I don't think you need to worry that its HCL or anything like that. I suspect, to the contrary, that it's pretty anemic in terms of cleaning action.
Lauryl Betaine is a surfactant -- apparently often used in cosmetics. It's surfactant properties help to strengthen hair fibers and improve hair elasticity when used in shampoos. According to some available publications, it is effective to some degree in the treatment of dandruff and certain fungi. Also used in skin conditioners. Likewise cocomidopropyl betaine is widely used in shampoos.
So basically ... err ... this looks a lot like shampoo. So you could just try shampoo and maybe save $20? While I won't say it's snake oil, I prefer more effective cleaning agents -- especially in the $20 range. If you're cleaning an already mostly clean (not encrusted with build-up) instrument, it may work just great. But so might your shampoo.
First, don't overlook taking this to a good repair tech who can clean it thoroughly for you once, and then you can maintain it better. That may be the best (and in the end cheapest) approach for you, and give you peace of mind.
Then, before the next step ... a warning: If your instrument is lacquered, but is not a relatively modern "epoxy lacquer" lacquer finish. BEWARE OF USING HOT WATER -- because hot water will very effectively strip nitrocellulose lacquer, which was the traditional lacquer finish on brass instruments, and which some makers (Bach, for example) still use. In fact, I just used it to refinish an old Olds trombone -- because it's easy and gives a nice (if not very tough/resistant) result. So be cautious about simply melting your lacquer off with hot water. If that '76 Besson of yours is lacquered, I think it's likely that it's nitrocellulose lacquer. So "warm" water is okay, but really hot water can just float the lacquer off it.
Also, do NOT use vinegar (especially to soak) unless you're really confident about what you're doing. It can destroy the brass alloy, and basically give you chemically induced "red rot".
Otherwise, what I'd recommend for an instrument that hasn't been thoroughly cleaned in some time, or in which you're having a problem with some sort of "gunk buildup," is to switch off the "dish soap" (which is very mild stuff) and try Simple Green (diluted to whatever level seems reasonable to you based on your intuitions and the instructions ). Also, you need to be able to fill up the instrument and let it SOAK for some period of time. Then flush. Then repeat, ... then repeat ... Or at least to let the crooks and bows soak for a long period (I mean, like a day or more). If you're having trouble reaching stuff in the various crooks/curves, try a reasonably close-fitting pull-through of some sort. There are various instrument swabs you can find online that might work well for you in this regard. Trombonists use these for cleaning or removing water from their hand slides.
An alternative might be a shotgun-cleaning pull-through, which often has a brush on it. Search on Amazon for "gun snake" or "gun cleaning rope." You just need to be sure you don't use one so big that it will get stuck in your tube. Measure your tube diameter and compare it to a 20 ga, 12 ga, 28 ga, .410 cleaning snake. Then just be careful that you can pull it through the whole tube (remembering that euph/tuba tubes are conical, and so may get narrower and grab your swab ). You can even make your own "pull from each direction" swab out of cloth and weed whacker cord -- so if you're careful and it starts to get stuck you can pull it back out. (Trombone outer slide swabs have this same feature.) But I won't go into the details of that here.
Above, all ... have a good time!
Last edited by ghmerrill; 02-19-2024 at 06:50 PM.
Gary Merrill
Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)