Your steady beat is the backbone of the band. But what good is that if your drum set sounds like trash?

Keeping your kit clean is a great way to preserve your drum set’s sound. Regular maintenance is an easy and necessary part of drum ownership, so make sure you’re treating your kit right.

Here’s a quick guide to help you clean your drum set.

Wipe down Your Drum Kit

You’ve just finished an hour of practice to get ready for your upcoming gig. You rocked out hard and you’re feeling great about your performance.

It’s great to get into it and feel the music! But rocking out means sweating. And sweating means leaving all sorts of nasty residue on your kit.

So before you head out for a celebratory drink or pack up your kit for the evening, grab a soft cloth and some cleaner.

You can buy a drum-specific cleaner at your local music store if you’d like. You can also use any type of furniture polish as long as it doesn’t contain ammonia. Ammonia-based cleaners are more acidic and can ruin the look of your expensive drum set.

Cleaning Your Cymbals

A basic wipe-down of your kit isn’t quite enough to call your kit clean, though. Don’t forget to clean off your cymbals, too!

Dust and fingerprints contain elements and oils that can weaken your cymbals. It may not make a difference today or tomorrow, but over this residue can give your cymbals a dampened sound.

Most cymbals are made of copper-based alloys, so use a gentle cleaner.

Take Your Kit Apart

Everything sounds pretty easy so far, right? Well, get ready, because now we’re about to get into the weeds.

Your rig consists of hundreds of individual parts (or thousands if you’re Neil Peart) that also need attention.

Periodically, you’ll need to replace wingnuts or apply lubrication to lugs.

The good news is that you don’t have to take your kit apart often. Really, once or twice per year will suffice.

With that said, you’ll want to block off an afternoon to deconstruct your set, clean it, and reassemble. Here’s a list of everything you’ll need:

  • A screwdriver
  • WD40 or similar oil for tension rods
  • A washcloth
  • New wingnuts, drum heads, tension rods, or lugs
  • Polish or cleaner for your cymbals
  • Ammonia-free cleaner for your kit

It’s also a good idea to bring small bowls for each type of component to keep everything organized (i.e., a bowl for your tensions rods, another bowl for your lugs, etc.). Trust us, you’ll be thankful when it comes time to reassemble.

And don’t forget to check for rust. If you do spot some, don’t worry, it’s pretty easy to clean off.

Keep Your Drum Set Looking as Good as the Day You Got It

For the most part, drum set maintenance is pretty easy. Remember to take your time and use the proper cleaning materials.

Why not complement your newly-cleaned kit with a brand new custom drum head, to go with it? It’s the perfect way to show off your band’s logo!

Get in touch today to order now!