How to Clean a Piano

Your piano is a big investment and a precious possession. You’ll definitely want to keep it clean and pristine for years to come. But cleaning a piano can be intimidating—how do you make sure you don’t damage thousands of dollars worth of beauty? 

Don’t panic, we’ve got you covered! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll discuss how to clean a piano properly and everyday things you can do to keep your piano in tip-top shape.

How to Clean a Digital Piano

This article will focus on acoustic pianos, as digital pianos are fairly easy to clean and maintain. But here are a few tips for digital piano owners:

1. Turn it off: Turn off the electrical components before you start cleaning and don’t turn them back on until the instrument has dried.
2. Dust it down: Use a common feather duster to dust off dust particles. Use soft, light motions and go with the natural grain of the wood (if your instrument has that).
3. Wipe it carefully: Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the finish. Only use water if you need to and use as little as possible.
4. Scrub it delicately: If there’s a particularly stubborn stain, you can use a tiny amount of soap followed by a tiny amount of water to scrub it off. Then dry it with another cloth.

Dishwashing liquid should be sufficient to clean your instrument. When wiping down the keys, Yamaha suggests you wipe towards you and use three microfiber cloths: one for (a tiny amount of) soap, one for rinsing, and one for drying. Again, use as little liquid as possible.

How to Clean an Acoustic Piano

Acoustic pianos are delicate works of art that require the utmost care. If you have any doubts about how to clean your acoustic piano, your best resource is your local piano dealer and/or technician.

Here’s how to clean a piano yourself:

Step 1: Determine your piano’s finish

There are three main finish types that can be found on pianos: satin finish—a matte texture with little reflection; high polish finish—a glossy and reflective surface; and open pore finish—a wood grainy texture. The right cleaning solution depends on the type of finish.

Step 2: Gather your materials

• Duster: Make sure it’s clean!
• Microfiber cloths: Microfiber can pick up more dust particles than a conventional cloth.
• Finish-specific solutions: The Riverton Piano Company recommends satin sheen for satin finishes, Meguiar’s Quik Wax for high polish finishes, and auto detailing spray for open pore finishes.
• Sanitizer: Diluted hydrogen peroxide from the pharmacy can be used to disinfect your piano keys.
• Cotton pads: These are useful for gently wiping down your keys.

Step 3: Dust your piano

Dust gently and follow the direction of the piano’s natural wood grains. Don’t swirl dust around, as this can create tiny scratches. Rather, sweep dust off the piano in a gentle, flourishing motion. And be sure to use a clean duster!

Step 4: Wipe with cleaning solutions

When using cleaning solutions, use sparing amounts, wipe gently (don’t scrub!), and never leave things very wet. You should only use enough liquid to dampen your cloth, and if something does drip on the piano, dry it off right away. Always keep cleaning solutions away from the keys and inner components.

Use wax sparingly (a few times a year) and at your own risk. Leaving excess wax can cause build-up that can only be removed by a professional. In most cases, a microfiber cloth dampened with a little water is sufficient for regular cleaning.

How to Sanitize a Piano

Pianos are meant to be touched and played! But if your instrument gets a lot of players, it can become as germ-ridden as a door handle. So consider sanitizing your keys to keep you and your visitors healthy.

Hydrogen peroxide can be used to disinfect piano keys. Dab a little bit onto a cotton pad and wipe the keys towards you. Then, dry it off with another cotton pad. Don’t use so much liquid that it starts to drip.

How to Fix Sticky Keys

Sticking piano keys aren’t uncommon, especially among older pianos. There can be myriad reasons for sticky keys, from humidity to lodged objects that have fallen inside. Because there can be multiple causes to the issue and because piano components are so fragile, we recommend consulting with a professional piano technician to solve this problem.

Piano Maintenance Tips

DO:

• Clean your piano regularly.
• Wash your hands (and encourage others to do so) before you play your piano.
• Get your acoustic piano tuned regularly (the standard advice is twice a year). This session can act as your piano’s biannual check-up visit with the technician.
• Use as little liquid as possible. Wetness is the enemy of wood finishes and electrical components! Make sure cloths aren’t so wet that they start dripping.
• Spray solutions on your cloth, not directly on the piano.

DON’T:

• Place anything on the piano, including cups, dishes, books, picture frames, flower vases, or any decor. This will damage the finish and accidents can happen!
• Use harsh chemicals including those that contain bleach, ammonia, citrus, and furniture sprays like Pledge.
• Attempt to clean the inside of the piano. While there are online guides on how to do this, the inner components of an acoustic piano are so delicate that it’s probably not worth cleaning them yourself. Instead, ask for advice or a cleaning from your piano technician the next time they visit for a tuning. To avoid getting dust around the strings, keep your lid closed as much as possible.

Further Resources

We created this guide with the help of these resources. Check them out if you want to learn more about piano care:

• “How to Clean a Digital Piano” – Pianist Magazine
• “How to Clean Piano Keys” – Yamaha
• “How to Safely Clean Your Piano” – Riverton Piano Company
• “How to Clean Your Piano” – Steinway & Sons
• “Why Do Piano Keys Stick?” – Piano Price Point

SHARE THIS:        

Charmaine Li is a Vancouver writer who has played piano for over 20 years. She holds an Associate diploma (ARCT) from the Royal Conservatory of Music and loves writing about the ways in which music—and music learning—affects the human experience. Charmaine manages The Note. Learn more about Charmaine here.