Re: Refurbishing a veneered radio case
The yellow staining from tobacco smoke is not caused by nicotine which is completely colourless. It is in fact a light tar akin to a rather thick grade of oil. It can generally be removed with a relatively mild solution of detergent (washing up lquid is fine) without the need for pricey proprietry products. White spirit also works well for heavier deposits.
Furniture restorers often use a mixture of white spirit and clear distilled vinegar rubbed in with fine steel wool for removing thick grime of all kinds. This lifts old wax finishes too. Clearly this is a more aggressive approach and requires care plus some degree of refinishing.
Alan
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