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I always remove dust from piano. I think this procedure necessary for full-fledged work.The Sounds after removing of dust gain the bright colouration. What do you think about it? It is Necessary take the additional payment with client or this procedure must be a firm rule for tuner?
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Piano owners should due their due diligence to minimize the need for piano cleaning by keeping their pianos closed. I keep mine closed all the time, unless I'm using it, and over 10 years after its restoration, the piano still looks brand new inside. As a field technician, this is something I'd badger my clients about.

That said, I was taught by my mentor that techs provide "piano service", not "piano tuning"; so, I was frequently on piano cleaning duty with the Spurlock soundboard cleaners, a paintbrush, a really awesome shop-vac, and McLube. This is part of the job.

I use a shop vac and Spurlock soundboard cleaners when necessary. And I charge for it!

This subject has come up before and not too long ago. It seems to me that most (but certainly not all) technicians neglect this duty. It is apparently someone else's job or one that can wait time after time until it becomes a big job. When it becomes a big job, there seem to be many that proudly proclaim, "I charge for that".

I have more grand pianos in my clientele than verticals. When I go to service a grand piano, I always bring in the vacuum cleaner and blow out the few wisps of dust and lint that have collected since the last time I was there. It usually takes about 30 seconds, so it is a normal part of my service for which I don't charge anything extra. Naturally, when the service requires removal and replacement of the action for which there would be an additional charge, I also clean the action cavity and the action itself. The cleaning fee is built into that charge and it is still a minimal task.

All of the grand pianos in my regular service clientele are therefore clean appearing at all times. Even the older ones that have built up patina are free of accumulated dust. I also clean inside vertical pianos when it appears necessary. If I need to do anything that involves lifting out the keys, the keybed is vacuumed and that kind of cleaning is built into the price for such services.

Last week, however, I had a new client who had just moved to the area with a grand piano. I brought in my vacuum cleaner as usual. The lady had come out to meet me at my car. As I took my tools, I said that I was bringing in my vacuum cleaner because cleaning grand pianos is a normal part of my service. "Oh good", she said, "Mine really needs it!"

When I got to the piano, I could hardly believe what I saw. There was a thick layer of fine dust that coated everything. The piano needed a thorough tuning with pitch correction and fine tuning. It also needed some hammer alignment and capstan adjustment. If there had been the usual amount of dust I find, I could have removed the action, done the spacing, flange tightening and capstan adjustment and vacuumed and blown away the dust as usual. I may have even had time to file the hammers and clean up the residue.

Sadly, I could do none of those extra services at that time. I told her, "This is a case of a piano that is too dirty to clean". It had been apparently neglected by the technicians who had previously tuned it. I had to make another appointment for nearly a month later when I would have a half day to do what I normally would get done in about 30 minutes extra time. I told her I would certainly be able to make a remarkable difference in the appearance and playability of the piano but when a piano has such deeply embedded dust as this one had, it is impossible to remove all traces of it.

Cleaning it will certainly be a big deal. I will not only clean out the piano but also clean the floor after I clean it out and the exterior too. I'll have to wear goggles and a dust mask. It will cost her twice what I normally charge for a regular piano service after she has already paid for a regular piano service. I told her however, that if she keeps me as the technician thereafter, she will never need to pay for having the piano cleaned again and it will be cleaned each time I tune and otherwise service it.

So, I wonder. Why did this piano get to this point when she says that she has had it tuned regularly the entire time she has owned it? Whose job was it to clean the piano if not the technician's? How dirty did it have to get before it was obvious that it needed cleaning? At what point did it get past the point where anyone would clean it as a normal part of piano service? Why (as the lady told me) did no technician she had ever used before even mention cleaning as part of regular piano service? Why was I the only one who ever did?

Nothing wrong with charging for what we do, Bill. If I recommend a service that the customer declines (such as cleaning), I don't do it. Now, do I include extras as part of my service? Sure! Adjust pedals, no problem. A few sticky keys? Gotcha covered. Couple letoff button or damper adjustments? Included.

But if I'm going to lug a shop Vac into the house, bring in the Spurlock tools, pull the action and clean/vacuum (which btw takes 30 minutes start to finish, not 30 seconds), then yes, an additional fee is both fair and reasonable.

We charge for deep cleaning on a grand (double tuning fee usually, and I'm making a seperate appointment for that normally), but minor surface vac is part of the service but I always ask the clinet to provide a hose vac if they have it...saves me dragging my vac unit into the home...but interestingly, sometimes producing a cleaned piano is THE thing that keeps clients happy...

