How to Clean Keyboard Piano Keys Safely in 4 Steps

Cleaning your keyboard piano keys is an important process to ensure your keyboard stays looking fresh and new like the day you purchased it. If your keyboard piano gets lots of use, or is used in a studio with multiple people, you should clean your keys often. If you seldom use your keyboard, you won’t need to clean it as much.

Cleaning the keys on a keyboard piano is easier than cleaning real ivory piano keys, as most of the keys on the keyboard are plastic, and a traditional cleaning solution can be used. However, do not get the keys too wet, as water will damage the electrical components inside the keyboard.

In my experience, I use a light dish soap and water based applied with a damp cloth. As I mentioned earlier, not too wet, as you don’t want to damage the keyboard. Lightly scrub the keys until the dirt is removed. Then I go in and clean it with a low grade cleaning solution (anything from the store will work). Below, I’ll go into a little more detail on how to clean your keyboard piano keys with a step-by-step guide, then offer some helpful tips.

Contents

Steps to Clean Your Keyboard Piano Keys

Mix a light solution with dish soap and two cups of warm water
Dampen one color-free cloth with your solution and gently wipe the keys. You’ll want to unplug your keyboard for this, or it will end up being pretty noisy.
With a dry cloth, wipe down the keys to remove your solution. This should remove most of the standing dirt and fingerprints on the keys.
Spray with a light multi-purpose cleaner and wipe down again with a very lightly dampened cloth.

How to Keep Your Keys White

If your keys are yellow, or you want to prevent them from yellowing, use a similar method above, but with a mixture of vinegar, or even toothpaste. If your keyboard piano keys are very dirty, use a very soft toothbrush to scrub the keys. For a guide on how to take apart your keyboard for a deep clean, check out the video below.

Tips for Keeping Your Keyboard Piano Clean

The easiest way for you to not spend time cleaning your keyboard, is preventing it from getting dirty in the first place. I know this is easier said than done for most people, so check out the following list for some easy ways to keep your keys clean.

Wash your hands before you use your keyboard. As clean as you might think you are, chances are your fingers have some dirt and dust hanging around. Playing the keyboard with clean hands will prevent dirt from traveling to your keyboard.
Keep your keyboard out of the sunlight. I know many people like to have their piano by a window to get that much-needed vitamin D while they’re playing. However, sunlight damages your keys, and leads to the dreaded yellow color.
Cover your keyboard while not in use. This is important if you live in a dusty city, or your building has dust in the vents. It is also helpful if you don’t listen to the tip above, and keep your keyboard in contact with the sun. A layer of protection between the sun and your keys is a good thing.

Conclusion

Cleaning keyboard piano keys is much easier than cleaning traditional ivory piano keys. Piano keys are plastic, and can handle a light multi-purpose cleaner. It’s a best practice to wipe down your keyboard first with a dish soap mix, then clean with cleaner to remove the most dirt and germs.