What About the Dust?

The most asked question I get about pianos is “What about the dust?” The
answer is

pianos don’t care about dust as much as people do. The enemy of pianos is moisture or, more specifically, the lack of moisture. This is why older storage facilities were not good for pianos. They were hot houses that dried out the wood and the pianos got ruined.

Use a feather duster on the outside of the pianos and let your piano tuner clean inside the piano.

What should I use on the outside of my Piano?

Different piano finishes require different types of care. High polish (shiny) finishes require a product called Cory Piano Polish that you use once or twice a year. It’s like waxing your car and protects the surface from getting scratched. It also repels dust.

Natural wood finishes can be cared for by using lemon oil and a soft cloth. To clean the keys use a lightly damp cloth to remove dirt and dust. You can polish the brass with Brasso or some other metal polish. Your overall best friend for the outside of the piano is a featherduster which won’t scratch the surface and is easy to use.

How often should I have my piano tuned?

In Northern California, where the climate is temperate and consistent throughout the year, pianos should be tuned at least once a year. In areas where the humidity fluctuates from winter to summer (like in the East Coast), pianos need to be tuned twice a year.

How much does piano tuning cost?

The average cost for piano tuning is $120 depending upon where you live. Piano tuning should take approximately one hour and most tuners will also clean your piano and do any simple repairs like fixing stuck notes. Some pianos need additional service such as pitch raising (when pianos haven’t been tuned in a long while) and voicing which is adjusting the brightness of the piano. These services will cost extra.

What other maintenance does a piano require?

Pianos, like cars, require periodic servicing. The mechanisms (actions) should be adjusted (regulated) once every five to ten years and the hammers will need to be filed and voiced at that time. Older pianos will need new strings and felts, but this type of work only happens once or twice in the lifetime of a piano. To see if your piano needs to be rebuilt or restored, visit the pages on piano restoration or just click here.

Is your piano ready for a makeover? Click here.