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Post subject: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:46 am
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Has anyone had any luck getting cigarette smoke smell from a bass and soft case? I just picked up a bass that reeks of smoke. I may have to hang a car air freshener from one of the tuners.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:27 am
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I don't know if this would alter the finish, but maybe some Lemon Pledge may buffer, or eliminate the odor.

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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 8:57 am
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Try putting a small baggie or container filled with baking soda in your case. Should absorb the odor, worked on gasoline smell in my car trunk. :)


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:13 am
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You can't dry-clean a gig-bag because the dry cleaning fluid and heat will break down the foam. Instead here is what I'd do. It's not quick, but it is pretty easy and not very expensive at all. It is just time consuming with lots of waiting between steps.

First, put one Downy dryer sheet in every zip pocket and several in the main instrument compartment. They will be in there a day or two. Zip all compartments shut.

The exterior of the must be bone dry before going to the next step. Do not do this next step during rainy or damp weather or in a damp location.

Second, on the gig-bag exterior only, liberally apply LOVE MY CARPET brand deodorizing carpet powder. Use a mild scented one like SUMMER KISS. Use a completely dry toothbrush or other similar fine brush to scrub it into the fabric and get 100% coverage. Let the powder sit there undisturbed for at least one full day but two is better. It has microfine baking soda in it that absorbs the smoke smell and it needs time to work. The goal is not to cover the odor but get it out, which is why I suggest the milder scent and this particular brand of powder which has excellent odor absorbing ingredients.

Third, After standing a full 24 hours minimum, vacuum the powder off the exterior of the gig bag fabric using an upholstery brush attachment on a powerful vacuum cleaner, perhaps at the neighborhood coin operated car wash. Next head to a high pressure air compressor and use it at full blast to blow off the case exterior to get rid of any powder the vacuum missed. You must get all the powder off the exterior, or at least as much as possible, before going to the next step.

Fourth, unzip all compartments and discard the Downy sheets. Use Febreze brand EXTRA STRENGTH variety FABRIC REFRESHER spray to mist the case interior areas lightly and the case exterior more heavily. The regular Febreze spray works but you'll need to apply it 2 or 3 times and it will take much longer than the EXTRA STRENGTH. Let the case dry out unzipped at least several days and up to a full week.

While the case is drying out from the Febreze spray treatment, it is time to start cleaning on the instrument. First, remove the strings and either soak in a 100% denatured alcohol bath overnight or just plan on replacing them. Often strings have a fabric layer between the outer winding and inner core and you'll never get the smell completely out of the strings without an alcohol soaking. You can follow the directions here to clean the strings: http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/bass_string_cleaning_tube.html Next the instrument should be thoroughly cleaned using guitar appropriate products (including the fretboard) and then aired on a stand for about a week.

Fifth, after a week of airing the guitar should be cleaned one more time as before but this time finish with a polish and on non-maple fretboards ONLY apply some lemon oil or fretboard conditioner. Re-string and setup.

This should get rid of most of it. You can keep Downy dryer sheets in the zipper storage pockets indefinitely, but not in the main instrument area. The gig-bag is the hardest deodorizing task here. You could just give up and buy a new bag but I'd try the Downy sheets, Love-My-Carpet powder and Febreze spray routine first. Just always make sure it is bone dry before powdering.

You may need to repeat the steps a few times. Eventually the instrument itself will start to smell like wood again. If unable to make the bag smell acceptable after a few cycles of that treatment, don't put the instrument back in that bag, just toss it and get a new one. The instrument will always pickup odors from the bag.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:32 am
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Thanks all. What do you use on maple fretboards?

The bag is not going to be used but preserved for posterity. Hard case only on this one, if she ever leaves the house.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:58 am
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I would empty the gig bag of all of its contents, vacuum it thoroughly and take a pressure washer to it inside and out and then hang it to dry (spread open) either out of doors or else with a fan blowing on it to speed the drying process. I've done exactly that on other nylon items like suitcases and some smaller specialty bags. They come out looking and smelling clean. Once the item is absolutely, positively dry you can also spray it with a silicone protectant to help it stay clean and odor free for longer.

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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 10:37 am
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Thanks for starting this thread. Good stuff. Serious issue. I have actually flipped some really nice pieces just because I could not get the smell out of the wood/finish or hard case. Always ready to learn something.

Good luck with your bass.

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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:14 pm
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Just guitar cleaner on a maple board. I wouldn't put wax on it and absolutely no oils. Dunlop 65 cleaner/polish is ok on maple boards or just a soft water moistened towel.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 5:52 pm
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thanks dave. any experience with virtuoso?


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:29 am
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moothra wrote:
thanks dave. any experience with virtuoso?


Virtuoso makes a cleaner and polish in separate bottles primarily intended for nitro finishes. They are packaged separately instead of as a combo product. Most modern finishes though are poly. When used on poly the Virtuoso polish, while "safe" to use, can leave white streaks. Virtuoso polish streaking is more noticeable on dark poly finishes and usually requires extra aggressive buffing. Don't use the Virtuoso cleaner on fretboards other than maple and one should not use any polish product on any fretboard.

You can't go wrong with a dab of H2O on any fretboard, but Virtuoso cleaner is ok on maple boards too. Virtuoso cleaner smells better than water but I'm not sure it actually cleans any better.

One plus for Virtuoso cleaner, especially in this case, is that very pleasing smell. Also it does let the surface breathe more than a sealing polymer product like a polish or a combo product, Breathing is a good idea here. I might use the Virtuoso cleaner but skip the polish for a couple of months with an odor issue.

The one thing I don't like about Dunlop 65 is that it is a combined cleaner and polish in one bottle. Sometimes I want to just clean and then the Virtuoso cleaner is probably a good choice. However Dunlop 65 will streak less on dark poly finishes than Virtuoso polish.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:33 am
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Thanks for all your knowledge Dave.
This is a sunburst finish. Are those nitro as well? or is nitro only on paint? when did they switch from nitro to poly? I've read 63' but there is a lot of conflicting info on the inter webs and I've never been quite sure if this discussion topic applied to sunburst finishes or only colors.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:57 pm
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don't know if anyone mentioned-- I wasn't going to touch this one but----the case probably has most of the smell stuck to it and is the hardest thing to get the smell out of. Pitch it out and get another one. I'll give you one. I hate gig bags and have about 9.If you just clean the bass top to bottom- use mineral spirits and then clean up after that-- let it air out for a few days-- the evil cig smoke should not be there . Don't play any bars I've been playing in lately. You'll freak and want to walk thru a car wash. That might hurt then you'd be in for some real funk.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:29 am
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Thanks Stoker. I agree with you about gig bags and wouldn't use one especially on with this bass. But this is the original bag that came with a collectible bass and I don't think pitching it is a great idea. So clean it I must. The smell of the two permeating my studio is disgusting. It will be kind of a healing process to clean them both.


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Post subject: Re: cigarette smoke
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:45 am
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What about a good Dry Cleaner???


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