How to Make Yellow Piano Keys White Again

Many people overlook the importance of regularly cleaning their piano keys. And, when y'all mention it to them, the question "How practise I clean the keys on my piano?" often pops up!

Being able to play the piano must exist one of the greatest joys that life has to offer. Whether yous're a Mozart-Wunderkind, a Romantic-Wonder or a Jazz-Maestro, you probably take pride in the instrument you play on – and so you should. Simply, mastering the skill and honing your musical talent is only the first step of your hobby and passion…

Table of Contents

• ane Why you should clean your piano's keys
• ii So, how Do you clean piano keys?
  • ii.1 Different types of piano keys
• iii General tips on cleaning piano keys
• iv How to make clean plastic piano keys
• 5 How to clean ivory pianoforte keys
• vi How to Whiten Ivory Keys
• 7 How to keep your piano keys make clean
  • seven.1 I hope your keys are clean!

Why you should clean your piano's keys

Think about other hobbyists for a second: Harley Davidson owners oft spend hours washing and polishing the chrome on their motorcycles. Keen Bonsai gardeners spend as much time diligently pruning, planting and replanting their trees.  Being a musician – especially a pianist – is no different. After acquiring a decent instrument, y'all should get in a priority to keep it clean and functional.

While the necessity of tuning your piano (if information technology is acoustic) can't be disregarded, we need to emphasize how important it is to make clean your piano keys. Oils from your peel, dirt from your fingers, dust blowing around and many other microscopic parts of bacteria will inevitably build up on the keyboard of a piano. Eliminating all the dirt and grime regularly volition foreclose your pianoforte looking aged and mucky. Regularly cleaning your piano keys will also ensure longevity, and retain its inherent value over the years.

So, how DO you lot clean pianoforte keys?

Dissimilar types of piano keys

Before we innovate you lot to the best way to make clean pianoforte keys, you should know what material the keys on your piano are manufactured from. In that location are different approaches to cleaning plastic and ivory keys.

PLASTIC pianoforte keys are typically smoother and whiter than ivory keys and are mostly found on keyboards and digital pianos. Pianos with plastic keys are usually cheaper than pianos with ivory keys, every bit ivory has become a rare commodity.

IVORY piano keys are fabricated out of ivory. And like the statuesque source of ivory – the elephant – ivory keys are usually constitute on the biggest pianos of them all: Baby, parlor, concert and thou pianos. Many of the older upright acoustic pianos and the more top end modern acoustic pianos also have ivory keys on them.

White ivory keys are not really white – they have more than of an off-white blazon of hue. And, they typically plough yellowish equally they age. We'll go through methods explaining how to get piano keys white once again a bit afterward.

It is really of import to know what the type of material your piano's keys are made of before yous start getting ready to clean them – then brand certain earlier you get through the side by side steps!

General tips on cleaning piano keys

Regardless of whether the keys on your pianoforte are made of ivory of plastic, these are a few full general tips to go on in heed:

1. Avoid using any harsh cleaners that contain strong chemicals or polish.
2. When selecting the right cloth for the chore, stay abroad from cloths that are abrasive. You want to have a lint-free textile – and no, tissue or toilet paper won't piece of work (you'll end upwardly with pieces of tissue stuck in betwixt the notes, which is non platonic!
3. Keep the cloth you lot're using clean. Nosotros'd recommend using a new textile every time you clean the keys of your piano. If your piano or keyboard's keys are very muddy, it might fifty-fifty be necessary for you to alter to a fresh, make clean cloth during the cleaning procedure.
4. When doing the actual cleaning, do a brushing motion (equally if you are brushing your teeth) from the back of the keys to the forepart. Avert wiping across the keyboard in a side to side motility, every bit you lot'll be wiping dust, dirt and moisture into the spaces between the keys, which might result in them getting viscous. Stubborn notes that won't come up back up after you pressed them volition plough your favorite pastime into a nightmare real quick – and then be forewarned!
5. Don't spray ANYTHING directly onto the keys.
6. Clean one octave (viii notes) of the keyboard at a time. Always make certain that all the keys y'all take just cleaned are completely dry before you move on to the side by side group.

How to clean plastic piano keys

Once y'all have observed the full general cleaning tips above, yous are ready to become not bad!

1. The all-time mode to clean plastic pianoforte keys is to use a damp cloth – information technology should not be wet or drippy.
2. Fill a basin with warm h2o, and add a picayune soap. You should use a MILD lather, such every bit dishwashing liquid. Dip your cloth into the soapy water, and wring it out before y'all get-go wiping the keys.
3. Make sure you focus on each individual cardinal, by breaking the keys up in octave groupings. Clean the white keys first, and then run through the pianoforte again focussing on the black keys.
4. Don't apply too much pressure while you wipe the keys downwardly. Imagine that you are polishing the keys, and just proceed going until the keys are white and shiny.
5. Have a second soft cloth ready, that you can employ to wipe the keys dry out after you accept wiped them. This volition also remove any soap balance that might accept gotten onto the keys.

How to clean ivory piano keys

Pianos with ivory keys should be handled with particular care. If you're unsure most the heritage of an old piano – especially a yard piano – you might want to consult with an skillful commencement, as cleaning information technology might actually make it depreciate in value and collectability. We're betting on the odds that this is non the case with YOUR piano, so here goes!

