Add a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid to a container with 10 gallons of water in it. The container must be large enough to fit the entire cymbal inside.
Place the cymbal inside the container and let it soak for two minutes.
Remove the cymbal and rinse it off with warm water. Then dab the cymbal with a cloth until it is dry. Avoid scrubbing; you just want to remove any excess dirt.
Apply cymbal polish to a clean cloth and divide the cymbal into four small circular sections from the center of the cymbal to the outside edge. Only clean one section at a time and clean from the inside to the outside of the cymbal. Use a circular motion and follow the groove of the cymbal.
Rinse the cymbal in clean water and then wipe it down with a clean cloth. Ensure that no polish is left behind; you must continue to rinse the cymbal until the polish has been removed.