If you’ve had an electronic drum kit for a while, it’s probably started gaining a bit of dust and grime. If you leave it for too long, it can start looking very old and worn.
It’s a good idea to clean your e-kit every now and then, as cleaning it regularly will preserve its lifespan. If you ever want to sell it, people will be more willing to buy a clean and fresh-looking one over an old and weathered one.
Here’s a quick guide on how to clean your electronic kit.
All electronic cymbal pads are made of rubber, and they get scuff marks over time from your sticks hitting them.
Some drummers don’t like these scuff marks, while others accept that it’s part of having something that you strike constantly.
A common way of cleaning rubber cymbals is to spray Aerospace Protectant over them and then wipe them down. If you do that at least once a month, they should look fresh.
Cleaning drum pads can be very tricky, as using a strong disinfectant or cleaning solution will easily damage them permanently. It’s best to act with caution here, as mesh heads don’t get too dirty anyway.
The safest thing to do is use a vacuum over each pad, as there’ll likely be drumstick shavings lying on them.
Once you’ve done that, you can use a damp cloth to wipe them down. You can also use a bit of dish soap with that damp cloth, but make sure to wipe the soap away completely when you’re finished.
The same story goes for the shells and rims of all the drums. You don’t want to mess with any of the wiring, and you don’t want to apply something that will damage the metal and wood parts.
You can use soapy water here, along with a damp cloth to wipe everything down. We’d suggest using a damp cloth with no soap at least once a week to keep everything looking shiny as possible.
Again, all you need to use for hardware is a damp cloth and soapy water. The stands of your electronic drum set are typically made from the same materials as the rims on the pads. So, you just need to clean them in the same way.
You don’t need to clean these as often, though. They may just need to be dusted every now and then, as hardware stands tend to gather dust the quickest.
The drum module is the final component to clean. This is one part where we suggest only using a damp cloth and never soapy water. You don’t want to mess with any of the electronics, and soapy water can easily slip into places where it shouldn’t go.
The best way to stop electronic drums from getting dirty is to place them in a well-ventilated area. If there is constant airflow, they won’t develop as much dust and grime over time.
After that, you just need to give the drums a wipe down every now and then. You can do a deep clean every few months, but wiping down the drum and cymbal pads should help preserve the visual quality of the kit.
In most cases, no. The dirt you see on electronic drums is typically only on the surface. However, dust can sometimes get into the internal wirings of the pads, and that’s when things start to go funny.
This only happens if there’s a significant amount of dust, though.
If you keep your electronic drum set in a well-ventilated area, you won’t need to clean it as often as you would if it were in an isolated space. As you can see from the guide above, cleaning your kit is actually very easy.
You mostly just need soap and water, and then you can use something a bit stronger on your rubber cymbal pads.
Remember that you may want to sell your electronic kit one day, so make sure that you keep it looking good as possible for all the time that you have it.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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