Clean cymbals are a dream for all drummers.
But, wondering how to clean your cymbal? What are the best cymbal cleaner to buy?
Are all cymbal cleaner effective? Or, how to clean your traditional finish cymbal?
If you have these questions, like many other drummers, you are on the right page, so keep reading.
As with all parts of your drumming kit, cymbal will have a buildup of grime, dirt, dust, and sweat while playing them. Besides, the natural dirt from the rooms and air also adds in.
While some drummers may ignore this fact, the best drummers realize the importance of quality control and cleanliness for the best drumming experience. For instance, dirt and pollutants on your cymbal could increase its weight and alter its capacity to resonate sound and vibrate.
But the great news is that with a cymbal cleaner, you can get your cymbals back the way they were initially.
However, with a myriad of options available in the market, selecting one cymbal can be an overwhelming task.
We have found the best cymbal cleaner in the market and reviewed them to make this decision easier for you.
So, without further ado, let’s begin.
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Five Best Cymbal Cleaners to Get their Shine Back
🏆 Music Nomad MN111 🏆
Music Nomad is well known for its drum and guitar cleaning products, which are also available in kits.
Music Nomad cymbal cleaner is an acid- and silicon-free spray to clean your cymbals. The cleaner also aids in removing the oxidation from the surface of your cymbal. After cleaning, the shine of the cymbal will be as good as new, without altering its sound.
As it is a spray, it may take a lot of elbow grease, as you need to scrub and rub it. But once you are done, the results will be worth it.
To use it, sprinkle the formula on a cloth and smear it on your cymbal. Leave it for some time, and wipe it off with another clean cloth. You can repeat this process once or twice based on the state of your cymbal.
However, it has a strong odor. So, it is a great idea to use it in an open space as using it in an enclosed space may be nauseating.
Besides, it is strong and may take off the logo and other printed materials. So, cover them while using this cleaner.
Features
- Strong and versatile
- A spray-on cleaner
- Works great for brilliant cymbal polish
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🏆 Buckaroo B-200 🏆
It may be a lesser-known cymbal cleaner, but it doesn’t make it any less effective. Buckaroo B-200 is a classic polishing paste and comes with a vintage-looking metallic box. The sight of this cleaner is extremely assuring that your cymbals will look amazing.
You can use this cleaner as any other polishing paste. Just rub the cleaner on your cymbal and remove it with a clean cloth.
While using this cleaner, it’s a great idea to avoid or cover your logo and other printed material on your cymbal as it may take them as well while cleaning off the dirt.
Buckaroo B-200 will help you to bring the shine back to your cymbal despite any amount of wear and tear. To remove dirt from folds or grooves, using a brush works more effective than your finger and hands.
Features
- Polish paste cleaner
- Comes in a vintage-looking box
- Works great for brilliant cymbal polish
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🏆 Zildjian Brilliant Finish Cymbal Cleaner Review 🏆
Zildjian is one of the best cymbal makers in the industry with almost 400 years of experience in producing high-quality products. While it is intended to use on Zildjian Brilliant cymbals, it works well with other standard cymbals, as long as they are not plated.
Just like any traditional polishing paste, you can use the cleaner by applying the paste on the cymbals and then rubbing it off. All you need to do is to place a small amount of formula on the cymbal and buff around in circular motion with a dry, soft cloth. The chemical will react with the grime of the surface to obliterate it.
However, you may need many clothes as they get dirty and greasy within seconds. Besides, you should give a final wipe with a clean cloth to remove the residual grease, giving your cymbal a shine the way they had when they were new.
Of note, cover your logo and any printed material while using this cleaner.
All in all, it is a high-quality cleaner that cleans your cymbal in all possible ways with one easy and quick application. It takes care of every stick mark and fingerprint present on the cymbal.
Features
- High-quality
- Works amazingly well
- Best cymbal cleaner for Zildjian Brilliant cymbals
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🏆 Groove Juice Percussion Cleaning 🏆
Prefer a liquid spray instead of a polishing paste?
If yes, Groove Juice Percussion Cleaning can be an excellent choice for you to remove all dust and dirt from your cymbals. Many professional drummers swear by this product for its effective use.
