French Horn

Each time you play

Make sure you haven’t eaten any food, sugary drinks or sweets before you play. This might clog up or damage your instrument.
Check that the rotary valves have enough oil on them to move smoothly and freely.
Although French horns are highly resistant to rusting, it can still happen over time if you do not keep your instrument clean and dry.
To remove moisture from the slides: – Remove each slide carefully while holding down the corresponding piston (a popping sound indicates that you are not removing the slide properly) – Empty the moisture from the slide which you have removed – Empty all of the water from inside the French horn and give it a wipe down with a lacquer cloth to remove any sweat or moisture from the surface of the instrument.
Check the instrument over. If something looks out of place, ask your teacher to have a look at it, as it may need repairing.

Remove the valve from its casing and give it a gentle wash with warm soapy water, removing any residue.
Wipe down the internal casing with a damp cloth and a cleaning brush.
When everything is dry, put a pea size amount of slide grease on to the slide and rub it to ensure the surface is covered with a thin, even layer of grease.
After this, replace the slide and repeat the process with the other slides!
Make sure you replace the slides into the correct position to allow the flow of air through the instrument.
You will also want to give your mouthpiece a good wash in warm soapy water.
Every now and then (2-3 months) you will need to give your instrument a more thorough cleaning. Just fill your bathtub or sink with enough warm soapy water to submerge (or partially submerge) your instrument. Remove the mouthpiece and tuning slides and soak those in there too. After about 20 minutes you can remove the pieces and give them a gentle, thorough scrub with a cleaning brush.
Give the body of the instrument a very good rinse, make sure there is no soap left inside or outside.
Dry off the pieces and the body of the French horn. Leave the inside of the instrument to dry naturally. When it’s all dry, you can put the instrument back together. Don’t forget to grease the slides as you do so!