How do I get cigarette smoke smell out of my model train?

Wrap it in newspaper for a few days if you have some on hand. That has worked well for me in the past anyways. Like you, I don't appreciate items that come from a smoking household.

Thank you Randy B.  I will try that.

You can also try wrapping it in charcoal filters, and then a plastic bag. Took me 3 weeks and several charcoal changes to get the cigarette smell out.

You might try wiping down the car with a damp paper towel or cloth to perhaps remove some of the smoke film (and odor) from the surface.   Another option is a light spraying of Pledge or Armor-All followed by the paper towel or cloth wipedown process.   These are untested suggestions so use your best judgement on what you want to try. I know the smell can be very difficult to remove; some of the more passive options may not work in every situation but should be tried first. Good luck.

Dale

For the lightest cleaning I use Ivory dish liquid on a white washcloth. You can dilute as you see fit which gives you more control in the process.  I agree it might be smoke film, the white wash cloth will show you,probably best to remove body.

Hope this helps.

@train steve posted:

For the lightest cleaning I use Ivory dish liquid on a white washcloth. You can dilute as you see fit which gives you more control in the process.  I agree it might be smoke film, the white wash cloth will show you,probably best to remove body.

Hope this helps.

I agree. A smell would go away. The smoke "film" remains. I've cleaned my sister's car windows and the rag gets good and brown after I finish the inside surface. Right, she smokes while driving.

Charcoal works fine. I used pieces right out of charcoal bag. Place the charcoal on the bottom of a large plastic bag. Place the boxes or trains in the bag and seal it shut. Give it a week. Dave

I would try wrapping it in dryer sheets for a few days or spinkle baking soda in the bottom of a tupaware container, set it in and again cover for a few days.

Thanks guys.

Looks like I have a fun holiday weekend project ahead of me.

Fabreze may work

I cannot recall, but didn't someone suggest dryer sheets a few years ago?

Personally I would send it back.  Nothing is worth dealing with that stench.  As a residential contractor I walked off jobs that had insects or tobacco stink.

My wife believes in using baking soda to remove odors from the refrigerator.

First remove any yellow tar color you may find.  That should be cleaned off first.

Then try putting the engine and an opened box of baking soda in a plastic bag and seal the bag.  Let it set for a few weeks.

Charlie

Confronted with the same problem, and after trying some of the ideas suggested above, i found charcoal works the best. Assuming it doesn't have a film of cigarette smoke on it or you have removed said film, just wrap it lightly in either tissue, newspaper, or paper towels; then place it in a large plastic bag with a half a dozen charcoal  briquettes, and seal it with a twist tie. Leave it alone for at least a week or two and hopefully it will have worked. Good luck.

I have very few uses for WD-40, but I would try that.  I think it removes most oily substances, and at the very least changes the odor.  Don't try it on the boxes.

Top 3 methods:

1)Newspaper

2)Newspaper

3)if that fails, try newspaper!

It works.

Keep us posted.

Tom

Kevin.  Ask your wife if she has any "Mrs Murphy Lemon liquid soap"  I bet she does.  A small amount on a soft cloth.  Wipe down the entire car.  All the nicotine will come off without hurting the finish of the car.

Now take some tissues wet them with the Mrs. Murphy and insert through the doors.  Let it sit over night.  Next day you will be amazed'.. smell will be gone'.. ANd you'll have a nice clean car'...

@PRR8976 posted:

Top 3 methods:

1)Newspaper

2)Newspaper

3)if that fails, try newspaper!

It works.

Keep us posted.

Tom

Absolutely wrong, Tom! The number one method for getting rid of this horrid smell is for Kevin to just give me the set. He’ll never have to smell it again and I promise to take very good care of them.

With Tupperware mentioned above, in another context, my friend said to get it off Tupperware, wrap everything in newspaper, as soggested above ...so.

Charlie

I second the use of dryer sheets.  Had a big collection that stunk to high heaven.  Brought it in the house and the wife made me move it into the garage.  Filled the boxes with dryer sheets and it worked wonders.  At least a week or two.

