Mar 164 min
A foundational step for all piano maintenance is a thorough cleaning. For beginners, there’s no better way to familiarize yourself with the interior of a piano than to start with cleaning. Beyond that, it can eliminate strange problems that might be difficult to diagnose, particularly when you’re still developing an understanding of basic regulation theory. When you’re ready to start building a clientele, spending some extra time cleaning is also a great way to impress clients and ensure that they will return to you for future servicing.
While cleaning is important for every type of piano, this article focuses on cleaning grand pianos because it is far less straightforward than cleaning upright pianos. For basic upright piano cleaning, simply open the cabinet and give it a solid vacuuming. A thorough upright cleaning involves removing the action and keys, much like the grand cleaning process outlined below. You can also use the Cory cleaning formulas to polish keytops and case parts on grands and uprights alike.
Vacuum - We recommend the Datavac because of its portability and reach, but there are other small vacuum cleaners available.
Brush - A long, soft-bristled brush to help free dust trapped in hard-to-reach areas such as between the keys or the tuning pins.
Cleaning cloths - lint-free, 100% cotton cloths are best for cleaning case parts. Another popular choice is microfiber cloth. If you use microfiber cloths, you must be cautious that they do not trap any debris and inadvertently scratch the case parts.
Water - The best cleaner of all! Put it in a small spray bottle or refillable bottle for portability.
McLube 1725L - The best time to lubricate is after cleaning. Lubricating dirty parts exacerbates friction issues, so cleaning and appropriate lubrication go hand-in-hand.
Note: If you're just starting out in piano technology, you can save time shopping and get the whole cleaning kit from The Collection.
If you haven't already read Do No Harm: Case Parts Edition, pause this article and read that one first!
Cheek Blocks
Begin by removing the fallboard so that you can access the back of the cheek block.
Cleaning the cheek blocks can make fallboard removal easier. The left cheek block may have a slow fall spring attached to it. After cleaning it off, you can rub a scotch brite pad over the spring to remove any dirt buildup and lubricate with McLube 1725L to help smooth the connection with the fallboard.
Cheek blocks play an essential role in securing the action to the keybed. After vacuuming the surface of the cheek block, remove it from the piano and vacuum the action positioning slot to ensure that no debris will interfere with the regulation of the action position:
Key Slip
The key slip is fastened to the keybed with brass (or other metal, or wood on older pianos) pins:
These pins should be polished periodically to make removal easy. After removing the key slip, use a scotch brite pad to remove any buildup. If the key slip is difficult to remove, don't use excessive force. Slowly pull opposing sides of the key slip up using equal pressure to lift it free. Note: On Petrofs and some Baldwins, there are screws holding the key slip in place on the underside of the keybed.
Fallboard
The cutouts on either end of the fallboard should be free of debris for easy removal. Take some time to tighten the screws that fasten the rotary damper to the fallboard. These screws occasionally loosen, and can gouge the finish on the piano if not tightened flush with the rotary damper. You may also want to vacuum any loose debris that could make re-installation difficult.
Case Parts Polishing
Polish polyester case parts with a damp, lint-free cotton cloth. Use a water bottle to spritz the cloth; do not spray directly onto the case parts. Wipe parts down with long strokes that follow the grain of the wood or finish pattern, if applicable.
It is easiest to clean the case parts when they are outside of the piano, especially the fallboard, which typically collects lots of finger scuffs along the bottom edge.
Satin finishes are quite difficult to polish. Corey Care Satin-Sheen Cleaner works well for removing light smudges. Use it sparingly and follow the same directional patern as the satin finish. Do not spray it directly onto the case parts. Follow the instructions on the bottle for best results.
With the case parts removed, vacuum around the action, the cheek block area, and front rail, using a soft-bristled brush to free dust from hard-to-reach places.
Pull out the action and vacuum the keybed. Be sure to use the paintbrush to get the finer particles of grit. Any debris between the keybed and the keyframe can cause noise or even interfere with regulation adjustments.
Once you’re sure the keybed is free of dust, lubricate the area where the glide bolts contact the keybed with McLube 1725L. This makes all future action removals easier and safer.
Be sure to clean the action return spring with a scotch brite pad to remove any buildup, and lubricate with McLube 1725L for a smooth connection.
Take some time to tighten all plate screws in the keybed, including the leg and lyre plates.
Keeping the exposed area of the strings clean of dust and debris preserves the lifespan of the piano. Vacuuming around the tuning pins, bridge pins, and hitch pins prevents corrosion between the connection of the strings to the metallic parts of the plate.
Cleaning the soundboard is a critical step that should be done often. There are several tools available for this job. We recommend using a Sweeper (as shown in the video), Spurlock cleaners, or the cleaning tools by Supply88. Do not use any cleaning objects that could scratch the soundboard.
Once you have completed the initial cleaning, do a quick soundboard clean at every future appointment. It takes about 20 seconds if you’re using a Sweeper. You’ll be surprised by the amount of dust the piano can collect even after just six months. If you wait until the soundboard shows visible dust, you’ve waited too long. A clean soundboard promotes a long lifespan and prevents corrosion on the strings.