Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Do I have to cover the keys with the felt cloth?

...Even if I always close the fallboard each time I'm done playing?

The felt cloth is for those who do not cover their keyboard after playing. Unless there is a lot of dust some dealers recommend not covering the keys or closing the fallboard at all. I'm not sure of the pluses and minuses of keeping the fallboard open. I never close the fallbaord or cover the keyboard with felt.

Glad to know that it's not that important to use the felt cloth. I'm too lazy to put it on the keys.

The felt is actually intended to remove the moisture from the keys that your fingers leave on the keys and to help with having less dust accumulate under the keys. I always close it up when I'm done playing.

What's so difficult about putting it back? I own a Schimmel and I place mine on every single time and close the key cover too. It keeps my keys nice and white and shiny.

What about ivory keys? Is there a benefit to covering them up after playing? I always leave my fallboard up and do not cover with felt.

I would think that any moisture(I never really noticed any but I play in an airconditoned room during the summer) would evaporate very quickly?

Hi Morodiene, your house must be a lot cleaner than mine.

My Jack Russell Terrorist is a heavy shedder and it's a constant battle with her hair. I close mine because of this and to keep the grandkids from playing without my permission/supervision.

If you close the lid, I can't see why adding the felt would give additional protection

Seems like I've heard that ivories should not be covered, that the natural light in the room helps keep them from yellowing. Anyone know for sure?

I have not covered my keys in any way for the 47 years I have had my piano and they don't appear any the worse for it.

I occasionally wipe them down with a key cleaning fluid.

However, there is certainly no reason not to cover them if it makes you feel better (except ivory keys?)

I say do whatever you like.

I just disassembled my piano yesterday to try to correct a sticking key problem. I had never used a felt cloth in 41 years.

I could not believe how much dirt had accumulated under the keys, so I'd vote for the use of the felt cloth.

Cleaning it did not resolve my sticking key problem, though, but it probably helped a bit.

It's for a very trivial reason actually. :-)

The piano brand is embossed on the felt cloth, and everytime I lay it on the keys I have to make sure it's right side up and oriented correctly. This obviously takes extra time and effort.

As I said, trivial.

Did you ever close the fallboard on your piano?

i think they used to put felt over ivory keys to protect them from sunlight.

That's what I'm thinking too.

And with today's soft close fallboards, as soon as one is done playing, one can just flick the fallboard forward, get up and walk away. The fallboard will close on its own without slamming.

Well, you did ask and I answered the reason for the felt. It does help to eliminate humidity and it does help to keep the dust from going under the keys.

Use it as a duster if you wish.

Does the fiber of the felt make a difference--like whether it is wool felt or polyester?

Would any cloth accomplish the same thing?

That I can't answer. I don't know what's in it. All I know is what it was intended for. It does seem to work though, whatever it is.

why don't you just vacuum the keys once a month, that will suck up any dirt on, in between and beneath the keys.

Vacuuming they keys won't suck the dirt that is underneath them. It's a lot further down there than you think it is.