Soundboard cleaning elixir

[harvey]

In pursuit of a magic elixir for soundboard cleaning...

The pianos are in homes, still in service and obviously still strung. Many
of these instruments have had only tuning thoughout their service lives,
and are each from various places -other- than here originally. And, the
soundboards are... nasty.

I'm looking for something that is safe to use for cleaning soundboards
under these conditions. This type of 'dirty' doesn't respond to simple
methods (rags, soundboard steel or Spurlock's cleaning wands. Water
(moisture) alone doesn't seem to work, since I need something to cut
through the layer of [whatever] to get to the actual dirt beneath.

I've experimented with various cleaners. Some, like 'Fantastik' that could
possibly work I'm reluctant to use due to the chance of
contacting/contaminating the strings. Mineral spirits or lemon oil seem to
work -- kinda, but I've only tried them on the perimeters, away from strings. 

I admit that I have more cleaners and solvents than I've actually tried,
including various citrus-based offerings, Simple Green, ENTNT (miracle
stuff), and others. I just don't want to be the one who goes up a one-way
street on customer-owned goods.

Does anyone have a product to recommend under these circumstances?

Thanks!



Jim Harvey, RPT
Greenwood, SC
harvey@greenwood.net
________________________
I'm glad it's not my piano!
              -- Richard Davenport (date unknown)