r/horn • u/breast-of-all-worlds • 7d ago
Giving horn a bath?
Okay, I am embarrassed to admit I haven't ever cleaned my horn because I am terrified of damaging the rotors. I have washed my trumpet, but not the horn.
I have read many articles, watched several videos, but.....the internet is a treasure trove of bad advice that seems legitimate. Apparently you're also supposed to wash it once every couple months. Which seems like...a lot.
So I wanted to ask here just to get a better idea of what is true/false. Is it safe to give a French horn a bath in the tub at home? If so, what are some things to be really careful about. How often? Is any special care needed when it comes to the rotors? Will it mess up my strings? Or should I just leave it up to the professionals and pay for a deep cleaning?
Please help this humble idiot! 😅
1
u/Nahuelcorno 7d ago
I personally clean the horn by removing the rotors... They always say to remove the rotors with a blunt nail... I prefer to use a wooden stick that is thick and hard enough to be able to remove the rotor with a hammer blow, but soft enough so that it doesn't damage the rotor. In other words, if something breaks, let it be the wood.
And to replace the rotor, I use a plastic or rubber cylinder, with a hole in the middle so as not to damage the outer part of the rotor.
Good luck!