BASIC CARE STEPS
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Locate your piano to avoid direct sunlight as well as excessive temperature and humidity changes.
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Before playing, always wash your hands to prevent staining the sides and tops of the keys.
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Keep the keyboard lid closed whenever the piano is not in use.
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If you have a grand piano, follow the advice of your technician as to whether or not you need to keep your strings covered with felt or the top lid completely shut when not in use.
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When dusting, to avoid scratching, always remove dust first with a damp cloth or feather duster before wiping with a dry cloth.
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Never place plants or drinks on a piano, because spillage and condensation can cause major damage.
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To prevent scratches, never set objects on your piano without a soft cloth or felt pad.
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Avoid placing vinyl or rubber in contact with the piano.
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Make sure that piano lamps, etc. have a felt-padded base.
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Avoid touching piano strings with fingers or damp cloths.
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Delicate parts inside your piano should be cleaned only by your technician.
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Use polish sparingly, if at all. Better to be safe than sorry! Check with your piano technician before applying any polish if you’re in doubt.
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Avoid aerosol products.
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Read labels carefully, and avoid any product containing silicone.
CLEANING YOUR KEYS
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Piano keys eventually become soiled with accumulated oil and dirt from fingers. To clean your white keys, use a soft cloth dampened with water and a small amount of mild soap. Avoid solvents. Make sure the cloth is thoroughly wrung out, and wipe the keys back-to-front rather than side-to-side, so excess moisture and dirt will not seep down the sides of the keys. Clean only a few keys at a time, drying immediately with a clean cloth.
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Ivory keys are porous, and excessive moisture can penetrate and loosen their glue joints. Also, a dirty or brightly colored cleaning cloth can transfer stains into the ivory.
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Clean sharps in the same manner, but use a separate cloth for painted wooden sharps to avoid black stains on the white keys.
DUSTING YOUR PIANO
Dust is very abrasive, and can scratch the finish if wiped off with a dry cloth. To avoid scratching, dust the piano lightly with a feather duster. Alternatively, wipe lightly with a soft damp cloth to pick up the dust, followed immediately with a dry cloth. The cloths should be soft cotton such as flannel, because coarse or synthetic fabrics can scratch some finishes. Wring out the damp cloth thoroughly so it leaves no visible moisture on the surface. Don’t spritz the piano and then wipe! Dampen the cloth.
To avoid creating swirl marks, always wipe with long straight strokes rather than circular motions. Wipe with the grain for natural wood finishes, or in the direction of the existing sheen pattern for solid-color satin finishes.
Because some exposed parts inside your piano are fragile, it’s best to let your technician clean these areas.
CLEANING THE FINISH
To remove smudges and fingerprints, first dust using the damp/dry cloths as above. If heavier cleaning is necessary, dampen your cloth with a small amount of mild soap solution.
TO POLISH OR NOT
Modern finishes are designed to do their job without the additional aid of polishes or waxes. In most cases, a piano finish is best maintained by simply keeping it clean and avoiding exposure to direct sunlight, extremes of temperature and humidity, and abrasion. When in doubt, call and ask for your piano technician’s expert advice.
Before using polish on your piano, be sure it is actually necessary and beneficial. In general, most manufacturers recommend against using polishes because of the potential for damage to the finish and contamination of other parts of the instrument. Polish should never be used on lacquer pianos!
Can’t say it enough times: Better to be safe than sorry! Check with your piano technician before applying any polish.
FINISH REPAIRS
Dents, scratches, and chips sometimes occur, spoiling the appearance of an otherwise perfect finish. Such damage can usually be corrected by a specialist in “finish touch-up.” Your piano technician may perform this service, or can offer a referral.
CLEANING THE FINISH
To remove smudges and fingerprints, first dust using the damp/dry cloths as above. If heavier cleaning is necessary, dampen your cloth with a small amount of mild soap solution.
TO POLISH OR NOT
Modern finishes are designed to do their job without the additional aid of polishes or waxes. In most cases, a piano finish is best maintained by simply keeping it clean and avoiding exposure to direct sunlight, extremes of temperature and humidity, and abrasion. When in doubt, call and ask for your piano technician’s expert advice.
Before using polish on your piano, be sure it is actually necessary and beneficial. In general, most manufacturers recommend against using polishes because of the potential for damage to the finish and contamination of other parts of the instrument. Polish should never be used on lacquer pianos!
Can’t say it enough times: Better to be safe than sorry! Check with your piano technician before applying any polish.