cleaning

[Warren Fisher]

Rob Stuart-Vail wrote:
> 
> Well, I'm sending this again, because the responses so far have ranged from
> "how do you get rid of smoke odor"  to "here's how to clean it if it's in your
> shop" (kitty litter, etc.).....right on down to "how to keep it clean once
> you've got it clean" (string covers, etc.)
> 
> I'm beginning to feel that everybody wants to ignore the problem (like I've
> pretty much been doing.
> 
> Rob
> 
> ----------
> From:   owner-pianotech@ptg.org on behalf of Rob Stuart-Vail
> Sent:   Thursday, June 19, 1997 8:40 AM
> To:     pianotech@byu.edu
> Subject:        cleaning
> 
> 'Bout time we started talking about how to keep pianos clean.  I haven't seen
> much of this on the list, and despite years in the business, I still avoid
> getting down to it unless forced into it.
> 
> Specifically,
> 
> dirt, stains, etc. on the plate web around the pins
> soundboard grime
> mildew on the damper heads
> 
> Maybe we could start with those three things.  When I ask my colleagues how
> they handle this, the general reaction is " Duh............."  (And I'm the
> same way about it).
> 
> I don't like the idea of anything wet going around the pins, though I have
> heard people talk about soap, hair dryers, etc.....
> 
> Same goes for the strings, so getting the crud off the damper heads without
> pulling the dampers out, is a problem.
> 
> Soundboard?  I use a tack cloth, pushed around by two sb "steels" taped
> together.  I've seen the "tiger?" cleaner, which was a fleece-covered item
> that purported to do the job - anybody using that?
> 
> Can we go on?
> 
> Rob


Rob, I haven't heard of anybody bragging about how they really cleaned
up a badly smoke damaged piano.  If it's thoroughly polluted, you pretty
much have to live with it or use the procedures that work *sort of*,or
find some pigeon to take it off your hands or tip it off the truck at
the dump!  Or refelt everything.  Give them the choices and let them
choose.

Warren
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Warren D. Fisher
fish@communique.net
Registered Piano Technician
Piano Technicians Guild
New Orleans Chapter 701