Orchid Care What The Flower Tells

Filed under:Gardening Hub — posted on May 31, 2008 @ 12:37 pm

In Orchid Care The Flower Will Tell You About Some Diseases

Tale for orchid care the flower. The orchid flower is usually a thing of beauty. When diseases strike it can be tell - tale. Like the leaves, the flower can tell you a great deal. Let’s take a look at what we will learn…

Spotting of Flowers

A sign of fungal infection or mold is pink or light brown spots on the flower. When you see either, orchid care will suggest to be careful with your other plants as the infection can spread to other plants.
Remove the orchid flowers that are affected. The remedy is to get more circulation.

Flowers With Punctures

Yes, those aphids can get at orchids, too. Also, some insects including Thrips.
Orchid care the flower suggests that the remedy is spray the orchid with malathion, but be careful and use a face mask.

Flowers With Mottled Colors

Here caring for orchids will strongly suggest a second opinion is necessary. The cause could be a color losing virus. Even if this is suspected then isolate the plant. If it is a virus then you need to destroy the plant.

Bruised Flowers

The causes of bruising are many. It could simply be from mechanical injury. If this is the case the area of damage will not increase or go on to other flowers.

But it could also be from slugs or even cockroaches. You may need to investigate and use some dust to bait them. If from cockroaches then diazinon or Sevin on the ground around the plant, on the plant and the pot as well.

Caring for orchids also shows that the bruising can be from red aphids. If so use the malathion treatment.

Rapid Wilting Of The Flower

If you see wilting of the flower, especially the dorsal or upper septal this can be caused by a sudden temperature change or pollination from an “unknown” pollinator. (I didn’t think orchid flowers were that particular!!). The remedies are those that make sense, moderate the temp changes and remove the affected flowers. Not sure what to do for the unknown attacker.

Deformed Flowers

Caring for orchids is not complete without the a word about deformed orchids.

Common causes include;

low humidity or high temp when the buds were developing
mechanical or chemical injury during bud formation

the bud has acquired an unexplained deformity

the potential of a virus infection, (you see many of the flowers have the deformity). Need to isolate the plant.

Caring for orchids does involve looking at the “whole plant”. In orchid care the flower is important.

Visit our Orchid Store: http://www.orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com

** This article can be used freely as long as the author and the Orchids-Plus-More.com are identified within the article

This site http://www.orchids-plus-more.com is devoted to these wonderful orchid plants. Did you know they are the second in popularity only to the poinsettia plants? You will find a good deal of information on how easy orchid care really is. They are wonderful to have around your home or for that special gift. Orchid flowers are beautiful and can last for years. Your plant will be appreciated for years and years.

Winclear :Clear History Dogpile Search

Filed under:News, Secure Life, Tool Portal — posted on @ 1:06 am

Another big pitfall of using free software that you may become a victim of all kinds of scams which Internet has become full of. There are tens, if not hundreds anti-spyware applications which destroy your PC security once you double-click on an executable file. They keep reporting of successful scans, deleted spyware, and online guards, while secretly doing evil things you may not be aware about. Such software monitors computer activity and saves the report in special files so that the parents can later check it out and make conclusions.

This scam is very simple; the thieves simply wait until some unsuspecting user who is searching for, say, airline ticket offers, finds their site offering dirt-cheap airline tickets. Really pleased with himself and looking forward to the trip, the user fills in the form, entering his credit card number, expiry date and verification value (CVV). Data loggers, key loggers are just a few programs which harvest info from your computer. Winclear is the only program created specially to auto remove such spywares. 74. That is why every computer owner needs winclear.

