Cleaning Ivories

[John Musselwhite]

At 05:21 PM 1/16/96 -0700, you wrote:

>     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

That's a good idea. I wonder if they make antibacterial "handi-wipes" that
are inexpensive.

>     As I type this, I have my first and only cold of the season.
>     Coincidence?

Maybe... maybe not. It's better to be safe, though.

>     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.

Perhaps "disinfect" is a bit strong as I don't use Dettol or anything.. I
just want to kill the BIG germs. I use isopropyl and water in a small spray
bottle, being very careful not to get any on the finish. My preferred key
cleaner is the Corey product, actually... but I'm out at the moment.

>     Aside: I've discovered that a package of 100% cotton rags as used for
>     auto detailing/polishing to be a worthwhile consideration to the

I was fortunate enough to get in on a major hotel's sale when they changed
the management. I bought facecloths and hand towels (some of them like new!)
for 50/75 cents a dozen as well as lots of yellow king-size sheets ($1
each). Keep your eyes open for this sort of thing.

>     A final note: If you're dropping all that garlic, no one gets close
>     enough to you to pass anything your way, eh? <grin>

Kyolic garlic is what's known as "The Sociable Garlic"<tm> and has no odour.
It's a far superior product to the stuff a grocery store sells. It's also
been proven to be an immune system booster, and these days we need all the
help we can get.

This is a high-enough risk occupation for exposure to diseases that I can
get free flu shots from my doctor. I don't use them though, as the garlic
works well enough and is more general. Email me for more info.

                        John
John Musselwhite, RPT
Calgary, Alberta Canada
musselj@cadvision.com