Cigarette smoke smell

[PP Mguire]

My parents are heavy smokers and always have been. Im getting 2 keyboards from them today that have been there a few years a piece soaking in that horrible smell. I know they are gonna stink the area up where ever i keep them so i was wondering if you guys had any special ways of getting rid of this smell.

Also, ive noticed smoking tends to put a sticky layer of sorts on plastics (Like keyboard plastics, mouse plastics, or case plastics ect). Any idea how to get this off too? Its a pain while trying to type feeling this urge to wash your hands constantly cause you feel like your hands are sticky.

 

[Sean W.]

only think i can think of is take each indivicual key off, scrub it with some degergent and a scotch bright pad, then soak it in bleach and rinse. but i dunno what to do about the board its self... all those nooks and crannies, theres no way you are going to get that smell out.

 

[Abstract Hero]

Citric acid. Soak the keys in lemon or lime juice and diligently scrub the rest of the chassis. Dilute the acid if you want but the more acid to water, the better.

Goo-be-gone would help too but it leaves a greasy residue so you'd have to clean it with soap after.

 

[PP Mguire]

Friend of mine told me to leave them outside for a while where they cant get wet. I have a balcony that doesnt get wet in the corner so i guess that could work then clean it good on top to get the sticky off. It took about a month worth of being on for the parts in my server to get rid of that smoke smell. Im hoping being outside goes faster. (Gave my dad a motherboard, cpu, and ram a while ago. His drive died and thought the board killed it so got my 940BE back....retard lol)

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

If it bothers you, buy what hotels sometime carry, one of those ionizer machines, they actually somehow suck all the smell outta the rooms that smokers smoke in, I brought one home one day and I smoke upto 3 packs a day, in my room, and it got the smell out, my mom about crapped her self when she walked in, no smell, what so ever.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

The smell doesn't bother me so much, but I'd rather something smelled clean. I think I'll try the citric on a few items I have, because what I was using before (turps) leaves its own smell

 

[Poizen22]

you can use lemon juice or toothpaste, even baking soda to get the gunk off. just leave them outside for a day and it will get rid of the smell.

 

[Harper]

Also, ive noticed smoking tends to put a sticky layer of sorts on plastics (Like keyboard plastics, mouse plastics, or case plastics ect). Any idea how to get this off too?

Go down to a cleaning wholesaler / bulk cleaning chemical supplier and ask them for a Multi-Cleaner. Just let them know that you are cleaning. Some thing alcohal based should do the trick, put a little on a paper towl and start cleaning in a circular pattern. Do not use that stuff on your TFT monitor as you will kill it.

 

[PP Mguire]

Thanks for all the great replies guys.

The first keyboard is a really old Saitek Eclipse with the lettering coming off and the other is a Creative Fatal1ty keyboard with those laptop keys. Taking the keys off the Creative keyboard will prove to be almost impossible as well as getting them back on and i cant exactly afford an ionizer right now (but ill have another one later. Had one while living in my parents house). I think what ill do is try leaving them both outside for a while during windy days, then bring them in and gently scrub the keys down with some of the materials mentioned.

 

[Trotter]

Febreeze. And lots of it.

Honestly, try powdering them down with baking soda and leaving it for a day or two. Then shake them out and use the trusty air compressor to clean 'em out good.