Proper maintenance is essential to keeping your trombone in top condition. Here's some handy tips to make sure that it stays in the best playing condition possible!

1. It is recommended that a soapy water bath tub flush be done once per month.  The procedure is easy:  Fill the bathtub with a few inches of warm, NOT HOT, water and a little dish washing soap (NO CITRIC).  Remove the outer slide and allow both slide parts to soak for a half hour.  Drain the soapy water and use a trombone snake to clean the inside of the tubes.  Next, use a dish scrubby to clean the tuning slide, not the hand slide.  Thoroughly rinse out all parts with warm water and place on a towel to dry.  The inside of the outer slide should be cleaned using a trombone slide cleaning rod. Thread a rag through the slit in the cleaning rod and work through the slide. A good solvent to use is slide oil on the rag.  Pull the rag through the outside slide tubes until no more debris appears on the rag.


2. Oiling the slide is not enough to maintain it in good playing condition.  The cleaning rod procedure is recommended once per week. 


3. Do not store anything other than the mouthpiece and instrument inside of the case.  Items such as books, music, mutes, music stands, and metronomes can cause dents in the slide and belong in a separate bag.


4. Liquid polishes can be used on silver plated trombones.  Furniture polish works well on lacquered instruments.


5. All needed brushes and lubricants are available at West Music.


6. When removing the slide from the case, grasp both ends of the slide at the same time.  Grabbing in the middle can bend the tubes.


7. Make sure the slide lock is in good working order.


8. Inspect water key cork and spring.