Protect With Winclear :Free Us History Word Search
Antispyware does even greater job by identifying a whole lot of potential threats and cleaning the infections. Whenever you’re online, antispyware is on alert, ready to fight the spying tools. Spyware, unlike virus, acts behind the scene, often without causing any suspicion on part of a PC user. This kind of malware usually collects private data, reports it to home server, and creates the profile of your browsing activities. If you ever see unexpected pop-ups on desktop (when no browser is launched) or suspicious Windows messages, rest assured your PC is heavily infected by spyware. Most probably right now, when you’re reading this, there’s some nasty file inside your Windows system doing its job. Winclear is the only software which is capable of removing keylogger programs. Generally cookies are used as a shortcut to load information that you have already provided to a website presenting no security risk on well known established websites. Winclear has been the industry leader in fighting keyloggers for the last 8 years.

Winclear:
Free is not bad. That is the reason why you need Winclear installed onto your computer. Think about it… predators have little chance to groom a child for future exploitation if that child is rarely online or is online at various times of the day. Protect your computer security by using Winclear! More about Winclear here: Winclear.

Finding the Best Deal on Your New Mortgage Loan

Filed under:Internet Real Estate Resources — posted on May 30, 2008 @ 8:35 pm

For most of us, the roof over our heads will be our biggest single purchase, and for most of us a home is the single most valuable asset we will ever earn. How that home purchase is financed can make all the difference in the world. Landing the right mortgage loan at the right interest rate can greatly increase the investment value of the home, while choosing the wrong mortgage loan can put your home at risk.

One of the first decisions any mortgage shopper must make is whether to choose a fixed rate mortgage or go with a variable rate interest mortgage loan. In order to really know which decision is best, of course, you would need a crystal ball to predict future interest rates. Since none of us has that particular piece of equipment, it is important to talk to several experts in the mortgage market and get their input.

The next choice mortgage shoppers must make is the length of the mortgage loan. The most common mortgage lengths are 15 years and 30 years, but there are also 20 year, 25 year and even 40 year mortgage available. The shorter the duration of the loan, of course, the higher the monthly payments will be, but the shorter duration mortgage loans will also mean you pay less for the home in the long run. It is important to carefully balance the need for an affordable monthly payment with the desire to keep the price of the mortgage reasonable.

Before any potential home buyer shops for a mortgage or a home, it is a good idea for them to carefully review their own credit report, since the information contained in the credit report will do a lot to determine the interest rate and the terms of the loan. It is a good idea to review your credit report before taking out a mortgage or other loan, since a mistake in the credit report could cause you to pay too much interest and needlessly inflate your monthly payment. If you do find a mistake in your credit report, be sure to report it to the credit reporting agency immediately and have it corrected. After your credit report is totally accurate, you will be in a better position to find the perfect mortgage at the perfect price.

For more information on shopping for a mortgage go to http://www.mortgageown.com

Finally The Perfect Funding RX For Anemic Cash Flow Blues In The Healthcare Industry

Filed under:Finance Tips — posted on @ 5:54 pm

The healthcare industry contributes approximately $1.3 trillion per year to the Gross Domestic Product according to a report by The Health Care Financing Administration, making it the largest industry in the country.

As our population continues to grow and become older, there are increased demands for services by healthcare providers. The healthcare industry is not only experiencing extensive growth, it is evolving constantly, creating a need for trained personnel, specialty supplies, expensive modern equipment, and expanding facilities. Constant changes and rapid growth have created a tremendous demand for cash flow.

Many healthcare providers struggle to set new financial goals due to rising industry costs and cutbacks causing financial stress and unpredictable cash flow. Perpetual changes in the reimbursement process for medical claims through third party payors such as government and commercial insurances also contribute to the financial strain and uncertainty in the healthcare industry.

Healthcare providers can now take comfort in knowing that the remedy for anemic cash flow blues is accessible to them. The cure is medical receivables funding. While other industries have successfully used receivables funding for many years, it is a relatively new concept in the healthcare industry. Healthcare providers can benefit from operating, expansion and acquisition financing to grow the business and increase their bottom line.

Healthcare providers including Physicians and Physicians Groups, Hospitals,MRI Facilities, DME’s, Diagnostic Labs, Nursing Homes, Staffing Agencies, Physical Therapy, Clinics, Pharmacies, Dialysis Centers, Medical Transport, Ambulance Companies, Radiology and Day Surgery Centers, just to name a few may be eligible for funding.

