Best Cymbal Cleaners for Bringing Out a Brilliant Shine

By Contributing Author Dango

Find out what the best cymbal cleaners are if you want to restore shine to your gear, plus how to decide if you should even be using cymbal cleaners on them or not!

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There has been a long ongoing debate about whether or not any drummer should clean their cymbals.

Some players love to keep their stuff looking brand new, while other people bury their vintage cymbals in the ground for months at a time to get a darker tone.

There’s logic to both scenarios and I have dear friends in both camps, but today we are looking at the clean option.

Whenever brilliant cymbals are the more popular sound, all the companies sell a lot more cymbal cleaner.

I admit that polished cymbals are not for everyone, and the trend is leaning more towards dirty cymbals being hip right now.

Currently these products are in less demand due to the dark, vintage vibe many players are going for.

Regardless, there is always a place for clean cymbals, old or new, vintage or modern, brilliant or traditional.

So today, we’re going to look at some of the best cymbal cleaners for your gear.

Related: The Best Cymbal Bags and Cases for Protecting Your Gear

5 Best Cymbal Cleaners

So if you’re going to clean your cymbals, does it matter what you use? Does it matter what brand the cymbals are or the cleaner is?

You will get different opinions from different people on this.

Some players swear by using soap and water, and nothing else. Some use stronger metal cleaners that can be super abrasive and remove the protective coating from all cymbals.

From my experience of endorsing a few different brands over the years, and touring with a few different brands, I find that it’s always best to use the cleaner made by the cymbal company itself.

The reason for this is that each cymbal company makes their cymbals slightly differently. The alloys are different, the finishes are different, and as a result, the cleaning needs are different.

A Paiste cleaner isn’t going to work quite the same on a Zildjian finish. Likewise, using a Sabian cleaner on a Meinl cymbal will not give you the desired results of looking totally clean.

If you use a different brand it may not damage your cymbal, but you may have a weird, funky residue that just looks dirty, defeating the purpose of cleaning them in the first place. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best cymbal cleaner options.

Zildjian Brilliant Finish Cymbal Polish

Zildjian Brilliant Finish is a white cream that you polish on your plates with, using a cloth and working in a circular motion.

Zildjian says it’s specifically for their brilliant models, but it will also work on their traditional finishes.

I would only recommend this product if you play Zildjian cymbals. Be sure to follow their instructions for use.

Meinl Cymbal Care Kit

This whole package is a bit more extensive and time-consuming than a standalone cleaner, but has great results.

It’s two separate products, including both a cleaner and a protective coating. This is a major undertaking for an entire set of cymbals, but is likely to produce the most professional cleaning results available.

You can also buy the cleaner separately if you just want to go that route and skip the protectant.

Again, follow the directions, and use gloves because the chemicals are harsh. Only use this on Meinl cymbals.

Sabian Sound Cymbal Cleaner

This is the only product on this list that I’ve never personally tried, as it looks like Sabian changed their cymbal cleaning formula over the last 10 years or so.

This one is organic with no acid, which means it’s basically not very strong.

But again, the more I’ve done this over the years, the better of an option I would say that is for most players.

Unless you need perfectly clean cymbals, this will do a decent job. Use it only with Sabian products to be safe.

Paiste Cymbal Cleaner

Paiste’s alloy is the most unique of all of the major companies and they are very specific about only using their own brand cleaner.

I’ve been an artist with them over a decade and I can tell you the cleaner is always out of stock and hard to come by.

I own a couple bottles but would likely have to look on Ebay now for more. But if you play Paiste, this stuff is definitely the best option for a thorough cleaning.

A unique thing about the shimmer on Paistes is that they will hold it well with regular care. If you towel them off, they will always hold their shimmer, even the darker models.

But if you’re doing an end of the year or end of a summer tour cleaning, this product is the best for Paistes.

You can still find this cleaner in some drum shops around the world.

Groove Juice Cymbal Cleaner

In terms of potency, Groove Juice is one of the weakest cymbal cleaners available.

While that may at first sound like a negative characteristic, this actually makes it one that I would highly suggest because it’s not harsh at all.

It’s a general, all-purpose cleaner that will work fairly well on medium dirty cymbals. If they are super dirty and covered, this may be too mellow.

But for general use and not being tied to a specific cymbal company, this is maybe your best option. For around 10 bucks it’s worth a shot if you want clean cymbals.

Although I typically recommend using a cleaner produced by the cymbal company, this is one option not tied to a specific brand that I would recommend.

This is also a good option if you play Paiste cymbals but can’t find their specific brand of cleaner in stock anywhere.

How to Clean and Polish Cymbals

My best advice for cleaning cymbals is to start simple and take your time.

Start with a small amount of cleaner on a cloth (not applied directly to the cymbal) and use a normal amount of elbow grease to rub it onto the cymbal’s surface.

Some cleaners recommend adding some water to dilute the product, so be sure to follow the instructions.

Use circular motions to apply the cleaner/polish, following the grooves, and work around the logos. Give extra attention to any areas with green build up. You can buff off extra polish using a clean cloth.

Yes, it’s a bit of a time-consuming process to clean a cymbal, and especially an entire set. But you don’t want to attempt any shortcuts by using any power tools or buffers generally, as these can damage the cymbal and affect its sound.

Surprisingly, cymbals are actually somewhat delicate for a piece of metal that we hit so hard with a stick. They can scratch easily in some cases. So for that reason, just stick with hand-polishing.

Keep in mind that almost any good cleaner will remove your logos if you aren’t careful, and that’s not ideal in most settings.

Usually anyone who likes clean cymbals wants their branding to show also. Cymbals lose resale value as well without logos. So you’ll definitely want to be careful around the logos.

Don’t apply any creams directly on a logo. If you accidentally get some on there, just wash it off with water (don’t buff it off).

Can You Use Household Items to Polish Cymbals?

The only household items worth trying are soap and water. Beyond that, I would suggest simply performing regular maintenance of your cymbals.

I used to clean mine regularly, but eventually stopped. I’ve found that if you take care of your cymbals and wipe them down with a soft clean towel after most gigs, they typically won’t ever need heavy cleaning.

Most fingerprints wipe off easily, as well as sweat and water. However if you bleed on a cymbal it may take some water or actual cymbal cleaner to remove.

I strongly advise against using bathroom products, abrasive cleansers, or even brass cleaners, which were popular in the 70’s and 80’s. My experience is that those chemicals are too harsh and not made for cymbals.

Cymbals are a big investment, so I recommend taking good care of them.

What Supplies Do I Need to Clean My Cymbals?

For general cleaning, you need a light dish soap or hand soap, water, towels, gloves, and some cloth.

Old clothing or t-shirts work well. Microfiber towels like these work especially well.

I would suggest cleaning your cymbals outside or in a workshop. You don’t want any of these chemicals in your living room or on your coffee table.

I only mention that because I’m always cleaning drums and changing heads on a towel in my living room, but anything with chemicals is a no-go for inside my house.

Also don’t use any harsh scrubbers or metal cleaning tools. They will scratch your cymbal, or at the very least remove the protective coating.

Simply use your hands and a cloth for the best results. 

Our Top PickS for the Best Cymbal Cleaners:

If you’re doing a serious deep clean, stick with your cymbal brand’s own product.

If you’re just doing light maintenance, or if you can’t find your cymbal brand’s product in stock, then Groove Juice is your best option.

It’s cheap, it’s easy to spray on, and it isn’t likely to damage anything.

Good luck!

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