Cleaning Piano Black

donedroolin

Well I been trynig to figure away to clean my LSi15's and the Lsic. I have used the Pledge duster that works great. After doing a couple of times it leaves a slight residue on the piano black. So what to use, so not to scratch the surface, well I purchased a Top quality Micro Fiber cloth. From an automotive store, extremely soft. Then the cleaner I used was Cinch spray, it has no phosphrus chemical. I dusted the speakers as normal. Then I sprayed the Micro Fiber cloth wiped the speaker and WOW what a shine and NO SCRATCHS. They look awsome. Don't know if this was ever posted yet but it work GREAT for me.

treitz3

The best product that I have ran across is "Invisible Glass", a Stoner product. Makes it look like it just came out of the factory and you just took off the plastic. Thanks for your suggestion, I'll have to give it a try.

thsmith

Mequiars number 7

treitz3

^^^Great product.^^^

Be sure to take the grills off first though. You don't want that to get into the fabric.

dorokusai

Meguires Scratch-X.

mantis

Damn when I had them I just used a Micro fiber towel and water. Even finger prints came right off. Depending on what you get on them I guess you need something else.
I would have tried Meguires Spray wax, that would work really good or guitar polish by Fender or Gibson.

Dan

Sherardp

Meguiars is great but I prefer Zaino, some of the best stuff out there. I also use microfibers from DI which seem softer than the automotive ones.

http://digitalinnovations.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=DI&Category_Code=Electronics_Cleaning

I also use the airblaster as it works much better than canned air.

MikeC78

Geez... They are speakers for crying out loud! Wax on, wax off...



I keep my speakers indoors.

reeltrouble1

I just leave mine dusty, like me.

RT1

BlueFox

Windex and a paper towel.

Kex

You think that with a PIANO finish, there was actually a PIANO product, for PIANO owners (pianos are usually quite an expensive item and their owners are often very careful with them) that would fix this! After owning a H100 subwoofer, with piano finish on top, I don't think I will ever own a piano anything again unless somebody knows a reliable, easy way to clean the finish without risking micro scratches.

donedroolin

Those are allot of good suggestions. DON'T like the paper towel and windex one. Harsh chemicals in windex and the paper towel will scratch. Invisible glass where do you get it. Are all the other products all waxes. I guess it would protect the finish. Will have to try others, but I was really impressed with the Cinch again no harsh cleaning agents.

treitz3

This is what I'm talking about. If you google it, you will find many outlets. I used to get mine at Sam's Club but my store doesn't stock it anymore. The price was a 3 pack for 9.89 when they had it. A friend of mine "borrowed" a can of mine and swore he'd never give it back he liked it so much. He told me the other weekend that he found it at Lowe's or HD or something like that.

I bought 2 3 packs, gave a can away and I haven't bought another can in about two years. I use it to clean my stove top, microwave, computer screens, speakers, windows, chrome on the truck, basically anywhere that you want a brand new look with absolutely no streaking and as little effort as possible. I'm lazy like that.

steveinaz

A real chamois, warm water, well wrung out. This is all I use on any of my audio equipment. Perfect for easy to scratch plastic display's, speakers, case work. No residue, no chemicals---NADA but shine. I wouldn't use a papertowel on anything shiny or plastic--it's like sandpaper on plastic displays.

I also use the chamois on my HDTV DLP 50" screen.

Maguires would work well too, but that's a pain in the ****.

F1nut

I have used the Pledge duster that works great.

All Pledge products are bad, period.

dorokusai

steveinaz wrote: »

Maguires would work well too, but that's a pain in the ****.

A couple minutes out of your life is a PITA? You must have some crazy regimented schedule there buddy.

Kex

F1nut wrote: »

All Pledge products are bad, period.

Oh ... I don't know ... I kinda like the smell, so I always keep some handy wherever I go!

BlueFox

donedroolin wrote: »

Harsh chemicals in windex and the paper towel will scratch.

That is absurd.

Ender

I use the tears of a Gypsy and the fur off of a unicorn. Makes it sparkle like magic!

mmadden28

Ender wrote: »

I use the tears of a Gypsy and the fur off of a unicorn. Makes it sparkle like magic!

What! :eek: Don't you know that Unicorns are an endangered species?

dorokusai

Ender wrote: »

I use the tears of a Gypsy and the fur off of a unicorn. Makes it sparkle like magic!

Unicorn taste good as well.

donedroolin

Windex and PAPER TOWELS will scratch Piano black. Paper towels are rough. The invisible glass sounds like good stuff. As far as unicorns use what works for you. I am always interested in new ways to keep my speakers looking like new. Thought I would share what worked well for me.

donedroolin

Why would you say the pledge duster is bad. I got that idea reading one of these threads. It is super soft and all it does is pick up the dust for a quick dusting in between the cleaning.

