Buying a piano is a huge investment due to the costly nature of the instrument, and you will want to be taking good care of your piano. Using the same logic as when you purchase a car, you will want to learn how to maintain your car well, and make sure that it will be around for a long time to make the money that you spent worthwhile. Here are 7 tips for you to keep your beloved piano in good shape!
1. Clean it
This is a no-brainer. Just like how you will wash your car occasionally to prevent your car exterior from oxidation and being damaged, you should clean your piano on a regular basis. A recommended cleaning routine will be once every 2-3 days and of course, it will be great if you can do that everyday. Depending on your piano finish, different cleaning methods can be adopted. For example, there are certain washing fluids that cannot be used to clean a wood piano. Hence, it is important that you ask for cleaning advice from the shop where you bought your piano from. After spending so much on the piano itself, you probably do not want to be spending a large sum of money to repaint or fix it.
2. Play it!
Similar to how you will drive your car occasionally even if you do not drive often, you will want to play your piano regularly to ensure that your piano is in good shape. Playing your piano regularly will help you to keep the mechanisms working and also find out if there is any existing problems with your piano. After all, it IS a big purchase, and you will want to make your money worthwhile by even playing once in a while, instead of leaving it to rust.
3. Use your back-fall
Always remember to use your back-fall after playing the piano. This will help to keep your keys clean and away from dust, which might cause a great deal of problems after an extended period of time. Using a drop cloth is also recommended as a form of extra care for your piano keys, be it whether you have a back-fall or not. Yes, basically, just make sure your piano is COVERED!
4. Placement of your piano
The placement of your piano is one of the most important factor in maintaining your piano. Make sure that your piano is placed somewhere that has a minimal level of humidity and in room-temperature at all times. As most pianos are made up of materials such as steel or wood, they are extremely vulnerable to humidity and high temperatures. Also, as much as you will like to play the piano comfortably, try not to place or play your piano in rooms with air conditioners to keep the moisture level around the piano at a minimal level.
5. Keep your water at bay
As mentioned in the previous point, you will want to keep water away from your piano. During piano sessions, try to keep your beverages at a safe distance from the piano. Although wiping a spill off your piano might seem to do the trick, it is best if you can prevent the spill from happening in the first place. As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure!
6. Do NOT touch the piano mechanisms
We all know the piano mechanisms at the back of the piano is aesthetically pleasing and intriguing. However, you will want to keep your itchy hands away from them, unless you are hell bent to destroy your piano. The piano mechanisms should be left to the professionals to handle. Even if there is something wrong with your piano mechanisms, you should not be trying to fix the problem on your own, unless you are a trained piano technician of course.
7. Piano maintenance, tune and service your piano!
This is the most important and efficient way to maintain your piano and keep your piano in good shape! Using the example of a car again, when you drive a car often, car parts such as the engine and gear will experience wear and tear. Well, the same goes for piano too! Seek professional help! You should be in frequent contact with your piano technicians to ensure that your piano is kept at its tip top shape.
There you go, 7 tips to take good care of your piano! Always remember to keep your piano at its best condition, make your investment worthwhile and enjoy playing!
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Wen Feng is a passionate music aficionado. He is constantly on the search for new music to listen to, with a particular interest in classical music. Piano pieces have always been a great companion and kept him calm throughout his school and work life.