Post by: Paddy on July 28, 2003, 07:55:24 AM
But HOW do you suggest I get the lingering SMELL out of that Athlon I just bought? The previous owner was a heavy smoker and the machine is pumping out a distinctive stale cigarette smell that is bad enough with the windows open - can't imagine what it's going to be like in the fall when they're not open anymore!! (and don't start making Windoze jokes...
)I've cleaned every non-electronic part, inside and out as best I can - Windex on the exterior, Windex-dampened cloth on the interior (no spray inside, of course!), wiped out the fans as best I could (one is fairly inaccessible), vacuumed the interior (it was fairly dust free since it had been serviced in March) and so on. I'm not a big fan of Febreze - I find it covers up the smell for a little while and then back it comes, though I have tried some on the exterior of the monitor, since it also smells (not sprayed - just wiped on) - now it smells like Febreze and cigarettes. Can't use much of that anyway, since hubby is allergic to perfume.
So, any suggestions? Besides nose plugs?
Or will I just have to hope that it fades away after time?Apologies to those of you out there who DO smoke and can't figure out what my problem is...but believe me, if you don't smoke, it can be an issue.
Post by: gunug on July 28, 2003, 08:15:14 AM
probably the smell of little bits of styrofoam from the packaging being heated
up and melting in the power supply and on the CPU heatsinks. I suppose that
you could open the thing up and blow it out before you ever power it up!
I suppose you could hang up one of those evergreen car deoderizers back behind
the computer where the fan output comes out!
Probably a high level of overall ventilation will cure this faster than anything. Try
running fans across the work surface to mix more room air through what you might
be breathing. I've hung onto several little high speed fans harvested from old mainframe
boxes (these are 110AC units) for the purpose of blowing solvents and solder smoke
out of my shop area at home. I guess you could also buy some of those extension cables
to take yourself further from the CPU!
Post by: kelly on July 28, 2003, 08:17:46 AM
Post by: gmann on July 28, 2003, 08:22:57 AM
Post by: Paddy on July 28, 2003, 09:00:14 AM
QUOTE
Doubt very much you can. Sell it.
<grin>And would you have said that if it had been... a Quicksilver?
Hmmm. Might try the coffee grounds suggestion...though I'll have to brew up some 'special, cuz I'm not a coffee drinker (tea, lots of tea, is my vice)
Any others?
Post by: jepinto on July 28, 2003, 09:21:24 AM
Or use the old refrigerator trick, an opened box of baking soda.
Post by: Gregg on July 28, 2003, 09:21:40 AM
Incense?
Nicorette?
Post by: RHPConsult on July 28, 2003, 09:46:49 AM
The best "spray" I've ever used (because it's recommended by a maintenance service I know) is called Ozium. It's "industrial strength". Really
Short of Kelly's drastic elimination-by-extirpation "solution" there's one other trick that might be worth trying. Auto parts shops - - I'm assuming, because my car wash uses them all the time - - probably carrry a variety of small (2 X 2in) blotter-like squares impregnated with the "usual" cover-up aromas that you could easily distribute around inside, and under, the case. They are fairly persistent. The ones my car wash slips under the seats last at least a couple of weeks, inside a hot car. I've always liked the aroma called "new car" since my Caddy's are 13 and 16 years old, respectively.
What did that guy smoke? Russsian/Chinese cigarillos!
Post by: Kruser on July 28, 2003, 09:55:31 AM
Post by: kimmer on July 28, 2003, 10:49:07 AM
Best of luck.
kimmer
Post by: Gary S on July 28, 2003, 12:10:41 PM
Now I know you use tomato juice for skunk spray (I learned 1st hand) and it works.
I posed the question to my wife and she said vineger is the best for tobacco smells.
Maybe if you put the coffee grounds in the computer will go faster.
Good luck Paddy.
Post by: Paddy on July 28, 2003, 03:35:33 PM
It may just take time. My Electron Blue monitor smelled a bit when I first brought it home - it's previous owner also smoked, though not as heavily as the latest seller. I wiped it off several times, and gradually it lost that smell.
On the other hand - I have a lampshade that I got (nice lampshade that a neighbor chucked in the trash) about 3 years ago and it STILL smells, despite numerous applications of Febreze. It will be replaced shortly. Luckily it isn't all that noticeable until you turn the lamp on and it gets warmer.
Post by: Epaminondas on July 28, 2003, 08:19:01 PM
I had a similar problem with a computer bought off of eBay.
Available solutions:
(1) Duct the exhaust fan - generally the power supply fan but check first as some are innies rather than outies - to the outside. This via vacuum cleaner hose vented through a window.
Of course, remember that resistance to a fluid or a gas increases as the inverse of the radius to the third power. Also, directly with distance. More complexly stated: a wider hose is better than a narrower hose. Width of hose is more important than distance.
(2) Or - put the machine in the garage and leave it turned on with all fans blowing. Just storing it in a garage dormant will not clear the cigarette air, it will just keep it dormant.
Anthropologists report that computers recovered from the pyramids still stink of incense for weeks or even months upon first being started up, but that the smell does clear with time.
(3) Time. It really does go down with time.
Regards,
Epaminondas
Post by: ljocampo on July 29, 2003, 02:37:22 AM