F1nut

Pledge contains silicone, which as you observed, leaves a residue resulting in a poor appearance and smudges easily. Besides that, it makes any touch up/repair extremely difficult. Nasty stuff.

Jstas

Ender wrote: »

I use the tears of a Gypsy and the fur off of a unicorn. Makes it sparkle like magic!

I call shenanigans. Every one knows that unicorns don't have fur, they have hair, just like horses!

Me, I shave my butt hair and have it spun in to yarn by this ornery little guy who always rhymes and complains about some blond chick with really long hair that shafted him on a deal. I then take that yarn and give it to a hundred Laotian virgins who then weave it into cloth for me. I then use that cloth to wash my speakers. But I don't use gypsy tears. I prefer the tears of the Crying Mantis which can only be found on the southern tip of Sri Lanka in a particular date palm that was nurtured from seedling by the Dali Lama himself! They are cared for by a Daoist monk named Carl.

Yeah, go ahead, try and beat that one!





Oh an any product with silicone in it is bad because silicone displaces water. When it displaces water, it replaces the water in any finish or material. The problem with that is silicone is much more susceptible to temperature changes and it eventually leeches out of the finished surface.

Sure it protects from UV rays but it also expands and contracts much more than water and it can actually stretch out pores of a surface which can allow more dirt and other nasty stuff to take up residence. As the silicone contracts, it leaves a gaping hole and can literally fall out of the hole it made. It can also dissolve some oils and strip out those oils as it leeches out of the material you smeared it all over.

What this eventually does is break down the surface of the material you have applied it to. After it leeches out it leaves opportunities for oxidation, uv damage and other degrading effects from the environment which break down material fibers. Once you apply a silicone based "protectant", you have to continually apply that protectant to keep replenishing the silicone and retain at least a small amount of protection for the item you are smeared it all over in the first place.



What I use for piano black depends on the type of finish. Modern polymer or acrylic based piano black finishes are simple. Clean with soap and water. I use a car wash soap because it is potent but not nearly as harsh as say dish soap. Then get a glaze/sealer compound and that will help fill the scratches. Then a carnauba based wax to protect and shine, just like a car. It'll make that black look like it's a mile deep and shine like a black sun.

If you have an old, traditional "piano black" finished with a black lacquer, a soft cloth and a mild, non-abrasive soap is all you need. Lacquer is a fragile finish and if you screw it up, it is not easy to fix so no sense in taking a risk. Acrylic is a cinch to fix. Just a little dab and a bit of wet sanding and polishing, you could do it with a kit you can get for repairing fiberglass from a car parts store.

But yeah, stay away from silicone based stuff like Pledge, Armor All and a whole bunch of other stuff that's out there.

donedroolin

When I say I use pledge it is the DUSTER I use, not the spray. Jstas you got it down the cleaning method you use. Bet it looks like NEW when you are done. Thanks for the rest of the great info about piano black finish. I did not know silicone was that bad.

Kex

Jstas wrote: »

I call shenanigans. ...

Me, I shave my butt hair ...

Oh an any product with silicone in it is bad ...

What I use for piano black ...

Wow! Good humor and in depth useful information all at the same time!

P.S., is the bad stuff about silicone also true of silicone based car polish?

F1nut

If you have an old, traditional "piano black" finished with a black lacquer, a soft cloth and a mild, non-abrasive soap is all you need. Lacquer is a fragile finish and if you screw it up, it is not easy to fix so no sense in taking a risk. Acrylic is a cinch to fix. Just a little dab and a bit of wet sanding and polishing, you could do it with a kit you can get for repairing fiberglass from a car parts store.

John, I have to disagree a bit. Lacquer is not a fragile finish and is still the furniture industry standard. It's also easily repaired, I do it all the time.

As for the piano black finish that one finds on a modern day piano, it's a polyster. Tough as nails, but if it gets damaged, it's damn near impossible to fix.

F1nut

When I say I use pledge it is the DUSTER I use

No difference, it's impregnated with Pledge, which is why you are getting a residue.

Poee7R

Eyeglass cloth's. Not the pre moistened wipe, but the dry microfiber jobbies.

If there is a smudge or something that that cloth cant get up, I just use a spits worth of water along with the cloth.


Dave

Monster Jam

I use this thing called a "Wife". Works great. I don't even lift a finger and it practically cleans itself. No finger prints, smudges, or runs.

I highly recommend.