[CAUT] Whitening Ivories

[johnparham at piano88.com]

List,

I am not a CAUT tech, but I monitor this list because of the variety of
perspectives and opinions that it offers. 

The recent discussion of whitening ivories caught my attention.  Tonight
I experimented with the idea of using hydrogen peroxide and cream of
tartar that I read about here.  This is what I found:

1. First I used a topical solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%)available
from a drugstore on an old dirty and dingy-looking ivory head.  Hydrogen
peroxide by itself seemed to clean the ivory very easily, similar to
using acetone to degrease metal, but it left a faint film on the ivory. 
When I scratched it with my fingernail to simulate playing, I polished
the ivory.  To finish the cleaning process, therefore, I had to buff the
key with a cloth.

2. Next I used 10 grams of 3% hydrogen peroxide with three teaspoons of
cream of tartar mixed in.  Using a paper towel, I dabbed a little of
this mixture onto the ivory and began to polish it.  The cream of tartar
immediately precipitated out as I polished the ivory.  The end result
was a very clean, shiny ivory.  I did not need to buff the ivory because
there was no film on it. I like the results so much that I will use this
technique on the old Chickering action I am working on this weekend.

I am curious about specific techniques that you all have discovered that
work well.  

What specific ratios of solutions have you experimented with?  Should I
use less cream of tartar so it does not precipitate out so quickly?

Does a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide work better to not just
clean but to whiten the ivories as well?

Does the cream of tartar act only as an abrasive polishing agent? 

After using the acidic solution of hydrogen peroxide, is it necessary to
neutralize the ivory with a base to prevent any further interaction with
residual hydrogen peroxide and the ivory?

Thank you for sharing your ideas.

-John Parham, RPT
Hickory, NC