Piano Care and Maintenance

To keep a new and beautiful piano in top form, you should take special care to ensure you maintain it every day. Today we would like to go over some tips to make sure your piano makes great music for years to come.

Frame:

To keep your piano in top condition, try not to move it around too much. Although many pianos are very sturdy, even a tiny fracture in the frame can set the chords off and lead to a warped sound. Cracks can also develop from high humidity, so try to keep your piano out of wetter climates. A great way to combat moisture build-up in the air is to install a ceiling fan in the same room, just above your piano.

Direct contact with sunlight should also be avoided: not only does the change in heat cause the frame to swell, but this also damages the finish and makes your piano look less vibrant. Instead, the use of quality piano lamp may safely illuminate your keyboard and preserve your instrument’s finish.

Cocoweb's Piano Desk Lamps feature a felt-lined base to ensure your piano's frame remains scratch-free

Cleaning:

Keeping the luster on your piano bright and shiny shows true care. Wiping much-used surfaces down with a soft damp cloth and immediately drying is a good way to go, especially if there are spills. Though, honestly, the best thing to do is to cut the spill off at the source: make sure to keep food and drink away from your piano to keep spills and stains from occurring in the first place.Washing your hands before playing will also lower the amount of dirt and skin oils applied to the keys, and preserve their white finish.

Common household cleaners, even if they seem natural, may soften and damage the finish, so make sure to read up on your piano’s particular needs before applying any cleaner. Although you may be tempted to often polish your piano, in general it does more harm than good. While the occasional coating may help, over-polishing can make your piano hold less of a shine as time goes on.

Tuning:

Since pianos are made to produce beautiful music, the most essential part of maintenance is knowing when to get your piano tuned. Don’t try to tune it yourself, or even touch the inside mechanisms, unless you’re a trained professional. In general, having a certified technician check up on your piano twice a year will keep it in tune, though you may want more service during the first year as the piano slowly adapts to your room’s temperature and humidity.

All-in-all, probably the best way to keep your piano working is to play it often! The more you play it, the more likely you are to notice small changes in pitch or material, and you can correct a problem before it becomes serious. Not only will constant attention keep you aware of defects, but you’ll be building up your skills as a pianist as well.