how to clean the ivory key from yellow to white

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Sin" <ksinpiano@yahoo.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 12:06 AM
Subject: re: how to clean the ivory key from yellow to white 


> Hi  ! 
> I don't know how to make the ivory key from yellow to white ?
> anyone can help me !
> Thanks !!!
> Piano Tuner Student 
> KenSin 
> Piano Tuner

    There's no quick way I know of.  They have to be bleached, either with sunlight, which takes a long time, or by soaking them with bleach (like Clorox) or peroxide.  There is a method using hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light, described in the July 1995 issue of the PTG Journal.
    Gee, there are so many teeth-whitening products on the market nowdays -- I wonder if one of them would work on ivories?  (I'm surprised they're not already marketing these products as piano key cleaners also.)
    --David Nereson, RPT