The effect that years of accumulated dust and dirt can have on a piano can be quite remarkable.

This isn’t simply about making the inside of a piano look cleaner. Over many years, dust, dirt and general contamination can build up throughout the instrument, affecting its appearance and condition and potentially contributing to problems that are hidden from view.

One of the first things I often notice with older pianos is the smell. Many old pianos develop a distinctive musty smell after decades of dust and dirt accumulating inside the cabinet, keyboard and action.

Dust can settle across the soundboard, strings, tuning pins, cast-iron frame and piano action. Over long periods, this contamination can contribute to deterioration of finishes, corrosion or pitting of metal components and contamination of the many felts used throughout the instrument.

Beneath the Piano Keys

One of the areas where dirt can accumulate most heavily is somewhere the owner rarely sees, beneath the keys.

Dust gradually works its way between the keys and collects underneath them on the keybed. Dirt from hands also builds up on the keys themselves and around their edges.

On an older or neglected piano, the amount of dust and debris hidden beneath the keyboard can be quite astonishing.

Proper deep cleaning can therefore involve considerably more than wiping the visible surfaces. Where appropriate, the keys can be removed so that accumulated dust and debris beneath them can be carefully cleaned away and the condition of the keybed and associated components inspected.

After decades of use, this hidden part of the piano can tell you a great deal about how the instrument has been used and maintained.

Bass Strings and Loss of Tone

The bass strings deserve particular attention.

Piano bass strings are wound with copper, and over many years dirt and contamination can accumulate around and between those windings. As bass strings age and deteriorate, they can lose resonance and develop the dull, lifeless sound traditionally described within the piano trade as “dead” bass strings.

There was even an old workshop practice used by previous generations of piano technicians in which bass strings were removed from the piano, boiled, hung up to dry thoroughly for several weeks and then refitted in an attempt to restore some of their tone.

It is an interesting example of how long piano technicians have been dealing with the deterioration and loss of tone that can occur in old bass strings.

Hammer Felt, Action Felts and the Interior

Years of accumulated dirt can also dramatically alter the appearance of the inside of a piano.

Hammer felt can become discoloured, action felts can become contaminated and the soundboard, frame, strings and mechanical components can become coated with years — sometimes decades — of dust.

The piano action itself contains numerous small and delicate components. Cleaning these areas properly requires an understanding of the mechanism rather than simply attacking everything with a vacuum cleaner.

More Than Cosmetic Cleaning

This is why I regard proper piano cleaning as part of piano servicing, rather than simply dusting the cabinet.

A piano is both a complex mechanical mechanism and an acoustic instrument. Cleaning around strings, dampers, tuning pins, keys, felts and action components needs to be carried out carefully and with an understanding of how the instrument works.

A thorough service also provides an opportunity to examine areas of the piano that the owner would not normally see and identify wear, deterioration or other problems that may otherwise have gone unnoticed.

Experience Matters

After more than 40 years working professionally with pianos, I have opened and worked on instruments ranging from relatively modern pianos to older instruments containing decades of accumulated dust, dirt and neglect.

Every piano is different.

My approach is therefore to assess the individual instrument, determine what level of cleaning and servicing is appropriate and carry out the work with consideration for the age, construction and condition of the piano.

The objective isn’t simply to make a piano look cleaner. It is to care properly for the instrument and help preserve its condition for the future.

Professional Piano Servicing & Deep Cleaning across Newport, Cardiff & South Wales

Call Robert King on 07811 683790