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What do you think will be the proper protocol before and after one tunes (works on) a piano after we get up and running again?

Will we be required to "sanitize" at least the exterior parts of the piano with whips (or other) before we leave?

Have you thought about this and if you have what are you planning to do about it as I'm concerned customers will require some sort of proof that you have not left the virus behind (potentially) on the keys by touching them, etc.

I don't know about you but just thinking ahead to when the clearance is given to go back to work on pianos I'm thinking that we all (every person I'd say....customer and tech too) is left with this new mindset of uneasiness in terms of, as I said, sterilization.

What are your thoughts on this and how will you approach these new circumstances brought on by covid-19 before and after tuning a piano? It seems to me its something to think about and prepare for.

I'm not a tuner but had a tuner last week.

We agreed a number of things

1. We double checked that none of us had any symptoms when we planned in the appointment a few days later
2. I ventilated my room a few hours before he arrived and after when he left
3. We kept a very good distance from each other all the time. We could still talk but with a bit more distance than usual. I aimed for 7 feet although I don't believe that viruses stop at some magic distance especially when indoors
4. I cleaned all the piano keys with 50% alcohol both before the tuner arrived and after the tuner left.

Other than that it was business as usual. Most of points above were my proposal, he did not seem too concerned about all it but maybe he was just relieved that I put all these points forward.
I was very happy that he could tune, I wanted to participate in the ABF recital and with a tuned piano I could finally record Rachmaninoff. i guess I have one of the rare tuned acoustic pianos in the world now?

I've listed on my website some basics: www.thattuningguy.com
I've actually continued to work since our state & city did not have an official lock down. So, assuming everyone is feeling well & healthy here's some tips.

1. Be sure to wear a mask. Depending on the kind of mask you use it may not protect you but it should help protect others around you. We're finding out that many people don't show symptoms but do have the virus.
2. Wipe down the keys with an antiseptic wipe. I also wipe down the surrounding area and then wipe it off with a dry towel. I know there's some concern about damaging the keys or wood but right now there are bigger things to be concerned about.
3. Request that the person meeting you at the door wears a mask and that other people are in another part of the house.
4. Consider a UV light. I got a UV light that's battery powered (rechargable) and set it on the piano to help disinfect the area.
5. Latex gloves. This would be more for you than for the customer. It's another layer of protection although if you've disinfected the keys I think you should be safe.
6. Hand sanitizer. If you can find it!!

I should have added on the list social distancing. I guess it kinda goes without saying but you do the best you can in this kind of situation.

I am on board with your other items for the most part, but not this one. Potentially ruining piano keys or the piano’s finish is not worth tuning the piano for. I don’t think anyone should be risking that just to get a piano tuned (the technician or pianist). You have to be 100% sure it’s not going to damage anything. Many years ago the music director at my church decided to disinfect the piano’s keys with some unknown disinfectant and damaged the keytops.

And you don’t even really need to worry about the virus on the keys or piano. Just be careful about what you touch while you’re tuning (i.e. don’t touch your face, or if you touch something on yourself be mindful of what that is and take appropriate action), and then disinfect your tools and your hands and arms after you’re done. Ruining your tools with disinfectant is a lot more financially sensible than ruining a piano.

Wipe the keys down with a rag moistened with soap and water. Soap has good virus-destroying properties.

I always encourage people to do what they are comfortable with, so by all means don't disinfect the keys if you're worried about ruining something. But, please be aware that most piano keys have more germs than a toilet seat. 😬

Steinway is recommending hydrogen peroxide - just the drug store variety, not the strong stuff.

https://www.steinway.com/news/features/utilty/cleaning-your-piano

Ron Koval

All good points. I would add to open all windows if feasible to diffuse any viral particles. The contagion seems to have vectors of proximity, duration and enclosed spaces.

The "New Norm" is pretty crazy....no, that's wrong, it's "NUTS"....I think it will eventually settle down into a close proximity of what it was prior to the pandemic. Maybe not entirely the same....but almost. I hope so anyway. Good to have hope, right? ....but also good to be PREPARED.

But for now at least some of the suggestions mentioned so far will be the new norm for an indefinite period. I think there may be a tendency to "over-think" as to precautions. The pandemic has made everyone paranoid, admittedly with good reason as it does take lives as we are seeing.

