Q&A for How to Clean a Trumpet

No, laundry detergent can damage the plating on the trumpet.

They have to fit in the way you took them out. If you put them in the wrong order it could seriously mess up your trumpet. Don't force them because brass is a very soft metal and it costs around 60 dollars to fix.

There are special vices that are made to hold instruments in repair. Those are used to safely hold the instrument while repairing it.

Remove the valves and slides on at a time and just wipe them clean with a dry paper towel. Then take off the little rings at the bottoms of the valves and wipe inside of there. Finally, take your mouthpiece and run it under lukewarm water. Do not put it in the dishwasher or put it under warm water or it will remove the finish, which is what makes it shiny.

At the bottom of the article there is a references list, which list all the websites used for research on this article.

This article is mainly focused on trumpets and cornets; however, some of these steps apply to any brass instrument.

The most likely cause of your trumpet not making a sound is misaligned valves. You should ensure that all valves are lined up correctly, so the holes line up with the tubes. Usually, assuming the valves are in the right order, all you have to do it ensure that the protruding part of the valves fits in the small niche on the valve casing. If the valves are in correctly and it still doesn't work, the instrument might be blocked. If you cannot diagnose a problem with it, take it to a repair shop.