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DO NOT USE STEEL WOOL!

There. Now, other alternatives: warm soapy water and a tuba brush after a good soak for a couple of hours does the most good. Rinse well, dry well with a soft, lint-free cloth, and reapply fresh lubricants.

If all else fails, a concoction of soapy water with some vinegar and salt added will definitely remove the crud, but you have to rinse really well so the catalytic action of the salt doesn't cause the vinegar to eat the brass.

salt will certainly add to the abrasive nature of the vinegar. But, salt is also kinda bad on metals.

louisvillemat wrote: Also, anyone have an opinion about cleaning my slides with 0000 steel wool? seems dangerous, but a repair guy told me it was legit.

Thanks

Yes this is a legit thing but I would not recommend it unless you were SHOWN how to do it right. The point of the really fine steel wool is to get all the crap off of whatever you are cleaning. It will not make your slide "shiny" though and this is where people mess this up. People try this and the see that their slides are not shiny and the think their slides are not clean so they go crazy on the slide until they trash the slide. Use the wool and some mineral spirits and you can get all the junk off your slides. DO NOT do this to valves unless you are highly trained to do so. So next time you see this tech ask him/her to show you how to do this.

Or just have them ultra-sonic clean your horn and be done with it.

You're in Germany? They should virtually have a tuba-care aisle in the Grocery stores, right?

I say warm (not hot) soapy water and a soft brush for the valve casings.

bort wrote:You're in Germany? They should virtually have a tuba-care aisle in the Grocery stores, right?

I say warm (not hot) soapy water and a soft brush for the valve casings.

I agree. if the valves have 'build up' soak in a 1 to 1 vinegar and water for an hour, scrub with soft brush, rinse like the dickens.

Here's a good video on how to clean your horn...

About the vinegar...I've read that it will REALLY clean out your horn, and then some, if combined with Baking Soda. But, I'd think that would be too acidic.

And yes, the steel wool thing is legit, BUT make sure it is 0000 steel wool. The more 0's, the finer it is, and 0000 steel wool is the finest. The other steel wool would be too rough. And you can go at the slides, but as bassboner said, don't try to make it shiny that way. I'm not especially sure though, if there's a special way of using the steel wool on the instrument, either...I'll ask tomorrow...