Trumpet tip, how to deep clean your valves with toothpaste.

This video shows how to clean your valves with toothpaste. When your valves are sticky and wiping them down or oiling isn't working it might be time to do a thorough cleaning. Toothpaste is a great way to clean your valves. After the valves and valve cases are cleaned with toothpaste it will be necessary to use dish soap to clean them and the rest of the horn. This is to ensure all the toothpaste is completely removed.

[@Lalaland.001]

I'm an actual horn repair technician. Let me educate you on some things. Toothpaste is a really hard abrasive compared to let's say valve lapping solution which you can buy as well. It will cost you a pretty penny but at least you are using the right stuff for it. the best is a garnet non-imbedding compound formulated for soft metals (brass, bronze, nickel) It is used for new valves at the Schilke factory and, I'm sure, many others. Manufactured and sold by U.S. Products of Pittsburg, PA. GK 8A, 800 grit. Then you need the technique of how to lap correctly and the judgement to know when to stop. By you using toothpaste you are basically taking an equivalent of a 40-80 grit abrasive to your horn(depends on which toothpaste you use). Unless you hate your horn toothpaste is a really bad and terrible idea. Apart from that sticky valves usually equate to not having maintained and having cleaned your horn properly in the first place. Let your horn soak for a good 30 min, take a valve brush to it and repeat 2 to 3 times. You have to get a clean microfiber cloth out of your valves if it's not clean go wash and soak you horn again. Your horn is made to fit on microns, by you using toothpaste on the valve casings you are basically taking off microns. Again, if you hate your horn this is the sure fire way to reduce it's lifespan drastically. Unless of course you are rich enough to get your valves re-worked every 3-5 years. This is really a bad idea the toothpaste.

[@Rufftips]

Lalaland thank you for your perspective.

[@Rufftips]

Lalaland this is not something I suggest that anyone should do every time they clean their instrument. If you are on the road and need a fix this is an option. Cutting the tooth paste with water and hand lapping is not going to be so abrasive as to shorten a valve “life span” by decades. I too have lapped valve casings with lapping compound and a tungsten tool. I have also machine lapped valves in the casings using lapping compound. Each time I used valve oil to cut the compound to ensure the valve or tool would not bind. If we cut the lapping compound with valve oil we control the abrasive nature of the compound. If you have any concerns about using toothpaste don’t use it. If you cut the toothpaste with water you also can control the abrasion. A few strokes of hand lapping with toothpaste are far less intrusive than machine lapping. Best, Jon

[@Lalaland.001]

@@Rufftips I wasn't even talking about machine lapping. I was talking about using a lapping compound instead of toothpaste. If you need or want to do it manually? First of all, You should NEVER, EVER even have to do this procedure. You should properly care and clean your horn. This should never be an option at all. And you can't cut toothpaste, the abrasive stays the exact same. It's meant for teeth enamel which is a lot harder then silver or gold plated brass. Go on, try it on silverware which is old and do one side with cut tooth paste and the other side with uncut toothpaste and see the damage for yourself. Today's abrasives in toothpaste will typically include calcium carbonate, dehydrated silicia gels and hydrated aluminium oxides. These compounds don't break down, they are meant to scrub your tooth enamel. Not brass instruments, Your teeth are rank 5 on the Mohs scale and brass is only 3 on the Mohs scale, that's a huge difference in hardness. Whereas diamonds are 10 on that same Mohs scale, your teeth are as hard as a cubic zirconia, brass is two points weaker then your teeth. Also there is citric acid in toothpaste, not really something you would want to use on brass, only when soldering perhaps, but apart from that it wouldn't be a good thing for your horn. The more you know. You can literally take silver-plating of a horn with toothpaste and 5 min. of elbow grease, that's how abrasive toothpaste is. I am a certified horn repair tech, I think I know a thing or two about how abrasive home remedies are. Since I am the one taking care of the repairs, after people have done stuff like this a bit too much. I'm not even saying decades, I'm saying, if you were to do this every month within three to five years you will have to get your trumpet casings reworked. 100%. Also using your pistons to lap your inner valve casing is just a disaster waiting to happen. You can easily misalign them if you use just a bit too much force. And voila, you have lost your compression, brass is a really soft metal. Your trumpet should be mounted on a steady surface and your other valves should at least have their pistons in them to protect them from deforming, as you could easily deform them when manually holding them. Instead of having only one kinda stuck valve, you could potentially create even more misalignment. Don't mind me, I probably don't know what I am talking about. I have seen people take brass cleaners, baking soda, brasso, vinegar and all kind of nasty shit into and onto their horns. And then ask me if I can fix it. I don't have to pay your repair bills, you just keep doing what you are doing, at least because of people like you, people like me still have a job. In a weird way you are a job creator, all jokes aside, you do whatever it is you wish to do to your instrument, but don't try to defend something that professionals actually know are wrong. BUt hey, that's just my two cents. Have a magnificent day.

