Grand Soundboard Cleaning

Focus On: Cleaning the Grand Piano Soundboard The soundboard of a grand piano over a period of time typically becomes dusty—sometimes to the point where the sound of the piano may be affected. This problem may be lessened if the lid of the pi- ano is kept down when the piano is not in use. If a piano cover or string cover is also used to help keep the soundboard clean, the build-up of dust should be decreased even more. But even when these preventative measures are taken, dust will tend to accu- mulate on the flat surface of the soundboard given enough time. The soundboar d of your grand piano has become dirty to the point where it should be cleaned. If the accumulation of dust and debris is minor the use of a can of compressed air on one side coupled with a vacuum on the other may be enough to clean the surface ef- fectively. On the other hand, if the dust is thick or if it adheres to the soundboard, a more intensive approach may be needed. The Piano Owner's Heads-Up Guide to Important Piano Maintenance Extreme cleaning The simplest alternative method of cleaning a soundboard is to use a flexible rod with a cleaning cloth attached. This tech- nique allows one to get underneath the stings and dust the soundboard as one would dust the surface of any piece of furniture. Typical- ly, this approach will remove most debris. For hard to remove grime, several strings on the treble end may be unhooked to allow for a rope and a rag to be drawn under the strings. A person on either side of the pi- ano work the rag back and forth to clean the soundboard thoroughly. (Note the improve- ment shown in the photos using this method.) - Jema Pianos