John, I too have considered the germ-carrying characteristics of keys.
All right, to be honest, I can't play (or tune) a piano with keys
containing enough dirt to grow potatoes, and don't understand how
others do it!
At other times, when keys are not obviously dirty, I carry a small
bottle of anti-bacterial soap and wash my hands between pianos. Whether
the soap is worthwhile or hype, I don't know, but the idea is similar
in intent to what dentists do between patients.
Last week, while doing practice room pianos at the university, I
forgot to clean keys on one piano. Of all times and places to forget!
As I type this, I have my first and only cold of the season.
Coincidence?
Fortunately, I'm not quite as paranoid as Howard Hughes. I don't show
up to calls wearing boxes of Kleenex for shoes!
I've tried several agents for key cleaning, other than milk and vodka
(alcohol and ivory don't mix -- no joke intended), and have had
varying results. Since I'm interested in cleaning, not cosmetics, I'm
curious as what you use to clean *and* disinfectant.
Aside: I've discovered that a package of 100% cotton rags as used for
auto detailing/polishing to be a worthwhile consideration to the
cleaning kit. This is not to be confused with the useless "Bag 'O
Rags", or with the orange mechanics variety.
A final note: If you're dropping all that garlic, no one gets close
enough to you to pass anything your way, eh? <grin>
Jim Harvey RPT
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I now carry a small spray bottle of a key cleaner/disinfectant in my tools
along with clean old face cloths. Since children (and adults!) are infamous
for not washing their hands before they play, and since hands are the main
means of transferring germs, I've learned to clean the keys BEFORE I touch
them even if they look clean. I tell the customer it's "part of the service".
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