Musical Instruments Sound Better When Cleaned With Ultrasonic Cleaners

Musical instruments are the soul of a musician. As the owner of one, you will want to take the best possible care of it. Keeping it really clean not only helps with clearer sound, it increases the life of the instrument. Ultrasonic cleaner technology has developed to such an extent that tabletop units can be used for small brass instruments or even for parts that make up bigger instruments. Cleaning is done in minutes and that too without damage to the lacquer of the instrument.The first thing you will need to do is have your instrument evaluated by experts to determine whether its suitability for ultrasonic cleaning. Your choice of cleaning unit size will depend on the instrument you have to accommodate. Dismantle your instrument if so needed. This will mean that you remove felts, pads, pivot tubes and corks if any. These are not really durable during ultrasonic cleaning. Removing all of this is akin to an overhaul of the instrument, but it is worth the effort. The process of dismantling is much easier for smaller brass instruments where the number of components is fewer.Each musical cleaning unit comes with its own specially formulated cleaning solution. Follow instructions on mixing the solution. A stronger mix may affect the surface, a weaker mix may reduce cleaning effectiveness.In case you are using a tabletop ultrasonic unit that also doubles up for cleaning of dentures, glasses and small jewelry, check the instructions on the cleaning solution bottle. If it says that it is suitable for small instruments, you can go ahead and use it. The solution, once mixed can be reused for multiple cleanings.Once the liquid has been degassed, place the instrument or the parts into the steel tub of the cleaner. Set the timer for a minute or two. Once you take the instrument out you will find that it is thoroughly clean including grease and grime that collects on the inner tubes. The greatest advantage of ultrasonic cleaners is that the cavitation process allows for cleaning to happen even in areas that are not visible to the eye. In the case of musical instrument cleaning, an added advantage is that it also loosens up tuning that may be stuck. This is a common problem faced by musicians who work on one key.Once the instrument has finished a round in the cleaner, you will have to take it out and rinse it with tepid water. Dry the external portion with a clean cloth. You will then have to use compressed air to dry out the moisture from within the instrument. This is especially needed for mouth instruments. Professional musicians may think of investing in bigger ultrasonic cleaning units to handle instruments like tubas and trombones. In such cases, a double boiler system can also be used to include smaller parts during one cleaning cycle. These smaller parts can be placed with some of the cleaning solution in a stainless steel bowl or two and these can be floated in the unit. These parts will also be effectively cleaned.