Cleaning Piano Keys

[aaustintx04]

I have a piano that some younger siblings tried to learn on by putting
masking tape on every white key and then labeling each key with a
marker. Where the marker writing is directly on the key and not the
tape, I was able to get it off with lighter fluid and a Q-tip. But I
can't get the masking tape off. I don't know how long it's been on
there - at least 4 years and possibly up to 10 years since that's how
long it was sitting at my parent's house. The key tops are some type
of plastic, not ivory I'm sure.

Any suggestions? Someone suggested WD-40 but I think I'd spend a lot
of time trying to clean the WD-40 off once I got the tape removed - if
it even works on the tape.

Hope this is not too off-subject - it is a piano.

Thanks.

[Adam Maloney]

Post by aaustintx04
I have a piano that some younger siblings tried to learn on by putting
masking tape on every white key and then labeling each key with a
marker. Where the marker writing is directly on the key and not the
tape, I was able to get it off with lighter fluid and a Q-tip. But I
can't get the masking tape off. I don't know how long it's been on
there - at least 4 years and possibly up to 10 years since that's how
long it was sitting at my parent's house. The key tops are some type
of plastic, not ivory I'm sure.

Keep the lighter fluid but replace the Q-tip with a match...

Sorry. There is a product called goo-gone (sp?) that I've used in the
past. I've taken scotch tape off of windows, and the left-overs from
stickers off of pool cues.

Just be sure and test it before you apply it heavily anywhere! I don't
think it will do any damage to the key, but just to be sure...either try
it on a friend's piano, or pick a very small space on a key you're willing
to sacrifice...maybe the lowest 'A' - I've only ever used that in Grieg's
Piano Concerto in A, and the song could do with out it anyways.

[IPGrunt]

Post by Adam Maloney

Post by aaustintx04
I have a piano that some younger siblings tried to learn on by putting
masking tape on every white key and then labeling each key with a
marker. Where the marker writing is directly on the key and not the
tape, I was able to get it off with lighter fluid and a Q-tip.

But I

Post by Adam Maloney

Post by aaustintx04
can't get the masking tape off. I don't know how long it's been on
there - at least 4 years and possibly up to 10 years since that's how
long it was sitting at my parent's house. The key tops are some type
of plastic, not ivory I'm sure.

Keep the lighter fluid but replace the Q-tip with a match...
Sorry. There is a product called goo-gone (sp?) that I've used in the
past. I've taken scotch tape off of windows, and the left-overs from
stickers off of pool cues.
Just be sure and test it before you apply it heavily anywhere! I don't
think it will do any damage to the key, but just to be

sure...either try

Post by Adam Maloney
it on a friend's piano, or pick a very small space on a key you're willing
to sacrifice...maybe the lowest 'A' - I've only ever used that in Grieg's
Piano Concerto in A, and the song could do with out it anyways.

Good point--testing the cleaning fluid on a low key before using in
the middle.

In older pianos with plastic keys, (those made in the 50s and 60s
before plastics were perfected), you can ruin the finish of the
keytops with some solvents.

By the way, the Goo-gone or De-solve-it (whatver brand name it's sold
under), is a form of mineral oil (can't remember the exact name) and
very effective cutting gummy substances.

-- ipgrunt

[Radu Focshaner]

Post by IPGrunt
By the way, the Goo-gone or De-solve-it (whatver brand name it's sold
under), is a form of mineral oil (can't remember the exact name) and
very effective cutting gummy substances.

I don't know if you have it in the US shops, but to get rid of glue I use
benzine - the kind of benzine used for medical purposes (to get off some
"glued" bandages). The "benzine" is what you call "gas" (for cars) but the
kind I'm talking about is much cleaner and not oily. Anyway, one should
avoid the acetone (the nails' paint remover used by women) as it melts the
plastic.

---------
Benzine : colorless, highly flammable liquid. It is used as a cleaning agent
because it is a solvent for organic substances such as fats, oils, and
resins and is also used in the preparation of certain dyes and paints.
Benzine is a mixture of hydrocarbons, chiefly alkanes such as pentane and
hexane. It is obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum .

[John Cisarik]

Post by aaustintx04
I have a piano that some younger siblings tried to learn on by putting
masking tape on every white key and then labeling each key with a
marker. Where the marker writing is directly on the key and not the
tape, I was able to get it off with lighter fluid and a Q-tip. But I
can't get the masking tape off. I don't know how long it's been on
there - at least 4 years and possibly up to 10 years since that's how
long it was sitting at my parent's house. The key tops are some type
of plastic, not ivory I'm sure.
Any suggestions? Someone suggested WD-40 but I think I'd spend a lot
of time trying to clean the WD-40 off once I got the tape removed - if
it even works on the tape.
Hope this is not too off-subject - it is a piano.
Thanks.

See if your hardware stores carry Goo Gone. I never heard of it, either,
until I bought a three-section screen of frosted glass to protect my piano
from direct sunlight. Each of the three sections contains four panels of
glass set in a wood frame, and on each side of those 12 panels of glass was
a label that said "Tempered Glass."

Goo Gone worked, and I still have the rest of the bottle; except for the
warning "Do not use on silk, leather, suede or rubber," it looks as if it
might work on almost anything.

Good luck!

[aaustintx04]

Post by John Cisarik

Post by aaustintx04
I have a piano that some younger siblings tried to learn on by putting
masking tape on every white key and then labeling each key with a
marker. Where the marker writing is directly on the key and not the
tape, I was able to get it off with lighter fluid and a Q-tip. But I
can't get the masking tape off. I don't know how long it's been on
there - at least 4 years and possibly up to 10 years since that's how
long it was sitting at my parent's house. The key tops are some type
of plastic, not ivory I'm sure.
Any suggestions? Someone suggested WD-40 but I think I'd spend a lot
of time trying to clean the WD-40 off once I got the tape removed - if
it even works on the tape.
Hope this is not too off-subject - it is a piano.
Thanks.

See if your hardware stores carry Goo Gone. I never heard of it, either,
until I bought a three-section screen of frosted glass to protect my piano
from direct sunlight. Each of the three sections contains four panels of
glass set in a wood frame, and on each side of those 12 panels of glass was
a label that said "Tempered Glass."
Goo Gone worked, and I still have the rest of the bottle; except for the
warning "Do not use on silk, leather, suede or rubber," it looks as if it
might work on almost anything.
Good luck!

Thanks, I'll try the Goo Gone. The match idea is somewhat appealing
since I've never liked the tone of this piano, but it'll have to do
until I win the lottery.

[babygrand]

The solvent in the lighter fluid is naphtha, and will cut the glue under the
masking tape, eventually, after it soaks in for a while. May take a little
rubbing and scrubbing and re-wetting with naphtha. Just be sure not to
flood it on so that it runs over the edges of the keytop and down into the
wood of the key underneath. You might try the goo-gone if you can find it,
but naphtha or benzine are relatively low powered solvents that will cut the
glue used on masking tape. Just soak and rub a few times.

babygrand

Post by aaustintx04
I have a piano that some younger siblings tried to learn on by putting
masking tape on every white key and then labeling each key with a
marker. Where the marker writing is directly on the key and not the
tape, I was able to get it off with lighter fluid and a Q-tip. But I
can't get the masking tape off. I don't know how long it's been on
there - at least 4 years and possibly up to 10 years since that's how
long it was sitting at my parent's house. The key tops are some type
of plastic, not ivory I'm sure.
Any suggestions? Someone suggested WD-40 but I think I'd spend a lot
of time trying to clean the WD-40 off once I got the tape removed - if
it even works on the tape.
Hope this is not too off-subject - it is a piano.
Thanks.