The largest asset of most providers is their account receivables, yet banks typically do not lend money on accounts receivable. Not only does receivables funding provide working capital and flexibility, it also strengthens the provider’s financial posture. Medical receivables funding is considered as an “off balance sheet” transaction and thus will not create any additional debt. The practice of selling your receivables will create unlimited growth potential. The more you generate, the more cash will flow in your direction.

Consider seeking assistance from Diversifed Cash Flow Specialist. Diversified Cash Flow Specialist are generally compensated directly by the funding source and they will place your business with a nationwide funding source.

Opal R. Gilbert, a Diversified Cash Flow Specialist is President of O.R.Gilbert Enterprises. Contact Opal R. Gilbert at
(212)685-1729 or toll free at (888)241-3267.
Email: lendingog@aol.com
Website: http://www.cashflowsolutions.com

Power Supplies, Video on Board, and Documentation: A Wish List

Filed under:Technology Stuff — posted on @ 3:28 pm

I suppose each of us has a wish list for things we’d like to see come about in the world of computing. While some of mine may be a bit far-fetched, others are practical, and could be achieved with only slight improvements in technology. Still others could be had by manufacturers simply changing their mindset about what to offer consumers.

For instance, there is the matter of power supplies that are offered with cases. Many persist in offering only a 300 or 350 watt power supply with cases that would otherwise be excellent to build a system in. About the only kind of computer you can build using under 300 watts is a basic internet and homework kind of family PC.

Another improvement easily achieved would be for manufacturers to provide better documentation. Some provide wonderful manuals, and should be praised for it. Asus, Intel, Abit, all send excellent information out with their products, and back it up with easy to use websites.

However, others have taken to sending out one sheet flyers that attempt to explain their product with pictographs, seeming to believe their customers cannot read. I find this very irritating.

Something on my list that would require a slight technology improvement is better video on the motherboard. Yes, more RAM would have to be set aside, but with most motherboards capable of handling 3GB of memory, this would really be no problem. You could have graphics card quality without the heat they generate.

Michael Quarles is the author of Building A PC For Beginners.

Golfing - The Joy of Golf

Filed under:Sports Stuff — posted on @ 3:13 pm

I started playing golf as a way to entertain clients and socialize with my business vendors. If you have decided to take up golf as a hobby you will be rewarded with the benefits of fresh air, exercise, and the addition of many new friends and acquaintances. You will also be humbled by the process of learning HOW to golf. Like any project you approach in life your attitude and expectations will determine your enjoyment of the game.

You will learn that the road to a low handicap is earned through countless bad shots, bunkers, water hazards and triple digit scores. You will invest a lot of time in practice. Welcome every hook, slice and 3 putt as a learning opportunity. Even the most horrendous mistake is a learning opportunity.

Golfing provides a rich opportunity to meet new people and provides you with opportunities for social interaction. You will get to meet new people in a setting in which you both have an avid interest, which makes for easy conversations. Golfing is also an excellent opportunity to meet like minded single people if you are looking for new people to meet.

How much golf equipment do you actually need? Golf is a very expensive game but there are affordable options. A high-end brand name set of clubs can set you back several thousand dollars but there are quality and affordable alternatives. Before buying clubs you should visit several golf stores and club pro shops. Test different types of clubs, determine which club length is best for you, get to know the different types of grips available and learn the difference between graphite and steel shafts. Take time to learn about the different types of golf balls, gloves, shoes and tees.

When you are choosing a golf bag you will first need to decide if you are going to walk the coarse or ride a cart. Golf bags are available in a range of materials make sure to choose one that is suited to your climate. Golf shoes are important; make sure they are comfortable and waterproof.

