Cleaning piano keys is something you’ll need to do from time to time. Every time you play your piano, your fingers leave fingerprints, dust or a bit of grime. It’s completely normal, and if your piano gets played by several people, like at our music school, you’ll notice it even faster.
Cleaning your piano keys is easy. A soft cloth, a tiny bit of moisture and a gentle hand will often do the job well.
Make sure to go easy on the water, and skip the harsh cleaning products. Too much moisture can seep between the keys and into the parts underneath, so it’s important to avoid using more water than necessary.
What you’ll need
- A soft, clean, lint-free cloth
- A second cloth, dry
- Clean water
- Mild soap
Piano keys can be made from different materials. Most modern pianos have plastic or synthetic keytops, while some older pianos may have ivory white keys. The black keys can also be made from different materials, depending on the age and type of piano. Make sure you know the material of your keys before using any cleaning product.
If you can, choose a white or light-coloured cleaning cloth, especially on an older piano. Colour can sometimes transfer from a dark cloth onto the keys.
And before you start, check that your cloth is only slightly damp. If it could drip, it’s too wet.
Step by step
1. Dust first
Take your soft, dry cloth and gently sweep away any loose dust before you bring water anywhere near the keys. No scrubbing needed. You’re just lifting off the loose bits so you don’t grind them across the surface in the next step.
2. Dampen your cloth
Run the cloth under a little water, then wring it out really well. This is the step that matters most. You’re after damp, not wet. Never spray water or cleaner straight onto the keys. Any moisture should always go onto the cloth.
3. Wipe towards you
Wipe each key gently, moving from the back of the key towards the front. Clean an octave at a time, or even just a handful of keys. Small sections are easier to manage than trying to clean the whole keyboard in one sweep. Wiping this way also helps keep moisture and loosened dirt away from the spaces between the keys, rather than pushing it sideways into them.
There’s no need to press hard. If a mark doesn’t come off straightaway, simply go over it again with a light touch.
I find working in small sections particularly useful in our music school, where certain parts of the keyboard may get used frequently throughout the day.
Don’t forget the black keys, and the little spaces around them. Fingerprints and dirt often get stuck there.
4. Dry as you go
Once you’ve wiped a section, use a second cloth to dry it straight away. The keys shouldn’t be left wet.
Pay special attention to the gaps between the keys. Then move on to the next section, and repeat until you’ve done the whole keyboard.
What if the keys are really dirty?
Sometimes water alone won’t cut it. For modern plastic keytops, you can add a tiny amount of mild soap to the water. Same rules apply: wring the cloth out well, and don’t leave any soapy residue behind. Afterwards, go over the keys with a clean, slightly damp cloth and then dry them.
If a key is still stained, sticky or discoloured after a gentle clean, don’t reach for something stronger from under the kitchen sink. In that situation, it’s better to have a piano technician take a look rather than trying to scrub the mark away.
A dirty key is different from a mechanical problem. If a key is sticking, not returning properly, sitting at a different height from the others, or making an unusual noise, cleaning may not solve the problem. Those are things a piano technician should look at.
A little extra care for ivory
If your piano is older, the white keys might be ivory rather than plastic. Ivory is more sensitive to moisture and doesn’t behave like modern key materials, so it needs a gentler approach. For routine cleaning, use a soft cloth that’s just barely damp.
If the ivory is cracked, chipped, lifting or coming away from the key, don’t try to fix it yourself. Ask a piano technician.
If you have an older piano and aren’t sure about the condition of the ivory, it’s worth getting advice from someone experienced with older instruments before using any cleaning product.
What to keep away from your keys
For routine cleaning, steer clear of:
- Bleach
- Abrasive cleaners or scrubbing products
- Strong solvents
- Spraying liquid directly onto the keyboard
- Lots of water
- Rough cloths or anything that could scratch
You might be tempted by disinfectant wipes or sprays. Some cleaning products contain ingredients such as alcohol or chlorine that can affect certain key surfaces over time. If you want to use wipes or disinfectant on your piano, check the manufacturer’s recommendations for your particular instrument first.
How often should you clean?
You don’t need to do a big clean every few days.
If the piano gets played regularly, a quick wipe whenever you spot fingerprints or dirt building up is usually plenty. This can simply become part of looking after your piano.
A few simple habits can also help:
- Wash and dry your hands before you play.
- Don’t eat while you’re at the keys.
- Keep the keyboard covered when it makes sense to.
- Wipe away fingerprints before they turn into grime.
- Give the keys a gentle clean when they start to look or feel a bit dirty.
Hand cream, moisturiser and sunscreen can also leave a residue on the keys, particularly if you’ve applied them shortly before playing. Washing and drying your hands before you sit down at the piano can help prevent that build-up. Little and often beats letting it all pile up and then having to scrub.
At Do Re Mi Studios, we offer piano lessons to students from complete beginners right through to advanced players here in the Sutherland Shire. Looking after the instrument is also part of learning, and cleaning the keys is one of the simple things we explain to our students as part of piano care.