Given the intricacy and size of the majority of pianos on the market, it may seem like a never-
ending endeavor when it comes to taking care of it. To minimize the maintenance costs of your piano, it is advisable that you avoid damages before they happen, so that you do not spend a lot of unnecessary money.
Cleaning the Piano
In comparison with other musical instruments and furnishing items, the piano appears to be an imperishable beast. However, the opposite bears the truth – cleaning the piano as if you clean the dining table (no matter how precious the exterior it) can lead to numerous damages and certainly a huge dent in your bank account. It is important to learn the right way to clean your piano to avoid spending too much on maintenance in the end:
How to Clean Your Piano
When it concerns your piano, keep in mind that polishing and cleaning are two different tasks. Always keep polishing to a bare minimum, and to remove dust on the piano, use a feather duster always. You should never use a dry cloth to wipe the dusts away, as this can scratch the piano finish. However, if you must dust off using a cloth, ensure that the cloth is made from a soft fabric, for instance chamois or flannel. I would definitely advise that you do not use paper towels or rags.
To avoid any damages to your piano, the cloth that you use to clean should always be slightly damp. You need to use filtered water, because any other type of water can change the appearance of the piano finish. Use gentle strokes or touch when dusting off and dry the piano immediately with a different cloth. I always tell my clients to resist the temptation to dust and clean any exposed region of the piano’s interior, because these areas are very fragile, and should only be dusted and cleaned by a reputable RPT.
Piano Cleaning Tips
Never place any objects on the piano and if you must use a piano lamp, ensure that it has a felt or cloth base. If it does not come with a felt or cloth base, you can place the lamp on any soft fabric. Do not spray any products directly on your piano. The proper way to do this is to stand approximately two to three feet away from your piano and spray the polish on the cloth. This prevents the polish particles from landing on any of the piano strings, keys, and other fragile parts. To lessen dust in the room, you should utilize an air purifier.
Piano Tuning
Among all the stringed musical instruments, the piano is the least tuned, and this is often because a piano remains in-tune for a relatively long time. In addition, most pianists often hire a professional to tune their pianos. For this particular reason, a large number of piano owners frequently leave the tuning bit until they hear a bad pitch. At that point, of time, piano tuning will cost you twice as much as it would have cost if you hired a professional to tune it earlier.
Consult a Reputable Registered Piano Technician
Therefore, it is advisable that you at all times hire a reputable RPT to look at your piano if you find that it emits out-of-tune sounds. RPTs are professionals that take tests and exams to care and tune pianos, and more often than not, they can clean the piano for their clients as well. A good RPT can save you a lot of money, but in order to hire a trustworthy RPT, it is imperative to conduct proper research with reference to various candidates from your region.
How do you care for your piano?