Can yellowing of ivory keys be cleaned or do I need to leave them "as is"?

[dulcimerdawg]

Thanks.

[pianistimo]

maybe you can get a dentist to come to your house and do laser whitening on them? or, less expensively, go buy some tooth cleaning solution and do two or three treatments.  don't take my word for this because - i'm not a tech.

oh dear!  i just read that if you clean antique pianos like that, you may be lessening the value (resale) by as much as half.  people expect yellow keys. 

if it's just for yourself, maybe this article combined with the other one will help.  a little denatured alcohol on a soft cloth - gently rubbed in.  wiped clean.  put piano in a sunny room and let sun beat down on the keys.

(or, rub non-colored toothpaste gently into keys?  i've heard you're not supposed to use grainy stuff on pianos though).

www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/resources/articles/pianokeys.html

www.soapman.com/tips/TipsPages/OtherCleaningTips.html

[tosca1]

I would not suggest the use of cleaning solutions on the yellowed ivory keys or exposing the piano to direct sunlight. Both these options could further damage your piano.
A professional can remove the keys and place them  under ultra-violet lamps which will remove the yellowing. If the keys covers are very badly yellowed and wooden part is stained through use and natural secretions from the fingers, then the only option is to have the keys recovered in a more durable synthetic finish.
Real ivory keys should always be exposed to natural light with the fall up. The yellowing is hastened by insufficient exposure to light.

Regards,
Robert.

[rlefebvr]

Tosca is right. Leave the cover open to prevent yellowing.

I was told, if left to natural light long enough, the key can retrieve some of it's original color, but I have never seen this happen.

I know of no other way to get the color back. As far as I know, it's not possible.

[g_s_223]

put piano in a sunny room and let sun beat down on the keys.

Eeek! I think direct sunlight is damaging to all furniture. Plus the heat would be very disruptive to the tuning of the instrument. I wouldn't do this at all.

If there really is something to this theory, I would remove the action from the instrument and expose it to UV light, which would be the effective agent. You can buy small UV lamps, but you might be better off buying the action a session or two at your local tanning booth!

[pianistimo]

hmmm.  i think you're right.  pulling the action out.  that's better than letting the wood and tuning go.  i can just see it now, though.  a pianist asks for a tanning booth and then sits outside and waits for the action to get the uv rays.  "might i ask what you are doing?"  "oh, yes...i'm waiting for some action."