How to Clean Your Tabla Head

Tablas become dirty with use from the oils in your hands and the manner in which you care and store the instrument. Learning how to clean a tabla head will ensure that your instruments stays in top performing condition and will prolong the life of your instrument. Tabla heads are expensive and require periodic cleaning to ensure that they stay in top performing condition. Dirt and debris easily accumulate on the drums, so finding a good set of covers to protect the tabla heads is important.

Step 1 Scrape the top of the tabla drum head with the side of a credit card to remove any accumulated white powder, dirt and debris.

Step 2 Clean the tabla head with a soft cloth by gently rubbing the top of the tabla head to remove any remaining debris that you were unable to remove with the credit card.

Step 3 Use a fine grain sandpaper to polish the tabla head. Using a sandpaper with a grit of 220 will allow you to polish the tabla head to a brilliant shine. Don't scrub coarsely, just lightly touch up the top of the tabla head with the sandpaper.

Do not get the tabla head wet; if the head comes in contact with water, you will destroy it and it will have to be replaced. Purchase high-quality covers made of wood to cover and protect your tabla heads. Keep the tabla out of direct sunlight as much as possible, this will dry out your tabla.