What causes it?

Pianos that are stored in dirty garages or damp basements – ideal places for mold and bugs to do their work – are most prone to developing an unpleasant smell over the years. This is especially true if the basement the piano was stored in got water damage due to a flood, tornado or hurricane. The CDC has warned that these pianos, along with other household furniture, could be harmful for the health of inhabitants if not properly treated.

What you’ll require:

Here is a handy checklist of all the things you’ll need to clean up your musty, smelly piano. Luckily, all the things on the list are fairly common household items:

• Water
• Vinegar
• Soft cloth
• Gloves
• Face mask
• Household bleach
• Baking soda
• Furniture polish
• Murphy’s Oil

What to do:

• Begin by cleaning up the exterior of the piano. A soft cloth dipped in furniture polish should be used to wipe down wooden pianos. When you are cleaning up the exterior of pianos that aren’t wooden, employ a feather duster to gently dust them. A slightly damp piece of cloth can be used as well. The piano keys should be cleaned with a damp cloth. The ones which are especially dirty can be dealt with using a tiny amount of whitening toothpaste that is wiped on them using a slightly wet cloth.
• Strong odours like cigarette smoke can be removed from the pianos exterior by wiping it down with a mild cleaning product e.g. Murphy’s Oil.
• Vinegar solution should be used to clean the piano’s inside. Milder smells can be removed by mixing 2 cups vinegar with 2 cups water. With a soft cloth dipped in this vinegar solution, thoroughly wipe down the piano’s interior and leave it to air dry.
• Now comes the more tricky part – be sure to put on the gloves and face mask before proceeding. A stronger cleaning solution e.g. a solution of bleach may be required for pianos infested with rodents or bugs, or mold spores / mildew stains. In a room with plenty of ventilation, mix 3 cups of water and 1 of household bleach. Use this solution with a soft cloth to wipe down on the rodent/bug excrement, or mildew / mold
• If the smell lingers on, put an open baking soda box inside the piano and replace it every three months

If you are doubtful about your abilities to handle the job, there are plenty of professional mold remediators that can remove the mold infestation from your piano for a fee.

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1. It Lowers Blood Pressure

Listening to classical music has been shown to reduce a person’s stress level, which leads to a demonstrable reduction in blood pressure. One study demonstrated that people who listened to classical music had significantly lower blood pressure than those listening to other styles, such as jazz, pop and rock, as well as those not listening to music at all.

2. It Can Defeat Insomnia

Not being able to fall asleep is a terrible feeling. The rhythms and tonal patterns found in classical music, particularly the work of Brahms, Mozart, Bach, Strauss and Handel, help to put the mind in a relaxed, meditative state, allowing a person to fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer.

3. It Can Reduce Crime

Several cities have experimented with playing music at subway station. The results have been remarkable. While it not entirely clear why this effect has occurred, crime went down as much as 40 percent after those stations began playing classical music. London, Portland, Minneapolis and Toronto are just a few cities that have successfully experimented with this approach.

4. It Helps Premature Babies Grow

Studies in Israel have found that premature babies who were exposed to half an hour of Mozart a day grew more rapidly than those who were not. The music was able to relax them and boost their immune systems, encouraging the natural growth process.

5. It Helps Children’s Brains Develop

Children who listen to classical music, especially those who go on to play it on the piano or another musical instrument later, have been shown to grasp mathematical concepts more readily. They also have demonstrated higher levels of focus and better verbal and spatial intelligence.

6. It Can Inspire and Heighten Emotion

Being in touch with one’s emotions is very important to overall health, and emotional intelligence can be heightened through listening to classical music. It can help listeners to tap into their own emotions and explain them more readily. It may also allow them to delve into difficult topics that they might not otherwise discuss, thereby allowing healing to occur.

7. It Reduces Anxiety in Medical Procedures

Having medical procedures done is frequently a stressful process for patients, but those who have been able to listen to classical music while the procedure is going on have reported feeling less fear and pain during the procedure. The music serves as both a distraction and a method of relaxation.

8. It Mimics the Effects of Speech

Around the world, people forge mental and emotional connections with each other through both verbal communication and music. Classical music has emotional effects on the listener that tap into the same primal center responsible for speech. Music serves as a point of commonality for people, no matter what culture they come from.

9. It Can Alter the Brainwaves

Listening to classical music regularly for an extended period of time can begin to change the way that the brain processes the world, leading to enhanced states of relaxation. This can even happen with the music is merely on in the background.

10. It Can Create a Calming Effect

If you are feeling stressed out, try listening to some classical music. While its effects are most pronounced on those who enjoy this style of music, it can increase a sense of relaxation in anyone. Its calming influence can be most welcome in the midst of a harried day.

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