| Owning a piano is a wonderful thing, but pianos are | | | | swings in temperature or humidity. |
| complex instruments that are prone to damage if not | | | | 3. Moving the Piano |
| cared for properly. Use these five expert tips to | | | | Try not to move your piano yourself. It may look |
| keep your piano in perfect shape. | | | | easy, but pianos are extremely heavy and can easily |
| 1. Optimal Placement | | | | become unbalanced and tip over. If you need to |
| Your piano is an instrument, but it's also a piece of | | | | move the piano, call a professional. |
| furniture, and likely the most expensive piece of | | | | 4. Cleaning the Cabinet |
| furniture you own. As a result, you want to make | | | | The body of your piano should be kept clean and |
| sure you place it where it will receive the least wear | | | | free of dust. Do not use Windex or any other |
| and tear. Keep in mind that people will be moving | | | | household cleaning supplies on the finish of your piano. |
| through the room where you place it, so try and | | | | There are special cleaners made for pianos, which |
| avoid placing it where people will brush against it and | | | | your dealer may be able to supply you with. |
| scratch it, or be tempted to leave a drink on top of | | | | Otherwise, use a very slightly damp cloth (almost |
| it. | | | | dry). |
| 2. Light, Humidity, and Temperature | | | | 5. Cleaning the Keys |
| Closely related to the subject of placement are the | | | | Unless you have an piano with real ivory keys, most |
| topics of light, humidity, and temperature. You don't | | | | piano keys today are made from plastic. Use a very |
| want your piano to be exposed to direct sunlight, as | | | | slightly damp cloth to wipe the tops of the keys. |
| this may fade the wood or even cause it to warp. | | | | Never use any solvents or household cleaners on the |
| As for humidity and temperature, too much or too | | | | keys, as they may remove the finish or discolor the |
| little of either is a bad thing for pianos, as are wild | | | | keys. |
| swings in a short period of time. You probably can't | | | | Pianos are a sizable investment and have special |
| do much about the overall humidity or temperature in | | | | requirements, but with a little dedication and |
| your house, but avoid placing the piano near outside | | | | attention, you can ensure that your family will enjoy |
| walls, pools, kitchens, bathrooms, furnaces, fireplaces, | | | | your piano for many years. |
| or anywhere else that may experience dramatic | | | | |