Removing Cigarette smoke from models

[Tomwilliams123]

Hi All,

I have an old Hornby smiths snacks waggon, that I believe has been owned by a smoker in a previous life, as it has a horrible brown film on it. Can I ask what the best option to get rid of this film would be without damaging the transfers please?

See attached photo for just how disgusting it really is!

Tom

[Potterton]

Why get rid of it? I'd say it looks nicely weathered.

[What About The Bee]

It probably stinks of ashtray.

Keeping it weathered isn't a bad idea. Perhaps the stink can be encapsulated. Yet getting a clear overcoat to adhere to that tar might be tricky.

If it must be cleaned, be aware that the film is a tar like substance. You will need a solvent for that tar, otherwise you will be scrubbing so vigorously that the transfers are guaranteed to be destroyed. Naphtha is a solvent for many tars and would be my first choice. There are lesser solvents, like white spirits, acetone and cellulose thinners.

The problem? I cannot be sure that naphtha is safe for the plastics the undercarriage and the body are made of. Some plastics are fine with naphtha, others? Not so much. Nor can I be sure that delicate transfers won't be damaged.

I'm with Potterton. It looks weathered. Perhaps keep it that way.

Bee

Edit: I zoomed as far as I could in on the "transfers". I could not see any transfer edges. Now it could be an image artifact, but "Smiths" "crisps" & etc look all the world like stamped paint. Are they really transfers????

[ellocoloco]

Hi Tom,

I would guess the writing is printed on the wagon as Bee also suspects. The body will just be coloured plastic. I would suggest start on one of the ends with a cotton bud and IPA and gently rub at the discolouration. If this works, then continue with the rest of the wagon.

[threelink]

The wagon looks like an old Triang/Hornby product. If it is, the lettering is more likely to be imprinted rather than transferred. I have any number of ancient Triang wagons and have cleaned them successfully with a cotton bud and lighter fuel followed by a wash in warm water and washing up liquid and a rinse in clean water. I have never known lighter fuel to attack the plastic but as a precaution dry it off quickly and exercise care round the lettering. If you decide to try this, do a a small inconspicuous area first as a test. Good luck in removing the grime.

[ntpntpntp]

If I get a second-hand model that reeks of smoke and/or is very dirty I use unscented baby wipes or cheap surface cleaning wipes, they seem to work well without attacking the paintwork.

[viking]

good stuff to use is autosmart bio brisk, which is used in car interiors to remove nicotine smells, (it is very effective as used it on my car as previous owner was smoker),

use warm water with it, and you will be surprised :), we are now even using it in work as I work for a community equipment store (office based) and we have had issues with nicotine contaminating our airflow mattresses.

autosmart are the ones that supply the hand car washes

[The son of Triangman]

Be very carefull when cleaning this wagon, the white plastic yellows and goes like this. There may be some film on it, but the majority could well be ageing of the plastic.