The 7 Best Cymbal Cleaners (2026) to Bring Shine to Your Cymbals
Cymbal cleaners can be very effective in bringing back a cymbal’s original shine. The right product depends on its finish: a brilliant-finish polish and a light cleaner do different jobs. Cleaning will not repair damage or guarantee a change in sound.
When browsing for different cleaning products for your drums and cymbals you will find out that there are loads of different products and options on the market.
My top recommended cymbal cleaner is the Zildjian P1300 Cymbal Cleaning Polish. This is a very popular and effective cleaner from a renowned cymbal manufacturer.
My second recommended cymbal cleaner is the Dunlop Cymbal 65 Cleaner. This is an affordable, 4-ounce cymbal cleaner for those on a budget.
Contents
- The 7 Best Cymbal Cleaners (2026)
- 1. Zildjian P1300 Cymbal Cleaning Polish
- 2. Dunlop Cymbal 65 Cleaner
- 3. MusicNomad MN111 Cymbal Cleaner
- 4. MusicNomad MN110 Drum Detailer
- 5. Sabian SSSC1 Safe & Sound Cymbal Cleaner
- 6. Groove Juice Cymbal Cleaner
- 7. Meinl MCCL Cymbal Cleaner
- How often should you Clean your Cymbals?
- What to be mindful of when Cleaning your Cymbals?
- What to look for in a Cymbal Cleaner when buying?
- Conclusion
The 7 Best Cymbal Cleaners (2026)
Let’s compare these in more detail.
1. Zildjian P1300 Cymbal Cleaning Polish
The Zildjian brilliant cymbal polish is made by one of the most renowned cymbal makers in the world. It would be astounding if they didn’t know how to take care of cymbals. But luckily, they do, and they decided to share their knowledge with us.
The Zildjian P1300 Cymbal Cleaning Polish is intended for brilliant-finish cymbals only. It is not suitable for traditional, natural or patina finishes, so check your cymbal’s finish before applying it. That limitation matters more than the brand name on the bottle.
This is a traditional polish paste and is used in a way that you take a bit of paste and rub it in a cymbal to take the dirt off. You should be warned that you will need a lot of cloths, as they get greasy and dirty in a matter of seconds, and after you finish with your cleanse you should take one last swipe with a clean cloth to remove residual grease and give your cymbals a shine they had when they were brand new.
Avoid scrubbing the printed logos, since polishing can remove them. Wipe gently near the ink and follow the product instructions. This is a good choice for restoring the shine of compatible brilliant-finish cymbals, rather than a cleaner for every cymbal in your collection.
2. Dunlop Cymbal 65 Cleaner
Dunlop is a well-known company that produces musical accessories so it’s no surprise that it has a good cymbal cleaner. The Dunlop Cymbal 65 Cleaner is a highly affordable spray-on cleaner that anyone can afford.
It comes in a 4-ounce pump spray bottle and can be used daily to keep your cymbals clean and resonant. The way you use this cymbal cleaner cannot be simpler. Simply spray the formula and wipe it off with a cloth to bring that shine back to your cymbals.
In addition to the 65 Cymbal Cleaner, there is a plethora of other cleaning products that can be used in conjunction. For instance, the Dunlop Cymbal 65 Intensive Care is great for the surface of the cymbal, providing a clean finish and shine.
All in all, if you want something affordable and simple that works great, the Dunlop Cymbal 65 Cleaner should be your top option to consider.
3. MusicNomad MN111 Cymbal Cleaner
MusicNomad MN111 is my pick if you want to polish brilliant-finish cymbals with an acid-free formula. It is a different product from the MN110 Drum Detailer below: this one tackles oxidation rather than just fingerprints.
The 8-ounce bottle contains a cream with fine polishing particles. That makes it a useful alternative to a spray when you want to work on tarnished areas by hand. Acid-free does not mean it is suitable for every finish, though. Stick to brilliant bronze cymbals and avoid it if you want to preserve a traditional or patinated surface.
Use a clean cloth to work the polish over a small area, then buff away the dark residue with another clean part of the cloth. Keep several cloths handy rather than spreading the removed grime back across the cymbal. Follow the bottle instructions and avoid rubbing printed logos; they can still fade.
For grooves that hold dried residue, a soft brush can help remove the remaining polish. This takes more handwork than a spray-and-rinse cleaner, but it gives you control over where you work. For light dust or fingerprints between gigs, the MN110 is the more appropriate choice.
4. MusicNomad MN110 Drum Detailer
Music Nomad makes guitar and drum cleaning products. The MN110 Drum Detailer is useful when you want one bottle for routine cleaning around the kit, including shells, hardware, electronic drum pads and light dirt on cymbals. You can also buy kits containing separate drum and cymbal care products.
The Music Nomad MN110 is a water-based detailer for fingerprints, dust and light grime. It is not a liquid polish paste, and the manufacturer specifically distinguishes light cymbal cleaning from polishing. A small amount on a suitable cloth is more useful here than hard scrubbing. For tarnish on brilliant-finish cymbals, the MN111 above is the better fit.
Treat printed logos carefully and follow the directions on the bottle. Choose this detailer for a quick tidy-up between rehearsals, rather than expecting it to remove years of oxidation. A cymbal’s finish and care instructions still take priority over a general-purpose cleaning claim.
This is a practical product to keep with your drum accessories if you regularly wipe down the whole kit. It saves you reaching for a heavy cymbal polish every time you see a fingerprint. The benefit is a cleaner surface; there is no reason to expect a dramatic change in the sound of your drums.