[@Rufftips]

Lalaland My brother I have never had to take an instrument to a repair shop because of a “home remedy”. i’m very happy for you that you are certified. Best, Jon

[@Lalaland.001]

@@Rufftips And I am happy for you, I also hope you don't use your home remedy on a monthly basis. Because I would have to refer you to my previous comments. Ask any repair tech in your vicinity and tell them about your home remedy and watch them cringe and tell you not to do it (as a regular scheduled thing). It's just some avice and some technical data I have provided to you, you do with that information as you see fit. Of course if you do it once a year I won't do much, but if you were to do in regularly it will damage your instrument. I explained to technical details to you, it's your horn, you can do with it as you please. But now you at least now why and how you shouldn't do this. At the end of the day it's no skin of my back, I would seriously advice against it, but like I said before it's your horn and your life. You shouldn't even have to resort to a home remedy like this, you should clean your horn properly, then this would never even occur to begin with. It's as if your saying it's ok, I can treat my instrument badly and care for it the inproper way, (which is your prerogative)because whenever it stick on me I'll just use some really abrasive stuff, to clean the shit out I should have been taking out on a daily basis to begin with. Again, you can do whatever you like, but it shouldn't even be a "home remedy" If you only would have taken the time, to clean it out properly in the first place. At the end of the day; It's preventable and unnecessary, that's the bottom line. You do you, ok. Have a good one.

[@MrPrez101]

I play in my high school band and I've been having problems with my 2nd valve sticking. I tried this and it really helped. Thanks for the tips!

[@harrybarrett9653]

I believe this man has lost his mind. But... Im gonna try this first thing tomorrow!

[@Rufftips]

It is a good idea to remove your felts. My pads are not felt so... (Bang) I did not worry about getting them wet. If your pads are felt remove them before you do this.. Be sure to place them in order, 1, 2, 3, so they go back on to the vales the came from. This cleaning should only be done if your valves are sticky after you have cleaned the horn.Only do this if the valves are slow.

[@Lalaland.001]

I'm an actual horn repair technician. Let me educate you on some things. Toothpaste is a really hard abrasive compared to let's say valve lapping solution which you can buy as well. It will cost you a pretty penny but at least you are using the right stuff for it. the best is a garnet non-imbedding compound formulated for soft metals (brass, bronze, nickel) It is used for new valves at the Schilke factory and, I'm sure, many others. Manufactured and sold by U.S. Products of Pittsburg, PA. GK 8A, 800 grit. Then you need the technique of how to lap correctly and the judgement to know when to stop. By you using toothpaste you are basically taking an equivalent of a 40-80 grit abrasive to your horn(depends on which toothpaste you use). Unless you hate your horn toothpaste is a really bad and terrible idea. Apart from that sticky valves usually equate to not having maintained and having cleaned your horn properly in the first place. Let your horn soak for a good 30 min, take a valve brush to it and repeat 2 to 3 times. You have to get a clean microfiber cloth out of your valves if it's not clean go wash and soak you horn again. Your horn is made to fit on microns, by you using toothpaste on the valve casings you are basically taking off microns. Again, if you hate your horn this is the sure fire way to reduce it's lifespan drastically. Unless of course you are rich enough to get your valves re-worked every 3-5 years. This is really a bad idea the toothpaste.

[@kim99jung]

Thanks for the great tip this was only youtube vid I could find quickly on Google from 2014!! I am going to try this method when next time I clean my trumpet thanks.

[@Lalaland.001]

I'm an actual horn repair technician. Let me educate you on some things. Toothpaste is a really hard abrasive compared to let's say valve lapping solution which you can buy as well. It will cost you a pretty penny but at least you are using the right stuff for it. the best is a garnet non-imbedding compound formulated for soft metals (brass, bronze, nickel) It is used for new valves at the Schilke factory and, I'm sure, many others. Manufactured and sold by U.S. Products of Pittsburg, PA. GK 8A, 800 grit. Then you need the technique of how to lap correctly and the judgement to know when to stop. By you using toothpaste you are basically taking an equivalent of a 40-80 grit abrasive to your horn(depends on which toothpaste you use). Unless you hate your horn toothpaste is a really bad and terrible idea. Apart from that sticky valves usually equate to not having maintained and having cleaned your horn properly in the first place. Let your horn soak for a good 30 min, take a valve brush to it and repeat 2 to 3 times. You have to get a clean microfiber cloth out of your valves if it's not clean go wash and soak you horn again. Your horn is made to fit on microns, by you using toothpaste on the valve casings you are basically taking off microns. Again, if you hate your horn this is the sure fire way to reduce it's lifespan drastically. Unless of course you are rich enough to get your valves re-worked every 3-5 years. This is really a bad idea the toothpaste.