Should you take lessons from a golf professional? The answer to this question should be yes, but it depends on your budget. Golf lessons are expensive but will make learning the sport considerable more enjoyable, and you will be playing good golf in considerably less time. A more affordable alternative is to purchase one of the many training programs available by dvd. You can also use the internet as your open resource to learning more about the game without spending a lot of money,

Before you lift a club, you need the right attitude, and remember to remain positive, quiet your mind and remember it’s only a game. And game are supposed to be fun, so make golf fun and you can play for the rest of your life.

Bill McRea - EzineArticles Expert Author

Bill McRea is the publisher of Golf and Golfing Vacations and How to improve your golf game. Both sites offer advice and product for the new and learning golfer

Directionals Move Properties

Filed under:Internet Real Estate Resources — posted on May 29, 2008 @ 7:46 am

One of the most effective and frequently overlooked methods of filling or selling a property is the use of directional arrow signs. I’m guilty of it myself, although usually I’m merely lazy instead of overlooking this great marketing technique. Being lazy usually costs me in terms of holding costs, especially if you happen to be in a buyer’s market as I currently am. Even if you’re in a hot market where everything is moving quickly, directionals will move your property that much quicker.

Yes, there are numerous other methods you can use such as: flyers in the neighborhood and large stores and shopping malls, ads in the large and small papers, listings on the internet, listing with a real estate agent, calling real estate agents to inform them, mailouts to apartment complexes, yard signs with flyer boxes, open houses, calling loan officers, emailing your buyer list, etc., etc. (I have one friend use advertises her properties on the cable preview channel and she says it works great. Unfortunately, that option isn’t available in my area.)

Why Do Directionals Work So Well?

Directional arrow signs work well for a number of reasons. First, they are targeted to the neighborhood where the property is located so the folks who will actually see them are the buyers or tenants who are already driving the neighborhood looking for properties. The second group of people who will see the signs are the residents who already live there. Many times the nearby residents will have family or friends who want to move into the neighborhood.

Flyers delivered to the neighborhood will also accomplish the notification aspect that there’s an available property, but what flyers don’t do is lead the prospect or prospect’s friend straight to the front door.

Why Not Just Use Typical Bandit Signs?

For those that don’t know, bandit signs are the road-side signs that many people utilize to advertise their business, favorite politician, and/or properties for sale or lease. The signs come in many colors and sizes, some professionally done and some hand-written. The nickname bandit signs stems from the fact that many municipalities have sign ordinances that prohibit their use or restrict use in the public domain or right of way.

The primary weakness of typical bandit signs for marketing a property for sale or lease is that the sign provides a little information (often impossible to read while driving by) and a phone number. If I’m out looking for properties today, I don’t want to leave a message or turn around to go see what the sign said. I want to drive by NOW, not tomorrow, not later today, right now.

How is a Directional Arrow Sign Different?

Who said anything about one directional sign? I’m talking an entire series of signs that leads the prospect from the main thoroughfare all the way through the neighborhood to the driveway of your property. There’s no thinking, major squinting, turning around, or phone calls involved here. “Oh, honey, turn there quick.” Then it’s “look, there’s another sign, turn there.” etc., all the way to the property. Then, of course, there’s more information including contact numbers available at the property.

Okay, So How Do I Implement This Technique?

Here’s the way I do it and you should tweak it and improve to suit you. When a property becomes available, I study the neighborhood and determine the “best” ways to lead prospects to my property. By “best”, I take into consideration ease of navigation, neighborhood amenities like parks and schools, and surrounding properties. If there’s a back way into the subdivision or location, I map out both paths.

My target locations are every single corner that my prospects will need to turn in order to get to the property. If there’s a really long stretch without a turn, then I might need a directional arrow in the middle of that stretch to keep them coming. My experience has been that I will have to replace signs within the neighborhood only a few times, but I have to monitor the signs on the major roads and replace them fairly frequently. However, these signs tend to stay put much longer than a traditional bandit sign.

