My daughter wants to learn to play the piano, so we found one one Craig's List. We brought it home last night and it stinks. It is an older upright and smells like dust and just plain musty. My daughter is very excited to be able to play it and it is quite heavy (of course, because it's a piano), so we really don't want to get rid of it just because of the smell. However, I have very severe allergies (and am doing my part with that) and this thing is about ready to do me in. I am so miserable and the piano is making our house smell musty and dusty. We are not really sure what to do from here. Obviously, we can dust it and my husband plans to bring home a micro-vacuum so that we can get down inside of it and vacuum out some of the dust, but I'm not so sure that will actually do the trick. Do any of you have any suggestions as to how to get that smell out of wood? We are quite limited in our financial resources, so I would really appreciate any suggestions that were cheap (the piano was free).
I should also mention that we do have a professional piano tuner in the family and will be having him take a look at it to get it tuned, or whatever else needs to be done. Just don't want him to have to tune a musty piano.
Thanks in advance to all of you!
I would try wiping it down with a mild vinegar and water solution - it sounds like mildew to me...so you might have to go stronger with a bleach (mild) and water solution. Don't soak it though. The wood has probably dried out, too, so you might want to oil it when you're finished.
Call a local music store - they have names and numbers of piano tuners and technicians. Have it tuned before she starts taking lessons because an out of tune piano can become distracting and discouraging to a student. Another option instead of vacuuming would be to use a can of compressed air and blow the dust off the strings, soundboard and hammers. Be VERY careful if you take anything apart - the action parts of a piano require precision and if it's an older piano you don't know if any wood parts are cracked or warped. I would hate to see someone take it apart and not be able to get it back together properly. How about spraying a cloth with something like Febreeze and setting that inside the piano for a while to help absorb some of the musty smell?
Oh, oh, oh, please do NOT use that micro vacuum. Piano workings are incredibly sensitive. Since the piano was obviously moved to get it to you home, you need to get it tuned anyway. While the professional is there, he or she can address the odor issue, as well. I am so excited for your daughter. Enjoy!
You can wipe it down with a cleaner that is meant especially for wood like Murphy's Oil or something like that and it should help. Just make sure you wringe out the spounge really good each time so you are not dripping water inside. When you vacuum it out, take it all apart and between the two, you should get most of the smell out. Most of those old uprights come apart pretty easily, usually just a couple of screws here and there. Pay attention as you are taking it apart so you can get it back together properly. ;)
I might have it checked for mold or something, who knows whats growing in that old thing! haha... I do know that there are piano restoration companies out there b/c my old boss had a family hierloom redone for his kids, I don;t have any specific ones to suggest though. He lived in Chesterfield, if that helps...?
Good Morning L., I did a google search and came up with this site. Read the 3rd or 4th down. At first I misread and thought it was mold you were wanting to remove. Lots of advice for that also.
Nothing wrong with Free. I know its not a player piano, but should work also.
One thing I was reading was to wipe down the wood with bleach & water mixture, If you just start wiping it down the dusty and Mold spores ( if there are any) just fly. So wet and wipe down.
God Bless and I pray the excitement never ends for your little lady.
http://www.player-care.com/odors.html
Be Totally Blessed with sweet Music
K. Nana of 5
I am in the process of doing the same thing, and it's very difficult. I was so excited when I found pianos on CL for free then realizes what an ordeal it is just to move one. I know nothing about pianos and have been talking to professionals. I would suggest calling who ever tuned it, if you liked them or calling a few stores until you get that person who just loves to teach others what they know. I wouldn't be surprised if they have seen this before. If they are smart they will help you with the things you are able to do so you will come to them with the things you can't
Sounds like there may be mold in the piano. Not good for you or the piano. Call a pro to check it out. You wouldn't want to hurt the piano that you just spent, I'm sure, a lot of money on. I hope you get it all worked out and that your daughter enjoys playing your new piano. Good luck and God Bless.
As another reply suggested, first do not harm. Get a professional piano tuner to tune the piano and to fix or advise you about the odor problem.
Your allergies may be to mold, which is as bad for the piano as it is for you. If nothing else works, there is a product called Odoban. Go online to find it and call to find where you can buy it in your neighborhood. I once found it at Sams and another time at Home Depot, but you aren't going to find it in most department stores. You can find it on Amazon (of course). Anyway, I know someone who successfully got such smells out of old wooden floors with Odoban.
Be sure to ask the piano tuner about the safety of using Odoban. You don't want to warp the sound board or rust the metal parts!
Good luck!
I would call a professional in on this....the piano is going to need to be tuned anyway...since it has been moved and is older. In fact it will probably need to be tuned several times over the next year or so to get it up to "perfect pitch". In older pianos, the wires have stretched and you cant tighten them up too quickly or they snap and then you REALLY have a problem. Please dont do much "digging around" on the inside of the piano...as someone already said...you can do damage to the delicate parts of the piano and make it basically useless.
I can get my piano tuned for about $40 so it isnt a huge outlay of money...hopefully you can get it taken care of and then you will have years of enjoyment and your daughter will learn to love the piano!!!
R. Ann
I don't have any advice, just wanted to say I saw that piano on craigslist! I guess that's why it was free, cause it smells bad.
Baking soda is great for smells, maybe powder some baking soda all over the thing for a few days. I don't know
Try a damp cloth rinsed in murphy's oil soap . Not too wet tho and wipe inside and out and Good luck let me know if this helps!
People have suggested using bleach and water mixture. Can this be used on wood?
I don't have any advice on the smell, but if you decide to get rid of it, I have one that I have been begging people to take. It is a Wurlitzer and in great condition, but needs to be tuned. I also have lots of books to go with it, some beginner books even. So if you are interested or know of anyone who is, email me! I don't smell anything on ours and I dust it weekly.
K.