5. Sabian SSSC1 Safe & Sound Cymbal Cleaner
Next to Zildjian, Sabian is one of the best-known cymbal makers, so it’s no surprise that it also has a cleaner in its product range. The SSSC1 Safe & Sound Cymbal Cleaner is a pH-balanced liquid, rather than the creamy polish paste its older description suggested.
The useful thing about the Sabian Safe & Sound Cymbal Cleaner is that Sabian specifies it for its natural and brilliant finishes. That makes it convenient if your Sabian setup has different cymbals with both finishes. For another manufacturer’s cymbal, check its care instructions rather than assuming universal compatibility.
You will need to put in elbow work to get all of the dirt from your cymbals, and as always you need to watch for your logo if that’s important for you, but you will get your cymbals squeaky clean and shiny.
For drummers with several Sabian series in one setup, its finish compatibility is the main reason to choose it. Use only the amount needed and follow the bottle directions, especially around printed logos.
6. Groove Juice Cymbal Cleaner
The Groove Juice Cymbal Cleaner is a liquid spray cleaning product for your cymbals, which removes dirt and dust from your cymbals. This is not a traditional cleaner in the way that you usually get essentially paste with which you have to polish your cymbals to clean them and that takes a big amount of your time, especially if you have several cymbals that need to be cleaned.
Groove Juice is a spray that you spray onto your cymbals, leave it for a short amount of time (a minute or so) and rinse it off with water and maybe go over the cymbal one more time with a cloth.
Groove Juice GJCC is intended for professional bronze cymbals. Do not assume it is safe for every brass, plated, lacquered or specially finished cymbal. Check the cymbal maker’s care advice first. Use a well-ventilated area, follow the bottle directions and rinse thoroughly rather than leaving the cleaner on the surface.
All in all, this is a great quick product that will give you a quick cleanse of your cymbals, especially if you clean them regularly or you have new cymbals.
7. Meinl MCCL Cymbal Cleaner
The Meinl MCCL Cymbal Cleaner is a simple yet effective cymbal cleaner that can bring that shine back to your cymbal. It can be used for both traditional and brilliant finish cymbals and comes in a 250ml spray bottle.
This cymbal cleaner uses a premium concentrated liquid that’s made of organic and inorganic acids, non-ionic surfactants, and stabilizers. The spray bottle makes it convenient to apply evenly before wiping the cleaner away.
Be mindful and careful, naturally, as this concentrated liquid is acidic and should be handled with care and gloves. Simply spray the liquid on the cymbal, wait for 15 to 20 seconds and wipe it off with a clean cloth to bring back the shine.
Meinl is a very reputable manufacturer behind some of the best cymbals in the world, so it’s no surprise that it makes classic and effective cymbal cleaners.
How often should you Clean your Cymbals?
This is a question that is raised frequently in the drumming community. The real answer is, that it depends on whether or not they are new cymbals, the environment you keep them in, how dirty they are, and how frequently you play them.
The best advice I could give you is, if you’re using brilliant finish cymbals, try to be consistent in cleaning them and bringing back the shine. Once or twice a year should be fine. If they are new cymbals, you don’t need to clean them for some time, rather wait to see how they react to your environment.
Lastly, just use common sense. If you see your cymbals are dirty, bring out that cleaning kit and start rubbing.
What to be mindful of when Cleaning your Cymbals?
When cleaning your cymbals, always handle them with care. Hold the cymbal with both hands around the perimeter and always place it on a soft surface like a towel, never on a hard surface.
Spray or apply the solution with care and always use gloves because the concentrated nature of the cleaner can be harmful to your skin. Be extremely careful to not get the formula near your eyes.
When you clean your cymbals, always use clean, soft microfiber cloths to wipe them down. Naturally, read the instruction on the cleaning product you’re using in order to do it properly.
What to look for in a Cymbal Cleaner when buying?
You should always look for a strong and effective formula in a cymbal cleaner that is strong enough to remove blemishes and bring that shine back to your cymbal. Also, there are easy-to-use and apply cleaners on the market that make the whole process easier, like a spray-on bottle. Lastly, try to maintain that value-for-money ratio and get a reliable cymbal cleaner for a good price and from a good company.
Conclusion
Cymbal cleaners are useful when you want to maintain a compatible finish, but not every cymbal needs polishing. Always check if your cymbals are compatible with the cleaner you’re using (e.g. don’t use high acid cleaners on plated cymbals as that will remove the plating). Also, be prepared to use a lot of little cloths to remove all of the dirt as they get really black and greasy, no matter what product you’re using.
My top pick is the Zildjian P1300 Cymbal Cleaning Polish, a very popular and effective cleaner from a reputable cymbal manufacturer.
My budget pick is the Dunlop Cymbal 65 Cleaner, an affordable, 4-ounce cymbal cleaner for those on a tighter budget.
I’ve tried nearly all of these mentioned and own most of them. My go-to cymbal cleaner (spray-on) is The Brite Stuff. Nothing even comes close to this cleaner…nothing. It works phenomenal on Zildjian traditional cymbals (Avedis, Ks) and does not seem to effect the Zildjian logos – I wouldn’t scrub the logos. I have used with Sabian traditional finish – careful around the Sabian logos as they are not nearly as durable as Zildjian logos. I don’t use on Sabian brilliant finish (AAX, etc) as it will remove the logos instantly – found out the hard way! Works great on Meinl traditional finish (Byzance) – again, I wouldn’t scrub the logos. Sam Ash used to carry in their stores but apparently is available online only.