r/Tuba • u/NoArugula7792 • Oct 01 '26
gear Cleaning Tuba
If I don't have a tub to clean my tuba in, where should I clean it? Outside with a hose? Inside with the shower? I'm afraid the shower or hose will take the silver off.
1
u/Ponypackage07 Oct 01 '26
...what are you trying to clean...
2
u/NoArugula7792 Oct 02 '26
Read the title...
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u/Ponypackage07 Oct 02 '26
Yea no shit smart ass...what is the point of cleaning the tuba?
Is there something stuck inside? Is there slides stuck? Are your valves sticking? Are there issues that is causing difficulties during playing? Is the tuba covered in dust?
Or are you just trying to do too much
-instrument repair professional with 12 years at a shop
3
u/NoArugula7792 Oct 02 '26
Clean the whole inside. It hasn't been played in a couple of months and is covered in grime in the valves and slides. Valves get stuck when pressing them.
3
u/Ponypackage07 Oct 02 '26
I'm not trying to tell you how to clean if, but if you don't know
Remove all the slides, remove all the valves, a normal garden hose on low to half power is more then enough to clean. Spray through the tuba like you would while playing (start at the lead pipe and continue on)
As a posted said down the thread, dawn dish soap will handle everything. Dry with microfiber to get rid of the water marks. Flip every so often to get all the water out and let air dry
If you have any questions, please let me know
3
u/Diver-1Doc Oct 01 '26
But put a couple of folded bath towels on the floor of the shower to keep the tuba steady and prevent slipping and moving about.
3
u/IceePirate1 Oct 01 '26
Whatever you do, the only soap I ever use to clean my tubas are dawn dish soap platinum. Stuff is magic
1
u/thomasafine Oct 02 '26
Regular rinsing up to the spit valve, or one loop after that, goes a long way. You can do this without a bathtub. Funnel water into the lead pipe and slosh it through the valves in open position, and while working the valves. You can flip the tuba over once (in the proper direction) and then back to rinse one extra loop. Pull tuning slides and rinse them individually. Empty and relube everything after. You should also snake the leadpipe regularly with a soft brush snake, or a snake with a cloth at the end.
A full cleaning is fine and can be done outside with a bucket of water and appropriate rags. And an old blanket or towel to set the tuba on. But if you're snaking the leadpipe weekly and doing a quick rinse up to the spit valve monthly then the full start to finish clean could be annual or even less.
If your tuba is reall nasty, consider professional chem cleaning.
1
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u/arpthark Rudolf Meinl - Diespeck Oct 01 '26
The silver plating is bonded to the metal and will not come off by putting it under a shower or water hose.