Cymbals have an integral body. What I mean is that all the "parts" (materials, make, and finish) of a cymbal together give that particular piece its sound and quality. When cleaning cymbals, the finish is removed, thus making the cymbal totally useless for its original purpose. What to do then? There are several ideas, but here's one that work well. Use Q-tips (to clean ears) to remove excessive dirt or stickmarks. Do NOT use with water, obviously, or cleaners. You can swipe the surface of the cymbal dry. It will take a little longer, but you can be 100% sure you will not destroy the cymbal's face. If you insist on using a cleaner, do NOT use any of those cymbal cleaners. I suggest Brite Boy, a product you can find almost anywhere. It is by far the best cymbal cleaner I have ever used, although I only use it in extreme cases, such as corrossion, deep soiling, and excessive stickmarks. I hope this guide has been useful!