Beyond the obvious though, someone mentioned that we should ask the customer at the outset "what are you expecting from me in terms of sterilization during and just before I leave?" To me that is a fair question don't you think because for one thing, the terms will change from person to person and household to household.

It's good to talk about this on this forum as we stand to put together a balanced approach and be somewhat prepared. I encourage others to give support to this question presented for that reason.

Going the mask route only makes sense if you have a mask that stop viruses. And you have to know how to properly fit it, put it on and off etc. By far most people have no clue (judging from the many pictures seen in the news of people wearing masks). If you don't have a clue, the it's a waste of money.

UV light definitely has potential but UV light is also harmful. So you have to be very knowledgeable to use that in a safe way.

Soap seems the best option for general use and very effective https://www.theguardian.com/comment...coronavirus-alcohol-based-disinfectants. It's just hard to get it properly removed 100% and the keys will become very slippery if some is left.

I tested the alcohol on my keyboard, on a place where damage would be unnoticeable. Before I even called the tuner.

I would not agree with peroxide on my piano , it's very agressive and not safe for most plastics https://omnexus.specialchem.com/polymer-properties/chemical-resistance/hydrogen-peroxide-30-60-c
.

Yes, a 30% strength peroxide has potential for damage...

The drug store variety is a 3% solution - determined to be safe.

Ron Koval

Great list, Scott. Thank you.
Some thoughts on the UV light.
From what I've read there are different types/spectra of UV light.
"Regular, ole UV light" can, over time, give us cataracts.
"Far-UV" is supposed to be as effective and doesn't cause cataracts.
Both types kill bacteria and (presumably), viruses.
Science minded readers, feel free to weigh in.

https://www.wkyc.com/article/tech/s.../95-e2c519f4-0aaa-4a41-b3a1-90bdd1479efc


Doesn't seem they are that effective at the consumer strength - though on the smooth piano keys, they might do better than some of the surfaces they tested?


Ron Koval

You are correct about the mask. The reason I wear one is to help protect the customer, not me. It's been shown that the virus can hang in the air and infect others around you. While the mask isn't PERFECT it is helpful in containing the spread of the virus. Even though I feel well and healthy it is now being shown that some people show no symptoms but carry the virus. Just in case I'm one of those people, I'll wear the mask. And really, it seems logical to me that again, even though the mask won't protect me perfectly it's got to do SOME good. My wife made the ones I use. They're double sided. I put a tissue in the middle and replace it every day and wash them everyday. The latex gloves would be more to protect ME than the customer. Although I haven't been wearing them lately with my thinking being that with all the disinfectant I'm using my hands are very clean and the area where I'm working has been cleaned. But, I may change my mind and start wearing gloves again.

I'm not looking directly at the UV light but your warning is well taken. I'll look into that more...

So far I've seen no damage from the disinfectant wipes I've been using. I do wipe off the excess with a dry microcloth. Soap is great if you're more comfortable with that.

"New Normal", Hmmm... It will only be normal until something new comes along, in other words it's a moving target, a social/political target.

As far as what to do when conduction a piano tuning business, the proper thing to do is go by your state's DOH requirements. Here in PA, that means something like you only conduct business: if nobody has had unexplained symptoms or contact with someone with Covid, everyone wears masks and keeps social distance when possible, and surfaces that are touched are frequently cleaned.

Actually you are not correct about the mask. Clearly a high grade mask that filters out viruses would be best but pretty much any simple mask is really helpful, especially if you both wear them. The reason they help is not that they filter the virus for you but they stop the much larger liquid droplets full of virus you breath/cough out so they don't jet out and atomise to smaller particles that remain airborne. So you get much lower levels of virus in the air from wearing even crappy masks. You protect each other with these rather than protecting yourself.

Here is a list of materials studied by Texas A&M University to determine the effectiveness of DIY masks:DIY Mask Materials

Now is the time to break into your wife's HEPA vacuum cleaner bags or air purifier filters!

According to everything I've read including CDC recommendations even an inexpensive mask or bandana can help prevent one from transmitting the virus to someone else. So if two people are nearby but both are wearing a mask there is at least some level of protection for both transmitting and receiving the virus. If masks that weren't N95 masks or weren't well fitted had no benefit I don't think every state would have encouraged or required them to be worn.

Not sure what to believe... Here's an article saying that UV light works and it does warn about the danger that can go with it: https://www.insider.com/does-uv-light-kill-germs