Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

LondonLeigh · 8th Sep 2010, 7:47 am

Hi,

Can anyone suggest a method for removing a heavy nicotine odour from an old 332L? Beautiful condition...but it does smell!

Thanks.

SeanStevens · 8th Sep 2010, 10:31 am

Sprinkle with baking powder - leave for a while, vacuum off. Apparently this works for soft furnishings.

I guess a wash would help too......... but don't soak it.

SEAN

Boom · 8th Sep 2010, 11:09 am

The trouble is that as a radio sucks in the air of the room the nicotine smoke gets into every nook and cranny that you can't reach such as IFTs and it is probably even soaked up by the wax parts of the set and if it has one the loudspeaker wrap around cloth. I doubt you will ever totally get rid of the smell but if you take the chassis out of the set and wash the cabinet it will help.

Darren-UK · 8th Sep 2010, 11:23 am

Note that we're talking about a telephone here, not a radio.

Boom · 8th Sep 2010, 11:54 am

Ah that explains why a Goggle search never showed up a 332L radio!

Must have been an even worse problem if people had been breathing their ciggy smoke directly into it especially if the next person to use it was a non-smoker. Yuk.

Darren-UK · 8th Sep 2010, 1:22 pm

I have used Baby Wipes to clean these instruments. They remove the muck very efficiently but you do need a lot of them as they dirty-up almost instantly. The surface of the Bakelite is also left reasonably, but not stunningly, glossy too. This method is handy for an instrument in regular use and which is subject to standard domestic cleaning routines.

Otherwise, for bad cases and 'Just out of grandad's attic' examples I use foam cleaner followed by furniture polish. Obviously foam cleaner needs keeping away from the internals, cords and the dial label.

I like these instruments to look clean but used, rather than having a lovely glossy 'just out of the factory' appearance. My methods may not, therefore, suit other people.

LondonLeigh · 8th Sep 2010, 11:42 pm

Many thanks for all the replies. I'll give these a try.

Much appreciated.

8th Sep 2010, 7:47 am	#1
LondonLeigh Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: London Posts: 8	Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? Hi, Can anyone suggest a method for removing a heavy nicotine odour from an old 332L? Beautiful condition...but it does smell! Thanks.

8th Sep 2010, 10:31 am	#2
SeanStevens Octode Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bath, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,033	Re: Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? Sprinkle with baking powder - leave for a while, vacuum off. Apparently this works for soft furnishings. I guess a wash would help too......... but don't soak it. SEAN __________________ There are only 10 types of people, those who understand the binary system, and those who don't.

8th Sep 2010, 11:09 am	#3
Boom Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westbury, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 2,451	Re: Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? The trouble is that as a radio sucks in the air of the room the nicotine smoke gets into every nook and cranny that you can't reach such as IFTs and it is probably even soaked up by the wax parts of the set and if it has one the loudspeaker wrap around cloth. I doubt you will ever totally get rid of the smell but if you take the chassis out of the set and wash the cabinet it will help.

8th Sep 2010, 11:23 am	#4
Darren-UK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 4,061	Re: Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? Note that we're talking about a telephone here, not a radio.

8th Sep 2010, 11:54 am	#5
Boom Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westbury, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 2,451	Re: Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? Ah that explains why a Goggle search never showed up a 332L radio! Must have been an even worse problem if people had been breathing their ciggy smoke directly into it especially if the next person to use it was a non-smoker. Yuk.

8th Sep 2010, 1:22 pm	#6
Darren-UK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 4,061	Re: Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? I have used Baby Wipes to clean these instruments. They remove the muck very efficiently but you do need a lot of them as they dirty-up almost instantly. The surface of the Bakelite is also left reasonably, but not stunningly, glossy too. This method is handy for an instrument in regular use and which is subject to standard domestic cleaning routines. Otherwise, for bad cases and 'Just out of grandad's attic' examples I use foam cleaner followed by furniture polish. Obviously foam cleaner needs keeping away from the internals, cords and the dial label. I like these instruments to look clean but used, rather than having a lovely glossy 'just out of the factory' appearance. My methods may not, therefore, suit other people.

8th Sep 2010, 11:42 pm	#7
LondonLeigh Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: London Posts: 8	Re: Removing nicotine odour from bakelite - any suggestions? Many thanks for all the replies. I'll give these a try. Much appreciated.