The Case For Cleaning Your Piano

Measuring the friction on a grand piano hammer flange. This flange is measuring at 2 grams, the ideal friction for this part.

A good cleaning is something any piano will benefit from. Dust and debris can cause big problems if left to collect inside the action, and pests love to make homes inside instruments. Let's talk about what's going on inside your piano and why something as innocent as eraser shavings could hinder your piano's performance, and what to do about it.

In your typical grand piano there are over 12,000 parts! These parts help the keys move smoothly, the dampers lift, the hammers repeat, and many more essential functions. One particularly important part of the piano is the flange. The flanges are hinges made out of wood with felt bushings that the hammers and other parts rotate around. These flanges have extremely particular friction requirements. Some flanges must have precisely 0.5 grams of friction. If this friction is too high, the piano can feel sluggish. If too low, it could feel uncontrollable. There are a plethora of other issues that improper friction can cause, from poor repetition to unstable regulation.

Unwanted friction is a problem frequently encountered in many pianos. A sluggish or uncontrollable action is not good for artistic expression at the piano, so what can be done to prevent it? Cleaning is the answer. In a process I call "preventive maintenance," the action is completely disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, and put back together. This is something that should only be done by a technician as it's possible to accidentally vacuum up important parts, or over lubricate parts that require a particular amount of friction.

If you've just acquired a used piano, having it tuned and cleaned is a good idea to begin realizing the piano's full potential. Another benefit of getting your piano cleaned is to keep it sanitary, you never know the conditions a used piano was kept in. All kinds of pests, rodents, and insects love to make their homes inside neglected or unused pianos. Having your piano cleaned is a good way to remove animal leavings from your instrument and to discourage pests from moving in.

All this considered, what can you do in between cleanings to keep your piano from collecting dust? Try to keep things like pencil and eraser shavings out of your piano. Avoid putting drinks, even water, on top of your piano as spills can be disastrous. If your piano is kept in a particularly dust prone space, it could be a good idea to keep the lid and key cover closed when not in use. If your piano came with a cloth cover, make sure you cover the piano when it's not in use. Be sure to keep the cover away from dust and debris while it's off the piano as well. When it comes to pests, playing your piano regularly is one of the best things you can do to keep critters from moving in.

If you think your piano could benefit from a cleaning, you can always reach out to your technician for a consultation. Adding a cleaning onto a tuning visit is a good way to take care of your piano and keep it playing well.