Taking care of a piano doesn't need to be difficult or complicated. However it is important to care for your piano properly to ensure the best results and the longevity of the instrument. For the best results follow the rules below to ensure your instrument it getting the care and attention it needs.
1. Never place drinks or plants on your piano. Any water droplets which make contact with the case of your piano risk permanently marking it. Avoid this by simply keeping drinks and plants away or at the very least placing them on a heat and waterproof mat.
2. Don't put objects on top of your piano. Although it's tempting, putting any object on top of your piano risks scratching the finish of the case. In wooden finish pianos this can be easier to fix, but a serious scratch on a polyester shiny piano can take much more time and work and be a costly fix.
3. Dust the piano regularly. A good way to stop dirt and grime is simply to use a soft microfibre cloth to dust your piano regularly. It is important to make sure there is nothing on the cloth which might scratch the piano before you start.
4. Never use furniture polish. Furniture polish might seem like the right thing to use on your piano, but it actually contains certain polymers which can react with the finish of your piano. You might not notice or think that this has happened, but if you ever have the piano case refinished the lacquers and wax which are used will react with the polish residue making it a more timely and costly job.
5. Regularly clean keys with a damp cloth. Using a damp cloth is a great way of cleaning grease and dirt from your fingers from the keys. Make sure the cloth is only damp as you don't want it dripping down the sides of the keys where it will cause problems. For really stubborn dirt squirt a little Window Cleaner on the cloth to help move that extra grime.
6. Keep it away from windows and radiators. Piano placement is very important. The last thing you want to do is ruin your piano because you didn't know it was important where to put it in the room. The two most important factors are not to put it against a radiator, or under a window. Both of these areas are too prone to changes in temperature and humidity which can cause serious problems in your piano.
7. Mind the sunlight. Another good reason to keep a piano away from a window is to keep it away from sunlight. Over time sunlight will fade your piano, usually in strange patterns from where the sun has most often hit the instrument. Make sure to keep your piano away from the window and if you notice that the sun always moves around the room in a certain direction hitting the piano in the same spot, consider closing the curtain or putting a covering over the piano.
8. Close the keys. The number of times that piano tuners see problems with a piano because a drink was spilled on the keys, or a young child spent 10 minutes hitting them, is countless. A simple way to combat this is to close the fall board over the keys after you have finished playing. For young children you can get a 'slow fall' to make sure that no fingers are caught. You can follow this link to see examples. Amazon.co.uk : piano slow fall
9. Dust inside. If you are particularly meticulous, something which can help is taking out the bottom board and hoovering inside the bottom of the piano. This makes sure that no mice decide that it is a good home!
10. Tune your piano regularly. The number one thing you can do to care for your piano is to tune it regularly. This will help keep it maintained and ensure that a piano tuner can spot any issues and resolve them quickly.
We hope that this blog How Do I Take Care Of My Piano has helped and will ensure that your piano is well maintained from now on.
Comments