Do you have a piano in your house, but the keys are really dirty so it is not attractive. Perhaps you keep the lid closed until a family member wants to play it or even keep it closed over the keys all of the time! Of course, you need to determine if your piano keys are plastic or ivory. This will make a difference in what you use to clean the different keys. As a general rule, plastic keys tend to be shinier and smoother than ivory keys.
Once you have determined the type of keys that your piano has, you will need the following items:
Lint-free cloths
Vinegar (for plastic keys)
Gentle Soap or White Toothpaste (for ivory keys)
If your piano has plastic keys, dampen a lint-free cloth in a mixture of vinegar and warm water. Make sure that the cloth is only damp and not dripping the liquid.
Now, gently rub the keys. If it is needed, use more than one of the cloths, but make sure that you always have at least one dry cloth while you clean piano keys. While wiping the piano keys, make sure that no liquid drips between the keys.
Immediately dry the keys using a dry lint-free cloth.
If your piano has ivory keys, you are going to clean piano keys in a different way.
First of all, if the ivory keys have yellowed, if it is at all possible, put the piano in an area where sunlight will be able to hit the keys. This will help the ivory become whiter.
Then, you are first going to clean the white keys. Dampen one of the lint-free cloths with either a mixture of warm water and gentle soap or warm water and white toothpaste. However, if you are using toothpaste, make sure that it is all white and there is no coloring in it.
Now, wipe the white keys of the piano gently with the lint-free cloth, using more cloths if needed, and making sure that you don’t let water drip between the keys.
Once the white keys have been cleaned, dry them with a dry lint-free cloth.
Now, clean the black keys by moistening one of the lint-free cloths with water and rub the water over the keys. Dry them with a dry lint-free cloth after they have been wiped.
For either pianos with plastic keys or ivory keys, take a dry lint-free cloth and buff the keys in order to make them extremely clean and shinier.
Now you are ready to let your piano be on display all the time!
Keep this information or if it is easy enough for you to memorize, do so, and you’ll always be ready to clean piano keys!
Sources:
Crystal Kwan, How to Clean Piano Keys, Howcast
Personal Experience