Then I simply go door-knocking and ask people if I can place a small directional sign in their yard. I intentionally do this during the day to miss folks because I’d rather not get involved in lengthy discussions about the property and I’ve got many doors to get to. Once I’m sure no one’s home, I leave a letter in the screen door or someplace where it will be easily seen. I drop this letter at all four houses on each corner on the route.

What Does the Letter Say?

I’ve found it’s important to NOT come across as a real estate investor or a company. I use an informal style and simply ask for help in finding someone to buy or lease my property. Points that I include in the letter are:

  • It’s just a small directional arrow sign

  • I’ll put it right by the corner and not really in their yard

  • I’ll make sure I don’t damage any sprinkler systems

  • They get a $20 gift certificate once the process is done

  • They get to choose the store, restaurant, etc.

  • Please call me to replace the sign if it gets removed

  • The first person who calls me wins

  • This technique has never failed. Frequently, I’ll have two or more people from each corner call me, but I’ve always had at least one person call to agree to the arrangement. Some of them have even taken serious offense to do-gooder neighbors who remove the signs as the property owner is concerned they might not get their gift certificate. I’ll describe the signs in more detail below, but I started adding “Placed With Permission of Owner” on the top of the signs and this reduced my losses.

The end result of this effort is that perhaps I pay out $160 to $200 in referral fees, but I have to run my $50 to $150 worth of weekly newspaper ads many, many fewer weeks. It definitely pays off from a monetary standpoint. The other benefit is that I now have a list of folks near each property (whom I’ve never even met) who think I’m great. Every single person will call me back after receiving their gift to thank me and the large majority volunteer that I’m more than welcome to do this anytime I need.

What Do the Signs Look Like?

The signs I use are basically the standard bandit signs cut in half. A normal size bandit sign is 18″ x 24″ and I use 9″ x 12″ signs for my directional arrows. I have a red directional arrow that takes up about 5 inches of the sign, leaving the bottom 4 inches blank. Within the red arrow I ask the sign company to put my message which could be “Owner Finance” or “Lease Purchase” or whatever you prefer. The message is easy to read.

In the blank space I use a large marker to write the property address. It’s important to leave enough blank space below the arrow to write the address in large numbers and letters. Also, as I mentioned above, I include the “owner permission” tag line on top of the arrow. I buy 36″ wooden stakes from Home Depot and attach an arrow sign to each side of the stake so the information can be seen coming and going.

If you don’t have a source for these signs, please contact BanditSigns.com to get some. They’re inexpensive and well worth the cost.

I hope you’ll add this tool to your marketing techniques and discover the same success I’ve had in using it. You may find that you abandon many other advertising tools you’ve been using in the past.

Sincerely,

Tim Randle
http://TexasRealEstateClub.com

(c) Copyright 2003, All Rights Reserved.

About The Author

Tim Randle is a full-time real estate investor in the Austin, Texas area. For more information, please visit his web site at http://TexasRealEstateClub.com

info@texasrealestateclub.com

Diagnosing Learning Disabilities: Is Your Child Exhibiting ADHD Characteristics?

Filed under:Improving Your Health — posted on @ 6:25 am

By Tess Thompson

Diagnosing a learning disability or a medical condition like
ADHD can be complicated and inexact. In the case of ADHD, many
of the telltale symptoms are also often symptoms of regular
childhood behavior — restlessness, rowdiness, and a tendency to
be easily distracted. ADHD is treated differently from learning
disabilities because it is thought to be different in nature.
While most learning disabilities can be diagnosed through
specific testing, ADHD requires a more subtle diagnosis through
comprehensive evaluation.

A learning disability is generally caused by a neurological
difference in the brain structure of a child that makes it
difficult for him or her to process information in the same way
as others. Learning disabilities rarely have anything to do with
intelligence level and are generally not treated with
medication, as medication can do nothing to change a brain’s
“wiring,” or structure. Children with learning disabilities have
to be trained to compensate for them, and after they are
diagnosed, schools can help them by providing extra time on
tests or other taking other special measures.

