Key Cleaner - Windex Wipes?

[Isaac Sadigursky]

Hi,Britt! I had experimented with Baby Wipes for cleaning the sides of the
keys and had done a few sets.No ill effects,works better then razor
blades,or steel wool or sand paper.. Very fast and effective. I use those
Baby Wipes in large plastic containers from drug stores,have one in the van
and 2 or 3 strategically placed around the shop.. Hope,this information
helps.. Isaac

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Britt West
Sent: Friday, June 02, 2006 7:53 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Key Cleaner - Windex Wipes?

       I noticed that Windex has a product in a re-sealable package that 
is similar to the wet baby wipes that have been around for years.  
These though, have ammonium hydroxide instead of soap.  I like the 
re-sealable package as it fits easily into my tuning kit and has a low 
chance of spilling.  I bought a package and tested some on ivory and 
plastic keys in my shop.  They worked well on the plastic and easily 
removed the greasy buildup on the naturals as well as the sharps.  They 
tended to slightly raise the grain on ivory though, and I won't be 
using them on those.  The package said not to use it on wood surfaces.  
I tested them on a few different stock piano parts though and didn't 
notice any ill effects.
      Does any one use these to clean keys with?  Do any of you with 
chemical backgrounds know of any problems that their use may cause?
      I am looking for an alternative to Cory keyboard cleaner as I have 
developed a strong allergic reaction to it.  I like to clean the keys 
on service and tuning calls as I have gotten very good feedback over 
the years from doing so.  It is a little extra touch that doesn't take 
too long, and for me, clean shiny keys put an extra sparkle in a good 
tuning.
     Any help or opinions in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

  Thanks,

Britt West