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Piano Care

Do's & Don't of Piano Care by Linda Johnson

What to do for your piano:

• Keep the temperature and humidity constant in the room where you have placed your piano (excessive dryness and excessive humidity are harmful.)
• Clean the keys with a slightly damp cloth. For stubborn marks, run the cloth over a cake of soap, and then rub the spot lengthwise. Dry with a soft cloth.
• Close the piano when doing housework
• Replace a loose ivory immediately
• Select your piano technician with care and follow his advice.

What not to do to your piano:

• Don't place burning candles on your piano. The finish on many pianos is highly flammable.
• Don't place vertical pianos directly against a wall; leave a few inches so that the sound is not cut off
• Don't place piano near a heating source, drafts, or cooling units
• Don't place any containers with water on the piano. Should the water spill, wetness can cause serious damage.
• Don't use oil on any part of the piano.
• Don't try to remove dust from inside your piano. This is a task for a piano technician.
• Don't demoth your piano at any time without consulting your piano technician. You may do more damage than good, including damage to yourself.
• Don't close a piano that has ivory keys. Without light the ivory may become yellowed.
• Don't move your piano yourself; employ professional piano movers.

Source: Teaching Piano: A Comprehensive Guide and Reference Book for the Instructor. Denes Agay, ed.

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