ADHD is not considered to be a learning disability as it is
thought to be caused by an absence of the neurotransmitter
norepinephrine in parts of the brain, and not necessarily by the
brain’s “wiring.” Medication can sometimes be used as a
successful child ADHD treatment because certain kinds increase
the production of neurotransmitters (such as Ritalin), but these
medications can also cause disturbing side effects in some
children.

In order for your child to be diagnosed with ADHD, he or she
must have consistently exhibited ADHD characteristics for an
extended period of time and in different environments (school,
home, play..etc). Because many of the symptoms of ADHD are also
common symptoms of depression or anxiety, the doctor or
psychologist evaluating your child will want to make sure that
your child is not simply reacting to specific situations.
According to the Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is often used in
ADHD research studies, common symptoms include:

-Difficulty organizing tasks and activities

-Often losing things necessary for tasks or activities

-Often easily distracted by outside stimuli

-Not listening when spoken to directly

-Difficulty awaiting turn

-Difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly

There is no single specific test that will diagnose ADHD and
each child will exhibit symptoms in a slightly different way. As
there are also no genetic indicators of ADHD, diagnosis requires
extensive and thorough evaluation. The U.S. Department of
Education does not require a clinical diagnosis, which means
that for school purposes, if a school allows it, a school
psychologist can diagnose ADHD in your child. If after careful
consultation you determine that your child does have ADHD, be
sure to evaluate multiple behavioral and medical or herbal
options for treatment for ADHD before deciding on the one you
feel is best for your child.

How to Select a Casino

Filed under:Lady Luck's Lair — posted on May 28, 2008 @ 10:20 am

Gambling on the Internet has come up in a big way in the past few years. It has become an easy, convenient way to play some of the most popular games like Poker,BlackJack,Roulette,Baccarat, Video Poker, Slots, etc. that offer you the highest potential for maximizing your winnings or minimizing your losses, and are usually a part of every player’s game plan. You could choose to play alone or with other players, enter tournaments or play for the big jackpot- all in the comfort of your home!

Online casinos are perfect for you, if you:

1. Don’t like the noise, distractions and glitzy ambience of traditional brick and mortar casinos.

2. Like to play at odd hours, without the inconvenience of having to drive to a casino at those odd hours!

3. Are a novice, and would like to practice your favorite games and get acquainted with their rules and finer aspects thoroughly before going on for professional gambling, or before taking on the additional distractions of a brick and mortar casino.

4. Are a novice, and would like the option of getting free money play, so that you may practice without the risk of losing real money.

Different types of online casinos

The Internet is flooded with hundreds of online casinos, most of them, more or less, similar on the surface. You can select a casino once you are aware of the different types of online casinos and what they offer. Broadly speaking, online casinos can be divided into two broad groups based on their interface:web-based casinos and download-based casinos (there are some online casinos offer more than one interface):

Web-based casinos: Web-based online casinos are websites where users may directly play casino games without loading any software to the local computer. Games are mainly presented through browser plugins of Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Shockwave, or Java and require browser support for the above-mentioned plugins. Also, bandwidth should be adequate as all the graphics, sounds and animations are loaded through the web via the plugin. A very small number of web-based casinos allow games played through a plain HTML interface.

Download-based casinos: Download-based online casinos are the most common of online casino web sites. Anyone using these websites would need to download certain software to play casino games. Once the required software has been installed, it connects to the casino service provider and handles contact without browser support. One advantage of download-based casinos is speed, since there is no need to load graphics from the Internet. The downside is that, there is an initial download time to install the program. There is also the risk of the program containing malware (though this is very uncommon).

There are also additional differences like the gaming environment and quality of interaction that, though minor, do differentiate one casino from another in terms of overall experience.

Checks to keep in mind while selecting an online casino

Being acquainted with the basic differences between different casinos and knowing your options is the first step towards selecting a casino. Once this is done, you can analyze and short-list a suitable online casino on the basis of some important parameters and check points listed below:

1. Is the casino licensed? There are plenty of unlicensed, illegal gambling casinos, which are nothing more than money scam operations.

