<html><body> <DIV>Hi Dave,</DIV> <DIV>Thanks for the ideas on cleaning.  I've seen some pretty dirty pianos.   Have a great day.  </DIV> <DIV>Marshall</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- From: David Nereson <dnereson@4dv.net> > John Formsma wrote: > > > Marshall, > > > > Carry a little package of "Handy Wipes" to clean your hands after you > > finish. You can get them from just about anywhere. > > > > John Formsma > > > > pianotune05@comcast.net wrote: > > > >> Someone out there mentioned a vacuum. Are you guys referring to > >> those little Dirt Devil type? I'd like to vacuum out a piano > >> especially behind the knee board. Also, is there something useful to > >> clean pins, the plate and even the strings? My hands are black when > >> I'm done tuning. > >> Marshall > >> ps. I was writing up the invoice on Friday with dirty hands, not that > >> I mind dirt, but I want to look professional. > > > > > > Not "Handy Wipes," but "Wet Ones" in the round plastic can. They > even make anti-bacterial ones. > The little Dirt Devil-type vacuums are too small and not powerful > enough except for a cursory cleaning on top of the keys, perhaps. I > went to a used vaccum cleaner store and found a Hoover Shoulder Vac (has > a shoulder strap) for about $40. I leave it in the car, along with the > brush attachment and crevice tool (thin nozzle). > For the tuning pins, I use a 1 in. paintbrush to loosen the dirt > while vacuuming with the crevice tool, and I have another brush with the > bristles worn way down which I use on the bridge pins, hitch pins, > stringing braid, embossed details, etc. For the strings, the brush > attachment get most of the dust and the paintbrush gets in where the > hose attachment won't fit. For in between strings, to dust off the top > of the bridge (uprights), I use a thin glue brush with the handle > flattened. It has masking tape wrapped around the end of the ferrule so > as not to scratch soundboards. For the plate, I just dust it with a > rag. If it's really dirty, I'll spray 409 or similar cleaner on a damp > rag and use that. For rust on strings, I use Polita, the "ink > eraser"-type chunk of rubber with abrasive in it, available from Schaff, > I believe. Steel wool's OK, too. With either, you have to vacuum up > the rubbings. > For the soundboard tools, I use the T-shaped squeegee-type tools > along with a soundboard steel (wrapped in shrink tube) to push a dust > rag around under the strings. Sometimes I'll dampen it with a dust > control spray, or even use a damp rag with 409 on it if there are > spills, stains, etc. > After cleaning, if my hands are too dirty for just a disposable > wipe, I'll ask the customer if I may wash my hands. They never > refuse. Just don't make their freshly scoured kitchen sink look like > one in a gas station. What I would like to see is some kind of "fuzzy > snake," like wind instrument players have for cleaning trombones, > saxophones, etc., that one could push down (or up) the length of the > long bridge on uprights. It would have to be able to slip between the > plate struts and strings somehow. I suppose one unison could be > loosened or removed for access in extreme cases. --David Nereson, > RPT > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives </BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>