Hi Folks!
Jamie here, from Paul Hahn & Co. With…How to clean your piano’s brass pedals… naturally. That’s right!
Normally, a little Brasso or Barkeepers Friend would clean the pedals lickety-split, but if you can’t get to the store because of a zombie apocalypse or a global pandemic these common ingredients will do a fine job in a pinch.
You can use either ketchup, or a paste made of vinegar, salt and flour, or a solution of lemon juice and baking soda.
There are three possibilities, and luckily, there are three pedals.
Let’s try these one at a time. First, the lemon juice and baking soda on the sustain pedal – the right-hand pedal which sustains the note when you depress it with your toe.
Then, the vinegar, salt and flour paste on the middle pedal. In this piano, this pedal lowers a strip of felt in front of the hammers, muting the sound of the piano. It’s perfect for private practicing.
The ketchup we’ll try on the left pedal. This is called a soft pedal – which is weird because it’s as hard as the others.
We’ll let these rest for a few minutes, then try wiping the pedals down.
As you can see, all three did make a difference – but not enough to suit me.
Let’s do all three pedals with all three mixtures next.
First, the lemon juice and baking soda, then the flour salt and vinegar, and then the ketchup.
Success! The secret was to use all three of the trinity.
And that’s all folks! Stay safe, stay indoors, and play your piano!