1. If y'all're cleaning the ivory keys on a pianoforte, you should be using a white or light-colored cloth. Y'all might get abroad with brilliant cloths if you're cleaning plastic piano keys – but, the colour will wipe off on the ivories, as they are porous. Having discolored keys (pic a pink heart C) might be funny to some, but you'll probably non express joy along.
2. Practice not utilize ANY soap or other chemicals. Simply put a flake of warm water in a small basin, and use that every bit you lot clean the piano.
3. Start off by dusting the keys with a soft duster. A paintbrush with soft beard will piece of work too – but, don't wet it all the same! When y'all're dusting the keys, grit away from the piano so that you don't end up forcing clay into the note-depository financial institution or between the keys.
4. At present, wet your material, and wring information technology out. Yous want a damp textile, that is not dripping with water.
5. Make sure you focus on each private primal, past breaking the keys upward in octave groupings. Make clean the white keys first, and and then run through the piano once again focussing on the black keys with a new, clean textile. Virtually pianos with ivory keys take black keys that are made out of wood or plastic – or in rare cases ivory – that has been painted. Wiping the white and black notes at the same time might outcome in some of the paint transferring onto your cleaning cloth and landing upward on the white keys.
6. When wiping the keys, brand sure that each cardinal is completely dry out earlier you move on to the next cardinal. Imagine a wipe-on, wipe-off approach. The wood underneath the keys should be protected from moisture at all costs, and this is the best style to practice so.
7. Accept special care if you lot own an antique piano with ivory keys. These keys are often made of two parts of ivory – and rubbing too hard on them might cause one one-half to become unstuck, leaving y'all with a half-wood-one-half-ivory key.

How to Whiten Ivory Keys

Lame joke fourth dimension: Having a grand piano is like having a mouth… if the teeth aren't white and shiny, yous want to keep the lid shut!

Ivory keys on a piano do tend to show their age equally they will often get xanthous over time. There are a lot of old-wives tales and anarchistic approaches when it comes to whitening ivory keys on a piano. These are a few of the best approaches, all of them all-time followed right afterwards using the cleaning process described above:

Whiten the ivory keys with an eraser

Utilize a white vinyl eraser and gentry rub each cardinal on the piano. Make sure to utilise a movement that rubs away from the piano to forbid bits of eraser falling in betwixt the notes. Erasers are inexpensive, and information technology actually works, just this method  is hard labor and volition take a lot of time – especially if you want the keys to have the same shade of white

Whiten the ivory keys with whitening toothpaste

Use white toothpaste and a fine bristled toothbrush to gently clean the keys. While it might be tempting to brush the whole piano like a gear up of chompers, don't do it! Yous'll just end up with much and sticky toothpaste in between the keys. Instead, make clean the keys one by one, and wipe them immediately after yous've brushed them with a  damp textile.

Whiten the ivory keys with steel wool

Using very fine steel wool is another choice, although it is probably the most dangerous approach. Using annihilation rougher than a #0000 grain will end up scratching the keys and causing damage. So, employ the wool pad to gently wipe the piano, hoping that yous'll abrade the acme layer of yellow off the keys as yous exercise.

Whiten the ivory keys with sunlight

Place your pianoforte somewhere where the keys will get exposed to indirect sunlight is some other option. Make sure that the whole cabinet isn't exposed to the sun, as the farthermost heat and temperature variation will cause the cabinet to warp. Sunlight might brighten up the color, as it will "bleach" the ivory afterwards prolonged exposure. The one consequence with this method is that you might have to call a piano-tuner out to tune your shiny keys – again, pianos are quite averse to temperature fluctuations as it expands and contracts the strings over fourth dimension, which will cause your piano to go out of tune.

Whiten the ivory keys with patently yogurt

Your final option is to use obviously yogurt equally a whitening amanuensis. Apply the yogurt to the keys, making sure that none of information technology lands in betwixt the keys (which volition make it sticky AND stinky). Exit the yogurt on the keys for 30 minutes, and wipe it off with a clammy cloth… presto!

These are the five best ways to whiten ivory pianoforte keys. They tin can also exist used to whiten yellow plastic on very old keyboards. People often consider replacing piano keys only considering they've yellowed over time – merely a set of replacement piano keys aren't necessary if you're willing to apply a bit of time and some "elbow grease".

How to keep your piano keys make clean

One time you've cleaned the keys on your pianoforte, the best mode to keep them clean is to… go along them make clean! Make certain you lot wash your easily every fourth dimension earlier y'all play, and go on a soft fabric or duster handy to utilise every fourth dimension afterward you've played. Preventing dirt build-up is paramount to maintaining white shiny piano keys, and it doesn't take much attempt.

Many new pianos come with felt covers that can exist placed on the piano when it is not in use. These typically roll upwards, and tin can easily be placed in a piano chair while yous play. The soft material it is manufactured from does an fantabulous job at collecting any dust or moisture in the air, and so that it doesn't stop up on your piano keys.

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I hope your keys are clean!

If you have followed this guide and successfully cleaned the keys on your piano, congratulations! Playing on a clean and shiny keyboard is great fun, and that's what we wish you: Hours of fun tinkling the ivories.

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Source: https://instrumentio.com/how-to-clean-piano-keys/

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