If you have recently acquired a piano then you’ll be excited about the prospect of your house being filled with music. No house should be without a piano in the lounge – they are great for children to learn on and provide much entertainment at parties. They are pretty easy to care for as long as you have a little bit of basic knowledge – and we’ll tell you a little more about how to look after yours in this article:
Moving the Piano
If your piano is already in situ then it’s too late for this first tip, but if you are still yet to move it then consider getting a professional to come in and do it for you. They will have the brawn to do it, as well as a ramp and a van. Pianos are exceptionally heavy and if you try to do it yourself, not only will you risk damage to the piano; you will also be in danger of causing yourself injury. Adding to this the fact that professional piano movers can limit the amount the piano goes out of the tune, you will agree that getting an expert to do the job is the best way forward!
Key Cleaning
The keys need a good clean every now and again but avoid using harsh abrasive chemicals as the keys are usually made out of ivory (on older pianos, anyway). Use a cloth with some warm water, and wipe up and down the keys making sure you get the sides of the black keys as well as the tops. Wipe it dry with a clean lint-free cloth and this should be enough to restore the keys to their former shining glory. A gentle soap is okay to use if your keys are plastic.
Cabinet Cleaning
The cabinet is the body of the piano and this can be made out of lots of different types of wood. A regular wipe out with a damp cloth should be enough to keep the dust from building up too much, but if it looks like it needs any more then consult an expert who will be able to tell you how best to clean it yourself, or offer to come around and do it for you.
Tuning the Piano
If you look at the back of a piano you will see just how many strings there are! We don’t recommend trying to tune your piano yourself, because it is such a specialist job. The slightest nudge sharp or flat is enough to send the rest of the piano out, so always hire in a professional tuner. They have studied for years to learn how to do it so they will do it much better than you can, at a fraction of the time. Every time the piano is moved it will need to be retuned, so try not to move it any more than you have to.
Take care of your piano and it will take care of you, and your children, and even your children’s children for many years to come.
Featured images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/piano-keys-music-instrument-old-91048/
James Holden is an avid blogger who owns a moving firm in Los Angeles. He often writes for Affordable Piano Movers which has been providing professional moving services for pianos and organs for more than 20 years. He likes going on camping trips in his free time.
