Can you use WD40 on piano pedals? How do you lubricate piano pedals? How do you fix a squeaky piano pedal? Is the method of fixing squeaky piano pedals the same as acoustic and digital pianos? If the pedal on your piano is producing some annoying noise now when you put your foot and step on it, whether you are using an acoustic or digital, you might want to eliminate that squeaky noise. How? Join us as we are going to discuss some ways how to deal with that and why that is happening to your piano pedal.
When it comes to pedals, especially on acoustic pianos, you usually see three pedals that are very important and could help your tone drastically when used. The left pedal is called una corda, which thins out the tone of the piano, while the right one is called the damper pedal or also known to many as the sustain pedal, which prolongs the sound of the piano as it lifts all of the dampers off the piano strings. Lastly, the middle is called the sostenuto, which holds up the dampers that have raised their keys.
Reasons For A Squeaky Piano Pedal
So, when you are using these pedals, and you hear some squeaky sound from it, then you might better fix it first before it gets too late. However, what is the reason why your piano pedal is giving some annoying squeaking sound? Here are some of the possible reasons why it is happening:
Age
One of the reasons why a thing malfunctions after some time is because of age. Of course, it is a pretty obvious thing, so even with your piano pedal, if it starts to produce some squeaky noise even though it is not malfunctioning, it is not always a good sign when a part of your musical instrument is producing that annoying noise.
As your piano gets older, its parts, including the piano pedals, also start to get older, and with age, it is typical that it will also start to fail and will probably need to be either replaced or repaired, depending on its condition. If left unused and not properly stored for a long time, it can also be a huge reason why your piano pedals are not functioning well and are starting to produce a squeaky sound.
Lubrication And Lack Thereof
Aside from old age, another reason why your piano pedals are producing some squeaky noise is that it lacks lubrication already. Aside from time, high temperatures and low and high humidity levels can also be the reason why the lubrication on your piano pedals has already dried out and is starting to produce that annoying squeaky sound when you step on it.
Another thing that could also dry out your pedals’ lubrication is when it is improperly stored at a place with no temperature control. With this setup, the lubrication will quickly dry out, corrode, and rust, which results in the piano pedals producing that squeaky sound.
Worn-Out Pedal Bushings
Aside from old age and dried lubrication, another thing that can be the reason why your piano pedal is producing a squeaky sound is maybe because of its worn-out bushes. Pedal bushings are used to reduce noise and the impact of vibration, so when it starts to get worn out, you will also start to hear a squeaky sound from your piano pedal.
Although it is normal that pedal bushing will wear out with time, it can also easily wear out when it is used excessively and aggressively. So if you are a pianist, you must also be careful in using the piano pedal to avoid damaging it in the long run.
Rust
One of the most common reasons a thing breaks on its own is rust. So, if you are starting to hear some squeaky sounds from your piano pedal, then you can expect that many of its parts are already rusty and maybe have already been corroded.
One of the primary reasons why there is rust on your piano pedal is because of the high humidity and frequent temperature changes. When it is also not properly stored and taken care of, especially if rarely used, this instance can also be the main reason why your piano pedals are starting to get rusty.
Is WD40 Safe To Use On Piano Pedals?
So, what is WD40, and is it safe to use on piano pedals? The WD40 is a water displacement spray that is made up of a mixture of anti-corrosion agents and lubricants. The WD40 can act as a lubricant, penetrant, moisture displacer, and rust preventive agent, making it a great use to remove rust and clean the corroded parts of many things.
However, is it safe to use it on piano pedals? When it comes to oil-based lubricants, such as WD40, many piano technicians are not recommending it for cleaning out your piano pedals and eliminating that squeaky noise that comes from them. WD40 would be great for metal parts and metal-to-metal surfaces; however, it can damage some plastics, which can be very hard to prevent when cleaning a piano pedal.
So, although it can maybe help in removing the rust in your piano pedal, you can’t also sacrifice the plastics on it that are susceptible to damage if you are going to apply WD40 on it.
How Do You Fix A Squeaky Piano Pedal
So, how do you fix a squeaky piano pedal? If your piano pedal is starting to produce a squeaking sound because of its old age, then you should check out if there are parts on it that would need to be replaced. However, if the reason for the squeaking sound is that the entire piano pedal needs to be entirely replaced, then maybe you should start to find one. One thing that you can do to prevent any damage from old pianos is to take care of them properly, even if you are not using them quite often or even for a long time.
So if you are going to replace a part or maybe even the entire pedal, it would be better if you hire a piano technician to do the job for you to avoid any mistakes that could possibly damage your piano in the long run, which can be very costly.
When it comes to worn-out bushings, the only thing you can do to repair them is to replace the damaged ones with new bushings. This will surely eliminate the squeaky noise coming out of the piano pedal. You can try to search for videos on the internet if you prefer to replace them on your own without the help of any technician.
However, if the squeaky noise is because of the lack of lubrication in your piano pedal, then you should start to apply some lubrication to it. So, how do you lubricate piano pedals? To lubricate piano pedals, you have to either use graphite and Teflon powder as they are widely used when it comes to this task. It is also much better if you are going to place your piano in a temperature-controlled room, especially if you are not going to use it for a long time.
So, can you use WD40 on piano pedals? No, do not use WD40 on piano pedals, as it can damage them which can be very costly to repair or replace.
