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Care
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- Locate your piano to avoid direct sunlight as well as excessive
temperature and humidity changes.
- To avoid scratching, always remove dust first with a damp cloth or feather
duster before wiping with a dry cloth.
- Never place drinks, plants, etc. on the finish.
- Avoid placing vinyl or rubber in contact with the piano.
- Make sure that piano lamps, etc. have a felt-padded base.
- Avoid touching piano strings with fingers or damp cloths.
- Delicate parts inside your piano should be cleaned only by your
technician.
- Use polish sparingly, if at all.
- Avoid aerosol products.
- Read labels carefully, and avoid any product containing silicone.
- Before playing, always wash your hands to prevent staining the sides and
tops of the keys
- Modern Pianos are finished with a variety of materials, from traditional
lacquer to modern polyurethanes and polyester resins. Whatever the material,
a piano finish is designed to protect the wood from dirt and liquid spills,
reduce the damaging effects of humidity changes, and -- in the case of clear
finishes -- enhance the beauty of the wood.
- 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.
- Your piano's cabinet, like all woodwork, is subject to expansion and
contraction with humidity changes. Excessive wood movement can eventually
cause the finish to develop tiny cracks and even separate from the wood.
Moderating the temperature and humidity swings around the piano will help to
preserve its finish as well as its overall structure and tuning stability.
- Locate the piano in a room with a fairly even temperature, away from
drafts, dampness, and heat sources. ALWAYS AVOID DIRECT SUNLIGHT -- it will
age the finish prematurely and cause color fading.
- To prevent scratches, never set objects on your piano without a soft cloth
or felt pad. Never place plants or drinks on a piano, because spillage and
condensation can cause major damage.
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.
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.
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. A common product is Murphy's Oil Soap, available
at most grocery and hardware stores.
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.
Common household products such as "lemon oil" or inexpensive
"furniture polish" should be avoided. Despite the labels' claims that
they "protect" the finish or "feed" the wood, they offer no
protection from scratching and can actually soften the finish if over-used.
Worse, they often contain silicones and oils that contaminate the wood,
complicating future refinishing or repairs. Silicone is especially dangerous
because of its tendency to spread within the piano, sometimes causing extensive
internal damage. Avoid aerosol products altogether since the over-spray can
contaminate piano strings, tuning pins and action parts.
An appropriate polish can help to restore luster to a dulled finish or
reduce the tendency of some finishes to show fingerprints. However, it should be
applied sparingly and infrequently, and all excess should be wiped clean with a
soft dry cloth so no visible film remains. To prevent scratching, always dust
before polishing. Specific recommendations follow.
If your piano's finish appears gummy, oily, or streaked, it may be contaminated
with too much or the wrong type of polish. Adding more polish will not correct
this problem. Instead the finish should be thoroughly cleaned, then evaluated
for any further treatment.
To remove accumulations of old polish, use a cloth dampened with a mild
soap as in item 3 above. Wring the cloth thoroughly to minimize wetting of the
finish, and dry the surface immediately. Test a small area first to make sure
the washing does not cause white marks or softening of an older finish.
If stronger cleaning is necessary, look for a product called "wood
cleaner and wax remover" at hardware or wood workers supply stores, or ask
your technician for a suggestion.
Once the original finish is clean, you can either leave it as is or
enhance the gloss and clarity with an appropriate polish according to the finish
type listed below.
The two most common piano finishes are lacquer and polyester. Either material
may come in clear, black, white, or other colors. Check your piano's owner
information booklet to determine the type and recommended care of your piano's
finish, or ask your technician or dealer for help if you're not sure.
LACQUER
Most, but not all, American-made pianos have lacquer finishes. They may be
satin (dull sheen), semi-gloss, or high gloss.
- Cleaning -- For general dusting and cleaning of lacquer finishes, see
items 2 and 3 preceding. Be especially careful to avoid scratching high
gloss finishes by using only very soft, clean cloths and wiping with light
pressure. For satin finishes, always rub in line with the existing sheen.
- Polishing -- Satin finishes are intended to be dull and will normally have
a poor appearance if a gloss-producing polish is applied. If desired, a
polish may be applied to gloss or semigloss finishes. Two common products
are Guardsman Furniture Polish and OZ Cream Polish. Your technician may
carry these or other products especially recommended for piano care. Note
the precautions under item 4 regarding selecting and applying polishes.
When cleaning or polishing a lacquer finish, avoid hard pressure on sharp
corners and edges since the finish can easily wear through to bare wood.
POLYESTER
Most Asian and European pianos have polyester finishes in satin or high-gloss
(called high polish). This material is harder and more scratch-resistant than
lacquer, and best maintained by simple dusting and cleaning.
- Cleaning -- Use the same procedure as for lacquer.
- Polishing -- Satin polyester looks best when simply kept clean. Avoid
gloss-producing polishes, which leave satin finishes looking shiny but
scratched. High-polish polyester finishes need only be kept clean to
maintain their gloss. However, high-wear areas such as the music desk may
eventually develop a hazy appearance caused by many fine scratches. These
areas can be buffed back to a high gloss using a product designed to remove
tiny scratches from fiberglass boats or plastic windows in convertible cars.
Two such products are Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #17 Plastic Cleaner, and
Meguiar's s Mirror Glaze #9 Swirl Remover--available from marine supply,
auto-parts, or automotive paint supply stores. Your technician may carry
special products for this purpose, or can recommend a local source.
CLEANING YOUR KEYS
- 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.
- 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.
- Clean sharps in the same manner, but use a separate cloth for painted
wooden sharps to avoid black stains on the white keys.