Traditional cleaners require you to apply them to all cymbals and clean them one by one, consuming a lot of time, especially if you have multiple cymbals.
But Groove Juice is quick and easy to use. Just spray the cleaner on your cymbals and wipe them after 30 seconds with water and soft cloth or towel. You may also like to go over the cymbal one more time with a cloth. Groove Juice also recommends removing any leftover solution with warm water before drying the cymbals.
Besides, it is an original cleaner and suitable for cleaning all brilliant finish cymbals.
Furthermore, there is zero spillage or mess thanks to the pump-action spray.
Of note, the odor of the cleaner is really strong and thus recommended to use it outdoors as it may leave you nauseated if cleaning in the bathroom or any other enclosed space
The Groove Juice cleaner is not only simple to use but also extremely effectively. Use it regularly, and your cymbals will look as good as new and have a brilliant tone.
All in all, it’s an excellent product that allows you to clean your cymbals quickly.
Features
- Easy and quick to spray-on/wash-off use
- A single bottle lasts for years
- Collects all dirt and grime
- Works for brilliant cymbal polish
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🏆 Sabian Cymbal Cleaner 🏆
Looking for a cymbal cleaner that is suitable for both natural and brilliant cymbal polished? Sabian cleaner can be the best option for you.
Just like Zildjian, Sabian is also one of the most popular cymbal manufacturers, and thus it’s not surprising that it also produces cymbal cleaner.
The look of the bottle may be deceptive. Although it comes in a bottle, it is a polishing paste.
As with other polishing pastes, Sabian cleaner helps you to get the cymbals squeaky shiny and clean. But you need to avoid using it on the logo and other printed stuff on your cymbals.
Besides, it doesn’t have a strong odor and thus can be used even in a closed-off environment.
Ah, and the best part is…
Sabian Cymbal cleaner is completely organic, acid-free, and biodegradable. So, you can use it anywhere without having to worry about its safety.
In addition to cleaning your cymbals of grime and dirt, this cleaner also protects it by providing a sheet of coating every time it is used. With its long-term use, it offers a wipe-off coating without affecting your performance.
Sabian cymbal is an affordable and high-quality product that lasts for long, providing the best cleaning solution for all types of cymbals.
Features
- Environment friendly
- Acid-free
- Affordable
- Works for natural and brilliant finish cymbals
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Why do You Need a Cymbal Cleaner?
With long-term use, cymbals are prone to turn grimy and staining. Various factors, such as air humidity, moisture, grubby finger marks, and sticks, add blemishes to the cymbals. Thus cymbal cleaning is an essential part of maintaining your drumming.
Failing to clean the cymbal, the dazzling and beautiful looking instrument would gradually look discolored and dull. Despite taking care of cymbals and storing them in protective bags, stains and oxidation would make cymbals look unattractive and alter its tone.
Cymbal cleaner can come in handy in such cases, removing all the dirt and stains, making it shine as good as new.
Of note, traditional finish cymbals have patina and do not have a shine like brilliant finish cymbals. So, cleaning traditional finish cymbals need gentle scrubbing to clean them, and thus all cleaners may not be suitable for them
Besides, it’s a great idea to clean your cymbals on a soft surface to prevent dents and scratches.
What household item can I use to clean cymbals?
You can use water and vinegar to clean your cymbals.
Do clean cymbals sound better?
Yes, it does improve their sound if the cymbal is covered with dirt and grime.
How do you clean dirty cymbals? And how do you remove oxidation from cymbals?
You can use one of the five cymbal cleaners mentioned in this article to remove oxidation and clean your cymbals.
Final Thoughts
Cymbal Cleaning is an essential tool to get the original shine and sound back. However, despite the cleaner you select, there are a few things to follow.
Always check for the compatibility of cleaners for your cymbals. For instance, you cannot use acid cleaners for plated cymbals (such as Dream Cymbals and Low Volume Cymbals). Besides, be ready to use a lot of clothes while cleaning cymbals, no matter the type of product used.
Follow all the instructions mentioned by the product maker. Your cymbals do not need daily cleaning, just once or twice is sufficient.
We hope this list would help you in making an informed decision.
