Smelly radios

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Mudslinger
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Smelly radios

Post by Mudslinger »

I have a radio here that has obviously come from the home of a heavy smoker (Or smokers)

As such it stinks a bit, what do you guys think is the best way of freshening it up?


I have already tried wiping it over with Isopropyl Alcohol, and going over the covers with Autoglym Bumper care, but have had no success.

Of course I could start smoking myself so that I don't notice the smell, but I would rather not. ;)
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163TM847
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by 163TM847 »

It's weird you started this because just yesterday i had a radio through the post which when opening stank of stale smoke and i mean it is really bad, What is strange about it is me and the mrs decided to pack in smoking October last yr and of course recently we can smell what non smokers could smell and when i opened the box it hit us like a tonne of bricks, I said too her i know why now some adverts state "from a non smoking shack"

Anyway, Mr Sheen usually does the trick [The furniture polish not the overpaid drunk "actor"]
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by sureshot »

I've never come across a smokers radio, lucky i guess the one's i've opened always smell of the classic electrical pcb smell, try one of the orange fresheners that taxis put up on there dash, just an idea, odd one this, needed a torx T20 a while back picked up from an old engineers the handle was yellow but gone white with age i thought just discoloured, cleaned it came up as new but the handle stinks like vomit :? theory is it had stood in rank milk for a long time, pass on how to get rid of the smell short of binning it an American quality tool as well. {bnghd} :roll:
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M0MTH
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by M0MTH »

so glad i stopped smoking some years back, I didn't realise quite how offensive it actually was until afterwards, the smell really clings to things
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by MrWeetabix »

Magic tree inside the chassis......job done :-P
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Monsta
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by Monsta »

i will tell you what NOT to use....any "Orange Based" Cleaner.
By god will it remove the smell of cigarettes and all the grime ...thats a GIVEN!

but it will also "mist-up" all your plastic windows ...remove or fade any painted decals, numbers and printing on your radio!

Also the set will smell like you are having a satsuma SMASHED into your nostrils whenever you are using it ..ESPECIALLY when warm, and regardless of my love of several citrus fruits, its NOT what you want ...trust me, and it NEVER fades away...you migh as well gaffer tape a bag of clementines to your CHIN once you clean a microphone with it ...Game OVER...bin Job

I basically completely F***ed a near mint Rotel 240 using it and these days STILL cannot walk past the tangerines in Tesco without smashing one to pulp with my fist and screaming "Copy THIS, Good Buddy, you CITRUS Ba***D!!!!"

AVOID...

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Re: Smelly radios

Post by wa10 »

REALLY stinky rigs go in the sink with baby shampoo or similar, everything but the front panel controls and meter get a scrub with a paintbrush, rinsed under the tap then again with distilled/deionised water, blown out with dry compressed air and a day or two in a warm dry place, works a treat for something id otherwise throw in the bin,

using smelly products to hide the smell of nicotine weed dog or dirty chip fat is like using deodorant on an already stinky armpit, it only fools some people.
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by 26TM944 »

I had a FT1000 come to me from a smoker of roll ups and it stank - now I wiped the whole outside down with baby wipes to get the gunk off the surfaces.

That cleaned all the visible crap off it - then after a while the other smells from probably inside just went as it was left away from the smokers environment. The smell just left in effect.

But I have always used baby wipes - and if really stubborn that white foamy car trim cleaner you get from halfords - just a little bit on a lint free rag to wipe away any bits that the wipes don't touch.

And good luck! And as people where say when you used to smoke you did not know how much you STANK to everyone else who does not. It is a shock to the nose when you find equipment from a heavy smoker and then realise how stinky it is.

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sureshot
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by sureshot »

My pet hate has to be a grubby mic, nothing more disgusting than a spat in dribbled in mic oh and food encrusted yuk, these get stripped and the antibacterial comes out and the specialist tooth brush for those hard to reach places :lol: no cber should be with out one, just don't mix it up with your regular brush :shock: :lol: no the orange thing i was referring to is a dry thing that swing off a taxis rear view mirror so its dry, the tree MW mentions is similar thing does the same job, hygiene and radio gear {bnghd} :lol:
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by bigpimp347 »

i use servisol foam cleaner, does it for me..!!

i've never smoked so i notice even the slightest smell, but to be honest whats a CB smell without a few old stale fags ??

but the other day i did receive a few items and they stunk or weed and fags (rolling baccy) and the seller claims he don't do weed or smoke baccy..!!

well i know the difference been around smokers for years.!!

some times the smell i can live with, but others it's cleaner out and a good soak..

Mics, don't get me started on mics, they go the same way..!!

why can't you buy 'musty old rig smell' air fresheners ??
you can buy 'new car smell' thats one thing i do like to sniff apart from her in doors kacks.!!
old rig boxes and books and manuals, they have a 1970's era smell............ah back in the day.!!
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by Mudslinger »

Thanks for the help everyone, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be the only one who has had this problem.

I certainly have plenty of baby wipes and shampoo here so I might try those first.

It is the speaker and the insides of the radio that will be the most difficult though.

The dirt itself was removed very easily with the IPA but the smell seems to have impregnated the surfaces.

I certainly wouldn't want to live in a house that had been smoked in too much if the smell is this hard to remove.
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Ashtec
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by Ashtec »

Well ive got to put my hand up as im a heavy smoker :lol: :lol: :lol:
You may find traces of Ash in rig's ive looked at or owned :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:

I use servisol foam cleaner or polish or £1 land aftershave :!: :!: :!:
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by Oggy »

As somebody who has never smoked I hate the smell :(
A local guy had a Yaesu FT1000MP that he bought new in 1996 and had it in his bedroom (where he lived, as he still lived with his Mother).
He smoked roll ups like a trooper.
Back in 2002 he offered me it at dead right money, otherwise it was mint with its double box.
I tried everything to clean it, the fan was yellow ! :o
I got it something like, but in the end it had to go!, shame as I love the old MP , infact I'd like another to go with my FT1000D.
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by Mudslinger »

Ashtec wrote:Well ive got to put my hand up as im a heavy smoker :lol: :lol: :lol:
You may find traces of Ash in rig's ive looked at or owned :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:

I use servisol foam cleaner or polish or £1 land aftershave :!: :!: :!:

Is that where the name Ashtec comes from? ;)
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Ashtec
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Re: Smelly radios

Post by Ashtec »

You have got it in one :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: And not forgetting my sir name is ASHER.

I'm also known as cancer man and no im not from the X files

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