Trumpet leadpipe brush
  • Microfiber cloths
  • Mouthpiece disinfectant
  • Assorted peel and stick water key “corks”

Optional: Mouthpiece puller

Woodwinds Supply List

  • Care Kit, including:
    • Polishing cloth (polishing metal keys)
    • Cork grease
    • Bore oil, separate swab (wooden instruments)
  • Pipe cleaners (cleaning around posts & keys)
  • Cotton swabs (cleaning inside holes)
  • Soft brush (removing case fuzz and dust)
  • Microfiber cloths (removing finger oils)
  • Mouthpiece brush (or old child’s toothbrush)
  • Pad & Cork cement
  • Small screwdrivers (for screws parallel to body)
  • Spring setter (when springs get bumped off)

Optional:

  • Bassoon bocal snake
  • Bari Sax neck swab



Daily Maintenance

Brass

  • Empty water
  • Wipe mouthpiece

Woodwinds

  • Swab
  • Wipe moisture from reeds and store flat

Percussion

  • Store all mallets and accessory instruments carefully
  • Put music away

Weekly Maintenance

Brass

  • Clean mouthpiece with mouthpiece cleaning brush
  • Wipe old oil from valves and apply new oil
  • Pull all slides and twist all caps to keep moving parts moving

Woodwinds

  • Clean mouthpiece with mouthpiece cleaning brush or old toothbrush
  • Apply cork grease as needed
  • Wipe instrument with soft, dry cloth to remove finger oils, etc.

Percussion

  • Check all equipment for loose screws and missing parts: report to the director
  • Cover all large instruments
  • If instruments are in a sunny spot, cover when not in use

Monthly Maintenance

Brass

  • Pull all slides; wipe off old lubricant
  • Trombones – swab inner and outer hand slide and clean the leadpipe
  • Wipe off fingerprints with soft, dry (or polishing) cloth
  • Vacuum inside of the case. Occasionally let case sit open in sunlight. Use Febreeze (or similar) to remove smells, then allow to dry thoroughly

Woodwinds

  • Check for ‘finger cheese’ in holes; remove with a cotton swab or wooden toothpick
  • Use a small, soft brush or folded pipe cleaner to remove dust and lint from around keys and springs
  • Vacuum inside of the case. Occasionally let case sit open in sunlight. Use Febreeze (or similar) to remove smells, then allow to dry thoroughly

Percussion

  • Check mallets and trim fuzzies
  • Wipe timpani heads
  • Dust horizontal surfaces (snare heads, top of bass drum, chimes, cymbals, etc.)

Annual Maintenance

Brass

  • Snake out all slides and rinse

Woodwinds

  • Have woodwinds checked annually (or biannually) by a repair technician who can adjust key tensions and replace pads as needed