# Disinfecting Piano Keys **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 11, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232 "2003-06-11T23:48:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/1 "2003-06-11T23:48:17Z")
my 13-month old niece has found out how fun it is to play my piano with the toilet scrubber brush. so, i was wondering, what chemical could i use to clean the keys without damaging them? ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/2 "2003-06-11T23:50:18Z")
oh yeah, by “clean” i mean actually kill as many germs as possible. ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/3 "2003-06-11T23:58:42Z")
maybe peroxide (H2O2)? ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/4 "2003-06-12T01:37:01Z")
This might not make any difference, but are you talking about a digital or acoustic piano? If acoustic, is it an older acoustic with real ivory keys, or is it a newer all-synthetic job? I have to confess I don’t have a glib answer handy, but I do know the composition of the keys differs with the age of the piano, and that might affect the answers of those who come later into the thread. FISH ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/5 "2003-06-12T02:05:27Z")
The most important thing, whatever you use, is to NOT get water (liquid, whatever) down into the keys, into the keyboard, 'cause it can really mess it up. If it was me, I’d get something like Lysol in a spray, and spray it on a rag (not on the keys themselves), so the rag was damp, and then just wipe down the keys thoroughly, making sure NOT to let it drip in between the keys. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/6 "2003-06-12T02:21:22Z")
A 10% bleach solution will kill just about anything. Can’t say what it’ll do to your keys, though. Maybe you could try it out on a key you don’t really like so much, like that DAMN low E bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/7 "2003-06-12T02:21:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*The most important thing, whatever you use, is to NOT get water (liquid, whatever) down into the keys, into the keyboard, 'cause it can really mess it up. > > If it was me, I’d get something like Lysol in a spray, and spray it on a rag (not on the keys themselves), so the rag was damp, and then just wipe down the keys thoroughly, making sure NOT to let it drip in between the keys. \*\* Also, let the keys air dry. Most disinfectants take anywhere from 30-60 seconds to kill the germs. Wiping the keys with a damp cloth and then immediately drying them won’t do you much good. If you really want to do a good job, hold each key so that you can get to the sides of the adjoining ones. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/8 "2003-06-12T02:44:08Z")
It’s also important to know what kind of material the keys are made of, because different cleaners apply to each. It’s safe to use a chemical disinfectant on plastic keys, but ivory should be treated more gently. On ivory, I would suggest a gentle swipe of alcohol on a cotton rag. Do not \* wet \* the cloth-- just get it damp, and give each key a gentle wipe. The keys should dry almost instantly. If not, you’ve used too much. At my museum, we use paint thinner to remove grime from wood and metal items for the same reason: instant evaporation, which is important, especially on wood and ivory to keep the material from cracking. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/9 "2003-06-12T04:31:32Z")
Use radiation to avoid damage caused by moisture. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/10 "2003-06-12T14:34:23Z")
yeah, it’s pretty old. we actually found a dime from 1940-something… i think it was the year after the quit making silver ones. but that desn’t necessarily mean the piano is 6 yers old. but they’re definitely not plastic keys. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/11 "2003-06-12T14:44:19Z")
Yeah right kniz… Why not tell us what the piano type is, the name, year & model & manf would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/12 "2003-06-12T15:43:31Z")
pssshh! like i know that!!! it’s used; so i really don’t know anything about it. and it doesn’t even say the name on the front like most do. ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/13 "2003-06-12T16:00:35Z")
Most germs and bacteria can’t live outside of a growth medium for long, so by the time you decide what to use to kill them, they will probably be long dead. Any mild detergent - and most of them are anti-bacterial these days - should do the trick. Avoid chemicals like ammonia and bleach and don’t get liquid in the key bed. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/14 "2003-06-12T20:38:43Z")
I’ll bet that your kitchen counter has more malignant bacteria right now than your piano does. Sorry, I guess that’s not too helpful, but I wouldn’t get too wound up about this. If you scrub your toilet with bleach to begin with, the brush probably isn’t all that infectious. ---
**Author:** ![gypsymoth3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@gypsymoth3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gypsymoth3)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/15 "2003-06-12T21:37:56Z")
i guess it’s just a mental block. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/16 "2003-06-12T21:49:11Z")
the net is your friend [http://www.google.com/:](http://www.google.com/:) How to clean piano keys: [http://ne.essortment.com/howtocleanpia\_rsqq.htm](http://ne.essortment.com/howtocleanpia_rsqq.htm) Musical instruments: history, how to play, clean, and use. … string instruments | miscellaneous. piano: The history of the piano; How to clean piano keysLearn piano key playing; History of the piano; … [www.essortment.com/in/Music.Instruments/](http://www.essortment.com/in/Music.Instruments/) Small piano repairs … To clean piano keys, lift up five or six white keys at a time and hold them with the fingers of one hand while using the other to wipe them with a damp cloth. … > **[Simple piano repairs you can do at home](https://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/musichall/piano.htm)** > > DIY Piano repairs, hints, tips and information on some simple piano repairs you can do at home. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/17 "2003-06-12T23:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cillasi \* > \*\*Most germs and bacteria can’t live outside of a growth medium for long, so by the time you decide what to use to kill them, they will probably be long dead. \*\* Not really, no. They can’t GROW without a growth medium, but that doesn’t mean they’re dead. Cold viruses, for instance, can remain viable on, say, a doorknob for days to weeks. (Google “fomites” for more info) On the extreme end of the scale, there are botulism spores that have remained viable in a glass vial in a lab for well over a century. Every decade or so, they take a few out, put them into a nice broth medium, and see if they’ll grow. So far, they always have. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disinfecting-piano-keys/181232/18 "2003-06-13T03:28:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smeghead \* > \*\*On the extreme end of the scale, there are botulism spores that have remained viable in a glass vial in a lab for well over a century. Every decade or so, they take a few out, put them into a nice broth medium, and see if they’ll grow. So far, they always have. \*\* You think a century is long? Actually, bacteria can live for hundreds of millions of years in their dormant stage. [Here’s a batch that survived 250 million years.](http://servercc.oakton.edu/~billtong/nsc103/oldbacteria.htm)