TromboneChat

I’ve got a 3B SS with the gold washed bell and
need to clean up the dried and calcified moisture, spit, whatever
that runs through the bell. Should be wiping down the horn after each playing but…
Little white spots. What’s safe and effective and won’t ruin
the lacquer?
Of course not just for SS but all my horns - brass bells too- could use
a polishing.

Thanks
B

I’ve successfully used furniture polish - Pledge specifically.

Have you tried soaking it overnight in a bathtub with Dawn dish soap? If the water is warm to begin with it should not be hotter than what a hand can be comfortably immersed in. Too hot a water temperature can cause lacquer to slough off. Cold water will work.

Extended submersion in any solution, hot or cold, runs the risk of lacquer coming off. Especially if the lacquer is already compromised.

A furniture polish, as mentioned earlier, or, an amonia free glass cleaner should remove the marks. If you need something a little more aggressive, a mild solution of vinegar and water, applied with a damp, soft cloth, would remove the mineral deposits after a couple of applications.

hornbuilder wrote: ↑Sun Jun 05, 2022 1:08 pm ... an ammonia free glass cleaner should remove the marks. If you need something a little more aggressive, a mild solution of vinegar and water, applied with a damp, soft cloth, would remove the mineral deposits after a couple of applications.

Just make sure you don't expose the brass or lacquer to ammonia - it's a finish-unfriendly combination!

Big thanks for the help on this!
Basie

Pee on it.

Thanks Thrawn,

That’s the very first thing I tried.
It worked great on a ‘36 Olds Self-Balancing.
Cleaned her right up. Didn’t work on any of my Conns.

Basie

It's just calcium, so easy... Some vinegar on a rag should do it quickly. May want to rinse after.