[@Rufftips]

Winona, Valves with internal springs have a removable valve guide. Those with bottom springs typically have an attached guide. It is a pice that fits into the grooves or grove at the top of the valve cylinder. I squeeze enough to fit in my palm and apply by hand. I throughly coat my brush so it cleans the inside well. Your horn has bottom springs so only take the top finger button off and remove the part immediately under that that screws the valve into the top of the valve block. Remove felt.

[@Rufftips]

Tooth paste is a polish therefore it has a mild abrasion to it. It certainly is mild as you use it on your teeth. It cleans and polishes a perfect choice as a home remedy for cleaning valves. Jon

[@Johnflugelhorn]

You are so right about those valves sticking . I use the household cleaner Comet ,which contains some bleach. I place all three valves in a large container,plastic,filled with hot water and Comet. Let valves soak for about a half hor and rinse valves in hot water . I then use a brush for the port holes of the valves and use brush soaked in Comet and water solution,rince and replace valve which are now looking almost new! I did this on my Couesnon flugel and valves work much better. No valve sticking or slowing down!

[@papabear4040]

Terrific! I am going to try toothpaste.

[@Rufftips]

selpingos, This is a Stomvi-USA VR-II Large Bell with gold plate. Great horn lots of fun to play.

[@Rufftips]

MrPrez, Glad it worked.

[@alexcarter8807]

Oh man, do we have to floss too? Or is that just for French horn players?

[@Rufftips]

Winona, I only do this deep cleaning if I feel my valves are sluggish and soap and water did not clean then enough to allow them to operate freely.

[@Rufftips]

Thanks

[@57dogsbody]

You have now made your felts wet, when they dry they will shrink; Bang goes your valve alignment..!

[@56dlp]

Wow. Those valves are cleaner than my teeth.

[@Rufftips]

56dlp Lol

[@brassplyer]

I would take the top cap off as well, it just gets in the way. **Important** - Jon mentions this but to emphasize if you try this make sure you **take the valve guides out** - the guide will hang on the tubing port and there you'll be with a valve piston stuck backwards in the casing. If this happens you can take a piece of index card cut longways about 3/4" wide and work it into the casing along side the piston and bump it up against the valve guide which will push it out of the way - similar to how burglars defeat cheap locks with a credit card and you can remove the piston. Then smack yourself upside the head for not heeding this advice. How do I know all this? None of your business! :)

[@Rufftips]

Good information thanks.

[@TptqueenX3]

Can you explain what a valve guide is? how much tooth paste do you use on each valve? And how much do you use inside each valve case? Before you put the tooth paste on the valveso, do you take the valve completely apart?

[@Lalaland.001]

I'm an actual horn repair technician. Let me educate you on some things. Toothpaste is a really hard abrasive compared to let's say valve lapping solution which you can buy as well. It will cost you a pretty penny but at least you are using the right stuff for it. the best is a garnet non-imbedding compound formulated for soft metals (brass, bronze, nickel) It is used for new valves at the Schilke factory and, I'm sure, many others. Manufactured and sold by U.S. Products of Pittsburg, PA. GK 8A, 800 grit. Then you need the technique of how to lap correctly and the judgement to know when to stop. By you using toothpaste you are basically taking an equivalent of a 40-80 grit abrasive to your horn(depends on which toothpaste you use). Unless you hate your horn toothpaste is a really bad and terrible idea. Apart from that sticky valves usually equate to not having maintained and having cleaned your horn properly in the first place. Let your horn soak for a good 30 min, take a valve brush to it and repeat 2 to 3 times. You have to get a clean microfiber cloth out of your valves if it's not clean go wash and soak you horn again. Your horn is made to fit on microns, by you using toothpaste on the valve casings you are basically taking off microns. Again, if you hate your horn this is the sure fire way to reduce it's lifespan drastically. Unless of course you are rich enough to get your valves re-worked every 3-5 years. This is really a bad idea the toothpaste.

[@TptqueenX3]

How often do you do this?

[@joensab]

Slam, bang, scratch and abrade. Hate that horn?

[@Rufftips]

Joe Heasley lol nope no scratches no dance no nothing very sensitive mic and a metal sink... makes a lot of noise. I’m sure you know instruments were harmed during the making of this video.

[@dandotreillydot42058]

tooth paste is abrasive

[@roarke5555]

I find taking a shot of Absolute vodka between each orchestral excerpt prevents this kind of overhaul.... or you can just use yer grandmother's sonic denture cleaner...Hi Kids, I"m KIDDING.... sheesh, kids are so literal.... good tips. btw.... my wife would KILL me if I cleaned my ax in the kitchen sink.....

[@Rufftips]

I was on the road it is where I do my best work

[@roarke5555]

hahahahahaa

[@alexcarter8807]

Your grandma's Absolute vodka? You must have a Russian grandma!