Keeping Piano Keys Clean

Keeping Piano Keys Clean

Keeping piano keys clean can go a long way toward reducing issues that can otherwise impact the condition of your piano. As you regularly play the piano, grime and oil from your hands will transfer onto the keys. By taking the steps to keep your piano’s keys clean, you will be better able to keep the entire piano in better condition. However, it is important to note that there are several precautions that you need to take to ensure that you don’t cause additional damage to your piano’s keys. Here are a few of our best tips for keeping piano keys clean.

Wash Hands Before Playing

Your hands will naturally have some level of oil on them. As you play the piano, this oil transfers to the keys. Without cleaning, this oil can even cause damage. By washing your hands before you play the piano, you will be able to limit the amount of grime that accumulates on the surfaces of the piano keys. It is also important to ensure that you clean the oil off of the piano keys once you are done playing.

Know your Piano

The appropriate cleaning practices will depend on the materials that your piano keys are made up of. When you are familiar with the materials of your piano, you will be better equipped to take the right steps to keep it clean. Piano keys tend to be made up of either ivory or plastic. Ivory is a porous substance that tends to have an adverse reaction to many different cleaners. Plastic tends to be more durable but can still see damage when cleaned improperly. You need to ensure that you use a cleaner that is safe for the material of your piano keys.  

Use the Right Materials

It is important to use the right tools to help with keeping piano keys clean. The tools that you use will impact the overall condition of your piano. The wrong tools can cause damage to your piano keys. Ensure that you use the appropriate cloth in order to prevent scratches or other damage to the surface of your piano’s keys. Microfiber cloths are often ideal for piano key cleaning. In addition, you should ensure that the cloth is undyed or light colored. If it has been dyed, you will need to ensure that it has been washed multiple times before use. Otherwise, the dye can transfer onto and stain the piano keys. These stains can be very difficult to remove.

You also need to ensure that you use a cleaner that won’t cause damage to the piano keys. In most cases, a mixture of dish soap and water will be the gentlest solution for your piano keys. This solution often helps you to thoroughly clean your piano keys without causing damage.

Dust First

Ensure that you dust the piano keys before you try to clean them. Dust is ultimately much easier to remove when it is dry. Failing to do this can make it more difficult to carefully remove all traces of grime from the surface of your piano keys.

Barely Damp

It is important to ensure that you pay attention to the amount of water that you use when cleaning the keys of your piano. You should use a cloth that is barely damp, rather than a wet cloth. If the cloth has too much water, the liquid will usually drip between the keys and cause a great deal of damage to the piano.

Clean in Sections

When you are cleaning the keys of your piano, you will want to ensure that you do so in sections. Clean the keys one octave at a time and ensure that you dry them completely before moving on to other sections. This will help you to prevent water damage to your piano.

Don’t Use Sprays

When you use a spray for cleaning your piano, you won’t have any control over the moisture and location of the spray. This easily allows the mixture to drip between the keys and other areas of the piano. A spray bottle can certainly lead to damage to the piano.

Keeping piano keys clean is an important part of maintaining your piano. When you use the appropriate techniques to clean your piano keys, you will be able to keep the piano in good condition. For more information about the best strategies for keeping piano keys clean, contact us at Ogden Piano Gallery today!