Run hot water over the cymbal (I use the kitchen sink, some use a bathtub) and wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Test your logos and tape them up with masking tape if necessary because no matter what you clean with, the logos will probably come off.
Over the kitchen sink or bathtub, squeeze 1/2 a lemon onto each cymbal and rub it around the cymbal with a sponge. Let sit for 30 seconds. Spritz some vinegar onto the cymbal with a spray bottle and wipe that off immediately with a soft cloth or sponge.
If you decide to clean your cymbals, you can do it with a basic cleaning method by using water and detergent, or even with some household items such as toothpaste, lemon, vinegar, or even ketchup. You can give your equipment a deep polishing with cymbal cleaner, but it should be used only on brilliant finish cymbals.
Default Re: cleaning cymbals I use WD-40 also. It's the fastest, easiest cleaner I've found and does a nice job. It hasn't affected my logos after many cleanings and you don't have to polish the crap out of them. I threw away all the bottles of commercial cymbal cleaner after just a few cleanings with WD-40.
It is perfect for cleaning cymbals.
Let's take a look then at what the cymbal companies don't want you to clean your cymbals with, but what your drummer friend down the street swears by… Cleaning Cymbals with Vinegar – Pour upwards of one tablespoon of vinegar onto the cymbal surface and rub it in.
Cleaning: Wipe/buff your cymbals with a microfiber or soft cloth after use. Do not use Brasso, Windex and citrus based or abrasive cleaners. This will void your warranty and may remove the logo on the cymbal.
The main reason I can do that is because of the lemon-based @pledge spray I'm using instead of a chemically based spray. This spray allows the person cleaning to not worry about the integrity of the cymbal and just the surface of it. Any natural patina or age on the cymbal will not be affected.
Fill a tub with some luke warm water, then mix in a little bit of mild dish soap. Place your cymbal in the water and leave it to soak for two to three minutes – this helps to loosen the dirt. Then, take it out and pat dry with a clean cloth.
A cymbal that's either brand new or has been cleaned is going to sound brighter than one that's seen a lot of use (and hasn't been cleaned regularly). This is due to a gradual build up of something called patina. This is a brown or green film that can be found on the surface of bronze and other metals.
It's inexpensive, and it works! The first step is to spread the ketchup around the cymbal, covering every surface. Leave it for a few hours to soak, but not too long since ketchup is acidic. After that, clean up the cymbal with a cloth or paper towel.
For one thing, keyholing will negatively affect the sound (although it's usually marginal). But the main reason is that it keeps the cymbal from freely rotating in the cymbal stand. This forces the place you hit the cymbal to only be the bottom half of the cymbal instead of all around the cymbal.
We recommend using a brand name cymbal cleaner. Using a household metal cleaner may damage or discolor your cymbal and is not recommended. The general rule of thumb is to apply cymbal cleaner to a microfiber cloth and apply it along the grooves of the cymbal.
If you have to use a cleaner, use a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. Obviously, we recommend Paiste Cymbal Cleaner & Protector.
For general upkeep, we recommend using a glass cleaner and microfiber cloth after each use. This will get the surface level oils from your hands off of your cymbals. Always make sure your cymbals are dry before storing.
Shake the bottle of Zildjian cymbal cleaner and coat the cymbal with small daubs of polish. Using a clean rag, work the polish into the cymbal using small circular motions.
Take the lemon and squeeze some of the juice right on the surface of the cymbal then rub the juice around with the lemon. Take a pot scrubber and work the juice around the surface of the cymbal. You should notice the surface to being to get slightly shinier. Occasionally rinse out the scrubber in the hot water.
Flitz paste
Good alternative to Blue magic or Paiste cymbal cleaner, does not leave behind remnants like Blue magic does, but I still recommend washing with soap & water afterward. Contains: Aluminum Oxide, Triethanolamine 102-71-6 (cleaning agent) Castor oil, sulfated, sodium salt (surfactant).
Put a small strip of duct tape on the underside of the cymbal. Experiment with the amount of tape to get the sound you're going for.
To properly sanitize, you can use 70% isopropyl alcohol/rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, or disinfecting wipes to wipe down the guitar. Apply the solution to a rag and wipe down the guitar. Then immediately wipe dry with another cloth. Don't saturate or scrub an area or you will damage the finish.