Neutralizing cigarette smoke

[sodamo]

The thread title is my goal.

My Dad was a lifelong heavy smoker, it's contributing factor noted on his death certificate.

Anyway, after his passing we were fortunate in that we inherited a number of items, nick-nacks, etc that we'd like to display in our home in honor of my parents. These items have been packed away for 7 years. Today we unpacked some and unfortunately, they reek as much as the day my wife packed them.

So the question is how to lose that stench, without harming the items, which range from various metal figures, to painted ceramics, to wooden, even the woolen afghan my Mom hand crocheted before I was born.

We do know they will NOT just air out placing in the breeze, outside, even in sunlight - tried that with other items already.

So anyone with experience, suggestions? We'd appreciate it.
Thanks

 

[tulenutn2o]

The thread title is my goal.

My Dad was a lifelong heavy smoker, it's contributing factor noted on his death certificate.

Anyway, after his passing we were fortunate in that we inherited a number of items, nick-nacks, etc that we'd like to display in our home in honor of my parents. These items have been packed away for 7 years. Today we unpacked some and unfortunately, they reek as much as the day my wife packed them.

So the question is how to lose that stench, without harming the items, which range from various metal figures, to painted ceramics, to wooden, even the woolen afghan my Mom hand crocheted before I was born.

We do know they will NOT just air out placing in the breeze, outside, even in sunlight - tried that with other items already.

So anyone with experience, suggestions? We'd appreciate it.
Thanks

Nick naks can be sprayed 409 or put in dishwasher. Or in tub with dishwasher detergent. Tsp works well too.(tri-sodium phosphate- will irritate skin though). You have to cut through all the tar and nicotine. Been there many times, nothin real easy.

 

[ustmd]

For the fabric items or iems that can't be washed, you need to get them treated in an ozone chamber.

Given the age and exposure, you may need to do several treatments.

You can look in the yellow pages for fire or smoke recovery. You may also be able to rent an ozone machine, put everything in a closed off room (or car) and leave for several days.

 

[sparrowhawk]

get some Primos scent blocker with silver. it will do a pretty good job neutralizing the smell.

 

[jeffreythree]

+1 on the ozone. We used one all the time on smokers' trade ins and such at a car dealer.

 

[Egon]

Chances are the items will have a tar type build up on them that retains the smelly ingredients.

Remove that tar and all should be good.

How to remove it without damaging things is another matter?

 

[sodamo]

Thanks, good suggestions.
Looked online for ozone generator, a bit too expensive, but sounds like the best solution for some things, like my Mom's bible. We'll be gently hand washing some things.

 

[Dargo]

My company used to be a distributor for a chlorine gas generating packet (place a packet with crystals of one chemical in one side and a different chemical on the other side) that when placed in a 1/4 cup of water would literally destroy and eliminate the odor without harming anything. I can tell you for a fact that I loved car dealerships that had spent thousands and thousands of dollars on those worthless so called ozone generators only to find out that they did not work. The smell always came back on the first damp day.

Unfortunately, just as things were getting really nice, the owner of the company (a chemist who invented and patented this product) sold out for tens of millions and the "not to be named" company who bought the patent eliminated all existing distributors immediately. I honestly don't know which chemical company bought the patent, but they would have to be really big, have deep pockets, and have existing production facilities to take over production of this product. Everything on the internet about the product has been removed as well.

Since some company bought this product for a considerable amount of money, I would assume we will see it in some retail fashion in the near future. Cars, furniture, clothes, books etc. that were treated with this product had a slight smell like a municipal swimming pool for a couple of days and then there was no odor that ever returned. Of course, if someone started smoking in their car again it would again start to stink again (yeah, you know why I know that - some people never cease to amaze me).

Other than that product, there is nothing I am aware of that actually works. My company has listened to the sales pitch and had dozens of "works just like it" presented to us, but none are even remotely close. This product actually killed and eliminated the actual source of the odor and then literally evaporated. As I said, based on what they spent on the patent, I expect to see it relatively soon. Good luck and be careful about wasting your money on products that will NOT work and some will actually permanently damage what you have.

 

[sodamo]

Thanks Dargo, that was interesting.

 

[Skyco]

Be careful with ozone- it will damage rubber and some plastics.
Read an interesting article years ago where an electronics repair shop was puzzled as to why one customer kept bringing her VCR in with crumbled bad drive belts. Finally turned out she was running some air cleaner that emitted ozone (part of the claimed "air cleaning") and it was attacking the belts!