Cleaning Under the Keys

Focus On: Cleaning Under the Keys One of the most unsanitary places in your home may be right beneath your fin- gertips, lurking below the keys of your pi- ano. As shown in the above photo, a dis- gusting mixture of dust, cat fur, dried flakes of skin, old toothpicks, etc., accumulates un- derneath the keys of the typical piano, some- times for decades at a time, until a piano technician takes note and recommends that the instrument be given a professional clean- ing. When this debris is allowed to remain in a piano, it not only "gums up the works," but it poses a health threat, in that every time a note is played, the resulting air movement swirls dust mites and particles into the air surrounding the pianist. For anyone with al- lergies, this constant exposure to contami- nates can make playing a dirty piano an un- pleasant and unhealthy experience. Removing the Keys Removing the Debris The Piano Owner's Heads-Up Guide to Important Piano Maintenance To remove the layer of dust and filth which has sifted down in between the keys over the years, the piano must first be care- fully disassembled by the technician to the point at which the keys may be safely re- moved and put temporarily aside. With the keys out of the way, a vacu- um and brush are employed to remove un- wanted material, while leaving important felts in place. Once the keybed of the piano has been thoroughly cleaned, and felt parts have been examined for signs of insect or mouse dam- age or excessive wear and tear, the piano may be reassembled so that it may be en- joyed with the knowledge that it is cleaner inside than it has been for years. - Jema Pianos