Musty smell!

Here is another question we are often asked.

  I bought an accordion on E-bay but it has a bad smell of humidity, is it possible to repair?

Answer:

This is a tough problem to solve. Whether it's called "a bad smell of humidity" or "mildew", or night-club smoke, no-one wants to play an accordion against their chest with a strong odor. It's going to take some work to remove it. First, make up a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Next, remove the accordion from its' case and vacuum the interior of the carrying case thoroughly. The spores carrying the smell are hiding in every nook and cranny and you need to suck them out of the plush lining that most accordion cases have. Don't forget to vacuum the inside of the cover as well. Now, spray some of that mixture onto a cloth and rub down any solid surfaces of the case inside and out. Finally, liberally spray the plush lining and then close the cover. Let the vinegar and alcohol do its' magic over-night.
Now, to the accordion. Obviously, you should wipe down all outside solid surfaces. DO NOT SPRAY DIRECTLY ONTO THE ACCORDION OR THE BELLOWS! Spray a little on a soft, lint-free cloth wrapped around your index finger and apply that way. You can even open the bellows and rub down the folds. I do not recommend taking your accordion apart. Leave that to professionals. There are too many parts to be cleaned and a trained technician would know what to do.