Try letting it sit outside for a few days. Under an overhang safe from rain of course. What do you have to lose? Just a little time before you try the other methods

I will add one more that worked for us..ground coffee. We had an uncle whose house burned due to smoking in bed. We restored a console soul stereo system and some furniture salvaged from the fire and placed ground coffee in a plastic container in the stereo on the advice of a furniture restorer and it worked after about a week. And no it didn’t smell like coffee afterwards. I have used this technique on trains for years placing the coffee in a bag with the item.  I leave it for 24-48 hours . Usually wash with Dawn before and after. Cheapest ground coffee works just fine

Please let us know which remedy worked

Thank you

Clem

Kevin, I agree with Clem - let us know what you tried and what worked best for you!!

This is a great thread that we can all learn from.

Dale

You could start smoking.  You wouldn’t notice the smell then.

Extremely interesting answers here.  I am convinced that many plastics are porous and somewhat unstable, and that the plastic will absolutely absorb odors.   (Try getting the fish smell out of an old cat plastic cat dish.)

I think that packing it for a long time in finely crushed charcoal may work.    I guess I would get some filter charcoal from a fish pet store, and crush it up really fine with a mortar and pestle (or a hammer and a plastic bag), and completely pack the cars in it, inside a zip lock freezer bag.  Let it sit a month.

Mannyrock

Kevin, thanks for posting. Thought I might be the only one who found the stench of stale cigarettes disgusting. Good luck with these odor removal methods, let us know which works best for you. From a cancer survivor who never smoked, thank you !

A mix of water, vinegar and baking soda is the standard method of washing down walls and ceiling of an apartment formally inhabited by a smoker. (As a side hobby in real estate, I have lots of experience doing this!) I don't think this formation would harm the plastic or the paint. You can try it in a small area as a test. In more difficult situations I use an ozone generation machine, but that definitely damages plastics and destroys lung tissues if not used correctly...Not recommended for toy train use!

@Strap Hanger posted:

Absolutely wrong, Tom! The number one method for getting rid of this horrid smell is for Kevin to just give me the set. He’ll never have to smell it again and I promise to take very good care of them.

^^^

  I'll send it right over Strap'

Thanks everyone for their ideas. I had it wrapped in dryer sheets all day and while I was out this evening purchased a charcoal filter sheet.  The package (I purchased a single car, not a RTR set) is all wrapped up in a time capsule cocoon now (Star Date 2021.09.06) and packed away in the laundry room.  Will revisit it on Monday, wipe it down with dish soap and see -  or smell - the results.

Doesn’t ozone do this?  Put it in a box and turn up a postwar transformer.  Just speculating. I knew a fellow who had a dry cleaner store, and he had a special room that he would ozone up for house fire clothes restoration.
Maybe this could be a science project .
I would still wipe it down first to remove any icky smoke film.
Alan

For those of you that prefer to use charcoal: Don't use Match-Lite!

Chris

LVHR

Kevin, when you get to wiping it down, be gentle with the windows. Not only do they break loose, but they scratch very easily. I use a cloth for eye glasses and only wipe them if I see smudge marks. If they look clean, I avoid wiping them at all.

As suggested above,used coffee grounds.We restored arcade and pinball machines.As you know several came from smoke filled bars and pool halls.Used coffee grounds removed all of the smell from the machines.We simply put the wet grounds in a bowl in the units.This should work with your purchase.Maybe in a sealed plastic container..Hope you get the smell gone!

I have a Weaver M1a/b, E-bay purchase, that was tar-ed and feathered with smoke pitch.  An extensive cleaning, with Windex, in a spray bottle, and an assortment of Q-tips, and paper towel swabs.  Much better, but not perfect.

Best way is with an Ozone generator. Amazon sells them for around $50.00, you should check them out.

Kevin  I can smoke my cigar in your train room   It will definitely get that nasty cigarette smell out 

Maybe the coffee idea will work.  I have never tried it.  But, I would be careful.   Coffee is highly acidic.    Putting wet coffee grounds directly against your paint and decal surfaces may (or may not) have some unintended results.

I think I would first try wrapping the engines in a loose porous cloth, and then packing it in dry coffee.

Perhaps dry kitty liter would be better?  I don't know.  (It is a highly absorbent porous clay.)

Mannyrock

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Kevin.  Ask your wife if she has any "Mrs Murphy Lemon liquid soap"  ...

Don't do this! Once your wife knows that you know where a cleaning product is and how to use it, you'll be expected to clean other stuff.