How To Clean Dirty Cymbals

Cymbal cleaning hero

Some drummers prefer the fresh-out-of-the-box look and bright sound, while others like the patina look and dark sound. While there's no real right or wrong answer, in this guide, we'll tell you if you want to clean your cymbals, how often you should clean them, and also give you some tips on how to clean your cymbals.

Cleaning and Polishing Cymbals
- Basic cleaning
- Use cymbal cleaner

Cleaning and Polishing Cymbals

Cymbal manufacturers almost always place a special coating on their cymbals (especially on a "brilliant" finish) to prevent dirt and rust while they're sitting in the warehouse. This coating will naturally wear off the more you play your cymbal. Once that coating is gone, there's no protection so any dirt or oils from your hand will begin to oxidize the cymbal if not cleaned.

As cymbals oxidize, the higher frequencies begin to diminish, so you'll end up with a "darker" sound, and there's nothing wrong with that! Sometimes, those types of cymbals fit the bill with the genre, like jazz or classic rock. That being said, the fresh-out-of-the-box look and bright sound of a "brilliant" cymbal are great when you're wanting them to "cut through" the mix and also look good under the lights. In the end, it's your choice on whether or not to use cymbal cleaner to polish your cymbals but here are some tips if you do decide to.

Cleaning and polishing are often confused and used interchangeably. Cleaning gets rid of all of the dirt and grime like fingerprints and dust, but polishing usually requires a special cleaner and some elbow grease.

Wipe down any and all fingerprints and grease with a clean microfiber cloth after each use.
Clean any dirt or spills with a little soap and warm water. Dry it off immediately! Metal and moisture aren't the greatest of friends.
When carrying cymbals, use your hands on the edges of the cymbal instead of grabbing them with your fingers. If you do grab them with your fingers, wipe them down after.

Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the cymbal down.

IMPORTANT: Only use cymbal polish on brilliant finish cymbals! If you have traditional finish cymbals, simply use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe along the grooves.

Here are a few simple but very effective tips for keeping your cymbals looking brand new. You can clean your cymbals using cymbal cleaner as often as you like but we don't recommend you polish them every time. The abrasives in the cymbal cleaner polishing compound could wear your cymbal down to the lathing, which ultimately alters the tone of the cymbal.

We recommend using a brand name cymbal cleaner. Using a household metal cleaner may damage or discolor your cymbal and is not recommended.
The general rule of thumb is to apply cymbal cleaner to a microfiber cloth and apply it along the grooves of the cymbal. A thin coat is all that's needed, so just place a pea-sized amount of cymbal cleaner. If you want to keep the manufacturer logo on your cymbal, don't apply the polish on it! It will eat away at it and smudge the ink.
Remove the cymbal cleaner with a clean, dry microfiber cloth or, even better, run it under warm water quickly then completely drying it off to ensure all of the polish has been removed.

How to Clean Brilliant Finish Cymbals

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