If you have a brand new piano or even an older piano that is in very good shape then obviously you would like to keep it in superb condition for as long as possible. Here’s what you need to know:
Find the right spot in your house to place your piano. Pianos are very sensitive to temperature changes and if they are situated in the wrong spot they will go out of tune very quickly. I touched on this in an earlier blog but the wrong spot would include; being near an external door, being near a fireplace or air conditioning duct or heating ducts that are sometimes found in the floor. Because a stable temperature all year round is the ideal, I would not put an upright piano against any wall where the other side of that wall was the outside, or a garage or an under cover outdoor entertaining area. If practical, it would be best to put your piano in a central part of the house. You could almost think of it like a bottle of fine wine – you cannot just store it anywhere – it needs the right conditions to be its best.
Now that you have found a good spot for your piano, don’t move it. Pianos that are moved will go out of tune quicker. Sometimes it can’t be helped, but its best not to be moving a piano at all. Some people treat them like a piece of furniture and move them around on a whim. A piano is a musical instrument not a piece of furniture.
To help maintain a piano be at its best, you need to get it tuned at least once a year. If you have moved your piano (because there was no choice in the matter) then you will need to get it tuned after its been moved, even if its just within your home. Don’t get it tuned straight away after the move, give it a few weeks for it to ‘settle’ and then get it tuned.
If you are buying a brand new piano, it will need to be tuned a few times in the first year because it will need to ‘settle’ not only within its environment but also the piano needs its internal mechanisms, particularly the strings, to settle as well.
Find yourself a reputable, credentialed and very experienced piano tuner. They will get to know you and your piano and be able to give you great information about looking after your piano. A good piano tuner can ultimately save you money in the long run.
I know its tempting to put a drink, particularly a cup of coffee on top of a piano and this always reminds me of the really old movies like “Singing in the Rain” where there is often a cup of coffee situated on the top of the piano. Please never, ever put a drink, hot or cold on top of your piano because if that drink spills, it can cause so much damage that it could even render your piano not worth the money to repair it. If the idea of having a nice cup of coffee near you for in between practicing pieces of music, then I suggest getting a little coffee table to be within arm’s reach but not too close to the piano, so you can have the best of both worlds.
If you are looking inside the piano out of curiosity or to see if there is a problem that is immediately obvious, like a broken string, then there are a few don’ts. Don’t touch the strings or the felts that are found on the hammers or the felts that are close to the strings that are used to dampen the sound. Our fingers have natural oils on them, even when they are clean, so don’t touch the felts or the strings. Having said this, I have seen piano tuners touch these and because they know the inner workings of my piano better than I do, I trust that they know what they are doing. Also, don’t touch the internal wooden parts of the piano, such as the hammers, again because of the natural oils on our fingertips. You can use the back of your hand to move the hammers if you need to check them out.
As a general rule, don’t use any chemicals to keep the exterior clean. Some piano makers have information on their websites about what can be used to keep your piano finish looking its best. Generally speaking, its safe to use a slightly damp cloth to remove finger prints. Steinway says on their website that you could use rubbing alcohol to disinfect the piano keys, but again it would be only a little to make the cloth damp. If you do use a damp cloth (sometimes a dry cloth is all that is needed) make sure that there is no moisture left. If in any doubt, follow up with a dry cloth. Piano makers also recommend not to do any vigorous rubbing of the surface as it might start to damage it. If in any doubt, google the information from your piano maker’s website.
It is best to keep the lid closed( not to be confused with the fall that covers the keys). You can certainly open it if you choose, when you are practicing or doing a performance at home, but when the piano is not in use, keep it shut. This is to keep dust out, as it is extremely difficult to dust around the piano strings. The fall can be left open or closed, as the keys are quite easy to dust.
There are piano covers for both upright and grand pianos but they are not recommend for home use – they are simply not needed.
I realize that there are a lot of don’ts in this list, however, it isn’t that hard to look after your piano. Look after your piano and you will be rewarded with a beautiful, reliable instrument for many years to come.