How can I care for my piano between tunings?

That piano sitting in your living room isn't just a piece of furniture - it’s a sophisticated musical machine that needs maintaining. Here's a few piano care tips to keep your piano ticking over between tunings, and ultimately extend its life.

Where should I put my piano?

• Your upright piano will be much happier against an interior wall than an external wall, leaving a small gap (4 to 6 inches) for ventilation.

• Keep your piano away from sources of cold or heat, such as windows, fireplaces, radiators, and direct sunlight.

• Changing humidity is the enemy (I’ve dedicated an entire section below to it!), so if your piano is near a kitchen or bathroom, keep the doors closed when it gets steamy, and never dry washing in the same room as your piano.

  

What’s the Humidity Drama?

So - your piano is mostly wood, and wood swells and contracts when humidity levels change. This causes a piano to fall out of tune and, in serious cases, can damage your piano beyond repair. For this reason, keeping humidity levels stable is the most important step in caring for your piano.

It is worth investing in a digital hydrometer (similar to a thermostat) to get an idea of the humidity levels in your home. The ideal humidity range for a piano is between 40%-60%, with as little fluctuation as possible. If your humidity levels are too low, you may need a humidifier, and if they are too high, you may need a dehumidifier. There are also specialist piano humidifier/dehumidifier rods which are worth investing in, if you are having difficultly controlling humidity in your home.

QUICK FIRE ROUND - what can I put on top of my piano?

House plants on a piano... beautiful, but sadly it's a no from me!

A cup of tea? 
No! Liquid is the enemy!

A cold beverage? 
Still no!

Even if I use a coaster?
A coaster will prevent ring marks, but offers no protection if you spill your drink. I’d advise you to keep coasters far away from your piano, or you may find guests mistaking your pride-and-joy for a suitable surface to place a glass of vino!

Vase of flowers? You guessed it, no! Compare your piano to your phone: If you spill some water on your phone case, it will probably be fine. If you start pouring water down the charging port... that’s a different story. The inside of a piano, just like the inside of your phone, is where the magic happens. Its intricate and pretty inaccessible. And remember, most of your piano is porous and will absorb water, fast, and that water can’t be removed once its there. House plants? I get it, I'm a millennial, plants look awesome. But they tend to hold on to humidity, and as we know, your piano is a diva when it comes to the 'H' word. It is generally fine to have house plants in the room, but keep them away from the piano, especially when watering or misting.

How can I keep my piano clean?

• Dust your piano’s case with a feather duster or dry microfibre cloth.

• If your piano has a gloss finish, do not use window cleaner, even the fancy kind! It will leave a film that’s difficult to get rid of. You could invest in a specialist piano spray (I use MusicNomad: The Piano One), but never spray it directly onto the piano, spray onto a dry cloth and then sparkle and shine to your heart's content.

• Stubborn key stains from sticky-fingered practice sessions? A barely damp cloth will do the trick. You can rub fairly vigorously, but always go from the top of the key down, rather than side to side, and use a clean dry tea towel to dry them off afterwards.

• Dust and cobwebs build up in the bottom of an upright. If you feel comfortable, remove the bottom panel of your piano (the part against your knees when playing) and dust with a dry cloth or duster.

• A grand piano’s horizontal body will inevitably gather dust over time, which is difficult to access without specialist tools. Ask your tuner if they provide this service, and check out ours here.

Why are regular things important?

• Think of your annual or biannual piano tuning appointment like you would your car’s MOT. It’s an opportunity for a professional to give your piano the once-over, checking mechanisms within the piano that are not accessible to you.

• Piano problems are like dental issues - much cheaper when caught early. Get in touch with a local technician if you’ve noticed a change in your piano.



And most important of all…


Here’s my favourite piano care tip: play! Regular playing is actually part of your piano's care routine. Think of it as piano exercise—all those internal parts need regular workouts. Your piano was built to be played, and, by following these tips, it could be played for generations to come.