Piano Cleaning Tips

Here are some tips for cleaning your piano (and keeping it clean):

1. Lightly go over your piano with a feather duster or “Swiffer” to remove all dust possible. Dust is an abrasive material, even though the particles are very small, and can scratch the finish of your piano. You don’t want to wipe dust right into your piano.

2. Wipe your piano with a soft, damp cotton or flannel cloth to see what smudges, etc. you can remove from the piano. If you can remove them in this step, you have done your job and minimized causing any damage to the piano’s finish. Be sure to wipe in the direction of the wood grain, if applicable, and never wipe in a swirl or circular motion. To finish, wipe off any remaining moisture with a soft, cotton cloth.

3. If smudges still remain, add a small amount of mild soap solution to your soft cloth and repeat the process. An example of a mild cleaning product is Murphy’s Oil Soap. You can also order professionally prepared piano cleaning products at www.professionalpianoproducts.com and you may find specialty piano cleaning products at your local piano store.

4. Polishing is not recommended, but if you must polish, do NOT use “lemon oils” and inexpensive “furniture polishes.” Silicone is bad for a piano’s finish. Don’t use aerosol sprays as the overspray can get into sensitive areas of your piano and really mess things up. Always dust and clean before polishing.

5. Once your piano is clean, don’t place items on the finish that could possibly scratch it. Place a soft cloth underneath any item that is on the piano. Keep beverages and plants off of your piano and wipe any water spills immediately.

6. Keep your piano out of direct sunlight, because sunlight can ruin the finish of your piano.