TromboneChat

Doing my annual deep clean of my slide I was (as usual) dismayed but the amount of rubbish that came out and continued to come out...

..and it occured to me. Would I risk using a pressure washer in my slide to loosen those bits of crud that refused to be shifted.

Would you?

Absolutely Not!!!

Haha what? That'll blow your slide apart!

What you can do is use a garden hose. That's usually how I'll clean out my Euph or my slide is particularly funky. Just be smart.

Clean it more than once a year.

Why not just light some ladyfinger firecrackers and drop them down the slide first to loosen the crud, followed by siphoning nitric acid through the pressure washer to blast the remains away?

But seriously, Herco Spitballs do a very good job of removing stuff that ordinary cleaning misses. I used up about half a jar of them to remove crud that I wasn't aware was in a trombone I had purchased and had already cleaned with warm, soapy water and a bore snake before playing for the first time. I use Herco Spitballs after every week of use in all my horns, BTW.

You can prevent buildup in the first place by maintaining proper oral hygiene before playing. Flossing and brushing your teeth before playing will prevent pizza from growing inside your horn. You'll be amazed at the cleaning intervals if you follow this simple procedure, plus there's the side effect of your dental bills being kept to a minimum, leaving that much more $$$ to spend on N+1, accessories, lessons, etc.

Doubler wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:01 pm Why not just light some ladyfinger firecrackers and drop them down the slide first to loosen the crud, followed by siphoning nitric acid through the pressure washer to blast the remains away

Now there's an idea....

Just so you know, I didn't and wasn't intending to... just an interesting "thought experiment"

I wouldn't. Too much pressure and a chance to mess up the slide. Maybe get a stiffer brush, or take it somewhere that has an ultrasonic cleaner?

I use the "Brass Savr" brushes at least once a month on all my horns when I am playing them, to keep the grunge from building up. Also I make sure I rinse my mouth out before playing, if not brushing my teeth. Keeps the crud out.

You could also try a diluted vinegar soak, followed by the cleaning snake with warm soapy water. Then, with the soap and water still in the slide, cover one side of the opening with your thumb and work the slide fairly vigorously. (make sure to do this over the tub, or outside, and keep the open side facing away from you) This may give you the strong water pressure that you want through the crook, but will not damage the slide.

+1 on Spit Balls at least once a week!

Diet Coke and Mentos would probably skirt the legal issue of fireworks in the house...

How about one of those drain augers (aka Snake) that folks use to clear their plumbing? That should get out all the "gunk"...