2. Where is the casino licensed? While online casinos licensed in Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Kahnawake, Netherlands Antilles, United Kingdom and the West Indies are recommended, online casinos licensed in Eastern Europe should be approached with extreme caution.

3. Does the casino offer 24×7 phone, fax, live chat and email support? It might be a good idea to actually call up on the numbers listed and find out about the payout time, policies, etc.

4. Is the online casino officially recognized by various gaming bodies and authorities? For instance, are the payout percentages of the online casino independently reviewed by auditors such as PricewaterhouseCoopers?

5. Casino software providers such as iGlobalMedia, Microgaming, Playtech, Random Logic, Real Time Gaming and WaterLogic are very popular and each enjoys an excellent reputation in the online gambling industry.

Once you have successfully judged an online casino on all the above points, you can be more than reasonable sure of a good, interesting, positive gaming experience. Though these guidelines may not provide a 100 percent security, they do make a very good checklist when choosing an dollaronline casino to play at.

Author Informaton:

The author, Brian Hover, is a well- known online gambling specialist and has been lending his expertise and experience to the Internet gambling industry since 1997. Having studied the scope and potential of secure online gambling alternatives, Brian has been instrumental in providing a number of secure online gambling portals like http://www.dollaronlinecasino.com dollaronlinecasino. The portal is known for the number of popular gambling options, along with the security and reliability it offers.

Caring for a Piano - From the Moment of Purchase

Filed under:School of Music — posted on @ 8:48 am

If you have a piano, you’ve probably made it the centerpiece of
a particular room. There’s no doubt that pianos are a beautiful
piece of furniture and can be a wonderful addition to your home.
But where should you put it? And how do you care for it? These
are questions you may not have considered until the delivery van
is in the driveway or the first layer of dust has accumulated.
Take some tips from the pros.

One of the first things to consider is that your piano is
probably going to have to stay where you put it for some time.
Unless this is a compact model, moving it from one side of the
room to another is going to be a major undertaking. Even with
wheels, you’re likely to damage flooring.

Get the exact measurements of your piano before it arrives and
take careful stock of your room. Clear the spot you want the
piano, then mark off the space the piano will take up. Is there
comfortable room for someone to be seated on the bench to play?
Making a paper or computer outline of your room and placing your
furniture in the model is a good idea if you have the time and
patience for this kind of undertaking.

If you have central heat, be sure your piano isn’t going to be
blocking a vent. Not only will it knock down on the distribution
of heat, but the direct stream of air isn’t good for the piano.
Be sure there’s a light source for the pianist, but you also
shouldn’t put the piano in direct sunlight.

Remember that little critters may very well take up residence in
a piano, especially one that’s not used often. With that in
mind, it’s probably a good idea to keep a grip on mice and bug
infestations. If you have a piano in storage, be sure the area
is “vermin free.”

Cleaning a piano is not a tremendously difficult chore if you
start with a few simple rules. Never play with dirty hands. It’s
especially important to enforce this rule if you have children
in the house who take lessons or simply can’t resist touching
the piano. Keeping the cover closed is a good start, but kids
tend to be fascinated by the instrument and dirty hands can
cause some serious cleaning issues.

If keys do get sticky, a slightly damp, soft cloth is probably
your best bet. Be sure the cloth isn’t wet enough to drip. Wipe
the top of the keys first, then depress each key to clean the
sides of the keys beside it. Remember that grime on the sides of
the keys can cause the keys to stick. Avoid harsh cleaners and
keep in mind that many household cleaners will leave a sticky
residue. For tough stains, try a bit of lemon or alcohol on your
cleaning cloth.

As for the case, it all depends on the material. It’s best to
follow manufacturer’s suggestions, A general rule of thumb is to
clean a wood case as you would any other wood, but be careful
that you don’t allow any cleaner or water to drip through cracks
and crevices in the case.


next page