FWIW

RPD

EDIT: PS, I typically hope to do the deep cleaning service along with an action pull/lube clean...which means if the piano needs alot of attention, I'll work cleaning into the mix...for instance, if we're installing a full Dampp Chaser system, I'm either comping the work or if its really bad, we'll do it for a minor charge at the same time we're installing equipment for himidity.

I clean under the strings using a rag with a string tied to it. I push it under the strings using a strip of plastic, actually, key front material. It will clean anything, and I can take the rag outside and shake it out, rather than blowing it around with a vacuum.

Just so everybody understands, cleaning for me is not always complimentary. I tuned a Steinway B this morning and even though I had cleaned it last time I tuned it which was some time last year, it was dirty enough and key pin holes were a bit tight, so I pulled the action, cleaned the action and cavity completely, blew out the dust and wiped all surfaces as well. Yes, I charged extra for it.

The vacuum I use fits right on my shoulder along with my tool bag. Even if I have to park my car a fair distance away, I can comfortably walk with both the tool bag and vacuum from parking ramps or on another street, etc.

If all one does is wipe the soundboard, all of the dust that can't be reached is still there and accumulates over time. If the piano has a string cover, it does cut down on accumulated dust but if the piano is never cleaned because of the string cover excuse, a big surprise will come when it is eventually done.

Generally, I do not "blow dust around" or raise "huge clouds of dust" as some have claimed as a reason not to clean. The pianos I service don't have enough dust in them to ever create such a problem. When the exception comes along such as with the piano last week, I prepare the customer for what the cleaning project will involve and I rarely have any resistance to that, only a "Oh, that's all right. I want the piano cleaned. Do what you have to" or something along those lines.

Of course, if the technician balks at keeping the piano clean and says something like, "Oh well, I'd have to lug in this big shop vac and blow dust all around the room and charge a triple fee for it, so you wouldn't want that, would you?", then I can see how most people would say no. I just do it for the most part and my customers are appreciative of it.

Actually, I would say that more of my customers, upon completion of the tuning then ask, "What about that dust?" and I say, "I was just about to clean it. I have my vacuum right here to do that" than I ever have someone decline to have the piano tuned. I wonder why it seems to be different for me than nearly any other technician?

I clean my own piano. Why pay an expert to do menial work? My tuner/technician likes it.

We clean ours also.

Just had a tech our this week (his first time looking at our piano) and he said it was the cleanest piano he has ever worked on!

What is "Spurlock tools" ?

Spurlock Tools website.

A few of my customers have made their own string covers and they work great. Customers usually ask me how to clean the piano. So I just show them. When I file the hammers, I will vacuum the inside.

Thanks accordeur for explanation, I am understood.I usually lay cotton rag under grand piano's strings and move rag wooden walking stick it from sides aside

BDB made me realize, so thank him also.

I sent you the link because I believed you would not be able to navigate the site.

I use many of Mr. Spurlock's jigs.

They work really well, from hammer tapering jig to the damper mitre box, key bushing system, key clamps, etc...

I don't know what would be the cost for you to get a few of these and a good supply of protek and whatever other supplies you need.

Let me know.

All the best.

I would LOVE to get at the dust on my soundboard but I'm really afraid of breaking something.

I'll be honest; poking something between or under all those strings under all that tension . . . brrrrrr! Scary stuff to me. Am I being unreasonably apprehensive? If I proceed very carefully, and with the correct tools, is there really anything to be overly concerned about? I would probably clean just before my next tuning, which will be soon, but is there a strong chance of knocking the piano out of tune while dusting the soundboard?

We live in a very dusty part of the country, so just keeping the lid closed won't do it for me, although it helps. My china cabinet gets dusty inside, and that's got a tight-fitting door that's rarely opened, the piano isn't sealed half as well as that. I'd really like the piano's insides dusted, and waiting for the twice-a-year tech visit is too far between cleanings for my taste.

I've told customers to get those little cans of compressed air used for blowing out computer keyboards, etc. Using short bursts, blow the dust to the bass string side of the piano, where there is no plate. Then they can vacuum it.

Yep ... this gets my vote - and for all the places you can get at, just use a hoover with the nozzle attachment to suck up the dust whilst brushing with a good quality 2 inch paint brush.

Swiffer duster work good too, you can push them under the strings with a hammer shank. They pick up a lot of dust