Lysol on keys!

[Barbara Richmond]

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Hey Sarah,

Well, it's nice to know someone else hasn't died from not using Lysol.  =
I agree, I clean stuff that's dirty.

Hmmm.  I haven't seen the commercial.  Is it an aerosol spray or are =
they making a pump these days?  I suppose the aerosol could fly up into =
the key bushings, etc.

When I was hired on at a university, one of my first duties (for my own =
comfort and peace of mind) was cleaning *massive* quantities of finger =
grease off each and every keyboard before I tuned.  We're talking keys =
*thick* with gunk.  I used Cory Key-bright.  I must admit I sprayed it =
rather liberally and then waited until the grease turned grayish-white.  =
I wiped off the mess with cloth diapers.  I don't know how much of the =
cleaner may have dripped down between the keys (I was spraying to get =
the stuff below the keytops, too), but in five years I never noticed any =
effect on the keys.  Who knows, maybe my successor is cursing me this =
very day.  :-)

I do remember early in my career, being called to clean....uh.....*puke* =
from between and under keys for a piano teacher.  After scraping up the =
stuff, I used a damp rag with soapy water to clean up the rest and then =
the customer's hair dryer to help dry things.  There was still some =
*odor* and the best thing I could think of was to sprinkle some baking =
soda in, leave it for a while and then I went back a week or two later =
to vacuum it up.  Seemed to work.  The piano wasn't one I normally =
serviced, and years later when I did start tuning for this teacher, she =
had upgraded to a Steinway B.  I never thought to ask her about the =
other piano and she never mentioned anything to me about it, either.

I vaguely remember hearing of some piano professor spraying with Lysol =
during the flu season, but can't remember if it was when I was in =
college as a music major or when I was on staff at a university.  Oh, =
well.

Barbara Richmond, RPT



  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Sarah Fox=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 1:39 PM
  Subject: Re: Lysol on keys!


  Hi Barbara,

  I don't use Lysol either, and so perhaps I'm not one to talk.  =
However, I can only imagine that it leaves a gummy residue if not =
thoroughly wiped away.  (I *think* it contains not only an antiseptic =
but also a detergent.)  I'm generally skeptical of any "cleaning" =
product that is applied but not washed away (like "hand sanitizer" -- =
ick).  I would think that any Lysol that makes its way between the keys =
(especially when they are rather liberally soaked) is sure to have some =
effect on the front rail punchings and eventually migrate into the =
bushings, gumming them up with regular use of the product.  (Can you =
imagine a piano teacher spraying down her keyboard between students?!)  =
Also, I would think the moisture wouldn't be really nice for the =
keysticks, keyframe, and keybed, and it might do funny things to the =
ivory.  Perhaps I'm being overly cautious, but I'm of the school that if =
in doubt... don't.  Personally, I see nothing wrong with a moist cloth =
to clean the keys and a handwashing before playing to avoid soiling the =
keys.

  Dunno...  I wouldn't do it to *my* piano!  ;-)

  Peace,
  Sarah

  PS For the piano teacher concerned about germ control and liability, a =
box of latex gloves for the students...  Or perhaps the piano =
manufacturers could design a fallboard to sterilize the keys with UV or =
ionizing radiation when closed.  LOL!


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