Hi Scott,

I have gotten radios that were used by hams that had chassis that
were stained yellow brown from the tar and nicotine. There is no
amount of airing out that will make that go away. With them, the
only answer is scrub, scrub, scrub. The cleaning solution comes out
as brown as grasshopper spit.

If the radio is built with modern components, isopropyl alcohol can
be applied with a small paint brush and scrubbed around with no harm.
Waxed paper capacitors will not tolerate that kind of treatment, though.

Isopropyl will kill acrylic's, so don't let it touch dials, and windows.
It soaks in, and then forms quickly running cracks...zip!

Spray cleaners like 409, work too, spray liberally, and
scrub with a brush, and rinse with pure water, distilled is best.
Drying in a convection oven (fan circulation) at 140F finishes up the
job. A cardboard box with a fan, and a light for a heater works too.

I have a Tek 585A that is pretty clean inside, but has that o'de
trailer park smell... You know, tobacco, dog and Glade air freshener.
I thought it would "air out", but a year later, it still reeks. I am
going to have to give it a bath one of these days.

-Chuck Harris

Scott Dorsey wrote:
In article ,
lorentzson wrote:

I am wondering if there is a tried and true way of getting rid of the

smoke smell out of radios? Would appreciate any and all help. thanks
in advance. cl 73


Tobacco smoke?

Ammonia helps a lot, but honestly the best thing is just to let it air
out in a well-ventillated place for a couple months.
--scott