5 Ways to Make Your Piano Last a Lifetime
Unlike guitars, maintaining a piano is more complicated. Whether you have a traditional or digital piano at home or in tour studios, here are some tips on how to take care of them properly to help them last a lifetime.
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Treat it for what it is.
Your piano is a piece of musical instrument, not a table or any piece of furniture, Steinway & Sons Madison says. Regardless of the type of piano you have, don’t treat it like a coffee table. Don’t put books or candlesticks on it, not even a plant, especially a live one that you need to water regularly.
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Keep it away from direct sunlight.
While it sure is romantic to play the piano while sunlight seeps through your windows or open doors, that golden light is damaging to the wood and can cause it to have an uneven finish. However, if you’re lucky to have ivory keys, they need to be exposed to sunlight every now and then to maintain their color.
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Clean it properly.
To avoid dulling, you can use a nonabrasive cleaner to clean the piano keys. Use a damp cloth to apply and dry thoroughly. You can do this after every session on any kind of piano you have. But if you want a more thorough clean, digital pianos Madison provide professional cleaning services.
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Watch out for humidity levels.
Extreme changes in humidity can be damaging to your piano, especially for the non-digital ones. For instance, too much dryness can cause the pitch to flatten while too much moisture can make it too sharp. Your piano’s soundboards can also crack due to repetitive changes in humidity levels. Pianos work best at an optimal temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit and with 42 percent humidity, which is neither too dry nor too wet.
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Polish with care.
For new pianos, you can use a cotton cloth to keep it clean and shiny. If you want to give older pianos a shiny new life, you can polish it but experts do not recommend frequent polishing. Just make sure you use a polishing product that is of good quality.
As with any musical instrument, proper usage and maintenance will help your piano last a long time. And just like cars, they need tune ups every now and then from professionals. Whatever your type of piano, use these simple tips to care for them properly so you can keep making beautiful music.
