<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1505" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Susan,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Internet tag going on = here,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You are spot on, good auto = rubbing compound is invaluable. There are several 'grits' than can be = usable. Old English and carnauba wax etc.are elements not to be ignored. This = started as "toothpaste" and we are, in our own way due to our desire to help, convoluting the issue. I agree with your advice and = knowledge!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hubert Liverman</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tuner/Tech</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Opelika, Al.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=skline@peak.org href="mailto:skline@peak.org">Susan = Kline</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 03, 2005 = 1:11 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: toothpaste = ???</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>At 12:53 PM 7/3/2005 -0500, you wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT face="News = Gothic MT">I heard somewhere that using a small amount of toothpaste on a rag = could be used to polish pianos?</BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR></FONT>Hello, Brian = <BR><BR>I show customers how to clean ivory with a small dab of toothpaste on a = <BR>barely damp rag, followed up by a plain barely damp rag. Works very well = <BR>for that waxy dingy buildup on some plastic keys, but equally good for = ivory.<BR>Some sharps bleed black dye onto the rag, though.<BR><BR>I have had a = customer who rubbed down a very dirty old rosewood upright <BR>with the finest = grade of automotive rubbing compound, followed by furniture <BR>wax, and the = results were stunning. <BR><BR>For very rough and dirty and crazed old = finishes, I sometimes <BR>wet some 0000 steel wool with Old English, wipe it on a = small place at a <BR>time, then scrub with it (more gently if the finish = isn't too bad), <BR>followed by wiping it off and waxing. The color improves, = the roughness <BR>smooths out, scratches usually disappear, and with care = those paint flecks <BR>which these pianos so often seem to have, lift off = before the varnish does. <BR>White rings darken, but usually leave bare wood if = they weren't superficial. <BR><BR>Really cheap finishes get big "mud" = buildups where hands rest, like the <BR>cheeks and keyslip, and if you scrub = those with steel wool and polish, <BR>the whole finish disappears. The "mud" = seems to be incorporated into the <BR>cheap finish. <BR><BR>I haven't used = toothpaste on the varnish, but on a damp rag it might work. <BR>It's just a mild and = nontoxic abrasive, complete with a pleasant mint aroma.<BR>If used on = a dry rag, I would think it would just make a smeary mess. Too <BR>damp and = you might leave white marks. I prefer oily stuff like furniture <BR>polish = or Old English on varnish, though polyester or lacquered finishes on = <BR>grands I often wipe down with a barely damp rag. Pianos in institutions are = <BR>often filthy dirty, and the people using them really like having them = <BR>cleaned up. <BR><BR>Susan <BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>