stained keys

pauline · Post by **pauline** » 03 Apr 2006, 14:18

The keys on my piano seem to have been ruined by two children (guests!) who played after using some kind of finger paint or poster paint. Every key they touched now has grey blotches on it, which I can't seem to get off no matter what I try. Is there anything that will clean stains off keys?

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 03 Apr 2006, 16:37

How old is the piano? Are the key covers ivory, celluloid or plastic?

pauline · Post by **pauline** » 05 Apr 2006, 10:14

The piano is about 60 years old, I think. I don't know what the keys are made of. How will I be able to tell? (I guess they wouldn't be plastic, though.)

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 05 Apr 2006, 16:49

If they're ivory you'll see a very faint line where the 2 pieces of ivory on the note abut eachother - about level with the front of the sharps.If they're celluloid, if you scratch them with a blade (on the side where you won't see the scratch!) you'll smell menthol. Honest! If it's 60 years old I doubt very much they'd be plastic.

pauline · Post by **pauline** » 08 Apr 2006, 08:34

OK, sounds a bit odd, but I'll have a go at figuring that out today. Got my father-in-law staying, though, so it may be a day or two before I stop making cups of tea long enough to scratch my piano keys! Thanks for the suggestion...I'll report back soon!

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 08 Apr 2006, 18:09

Gill the Piano wrote: Honest! If it's 60 years old I doubt very much they'd be plastic.

1862 Cellulose was first made artificially from gun- cotton by A.Parkes, of Birmingham UK.
Called "Parkesine", it could simulate ivory

Barrie,

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 09 Apr 2006, 18:29

Yeah, I know that, I meant slab-like screaming white plastic (1960's/70's stylee), as opposed to creamy older celluloid...!

pauline · Post by **pauline** » 11 May 2006, 11:45

Wow, it took me a very long time to get back to you on this...I hope you're still there! Right, I do not think they are celluloid (no smell) and the piano is definitely pre-1960's...
So that leaves ivory, I guess?