The STINK of used ( or smelly trains and what to do about it)

Had smoke smell ,That is about it out of a hundred or more purchases. 

I’ve bought some rolling stock where the boxes had something of a musty smell but, never the item itself. 

Curt

I've had some trains that stunk of mold too. Getting them out of their boxes helped a little. I had saved a bunch of those dessicant bags that come with some items and put them in a tub with the trains: it helped a lot more.

As far as wet flooded basements go, I would be leary of buying anything on eBay from the Midwest states right now.

Disassemble stinky items and wash with warm soapy water (Dawn) and old soft paintbrush then blow dry with compressed air set at like 40 psi. Same with styrofoam packing box but let those dry in the sun for a day.

A much more common problem is the item smelling of smoke and not being forewarned.

Myself I would trash the boxes right off the bat. Some smells like mold will never come out of an old box.  The trains I would clean with soap and water and let the air out outside in good weather. I have only once got some passenger car that stunk of cigarette smoke and I washed them and aired them out and that took care of the problem.

I've used 'Dawn' for cleaning for many years and it does work well.

There seems to be a dust or dirt  in old basements and buildings that is more tenacious ( almost like it invades the painted finish) and "holds" the musty smells.

As a kid we used diesel fuel  and dish soap to clean machine shop equipment. It took off everything but the paint. Some oils and grease get pretty ranky over time.

I dont mean to suggest this solution (diesel fuel) ... it would dissolve most plastics and paint today.

There has to be "something that can clean (eradicate the odor), without harming the paint or finish.

My secret to cleaning old iron case enamel clocks was good old GOOP  hand cleaner...( talk about removing nicotine staining) . It works really well, (it did remove the gold scroll work too if you got too enthusiastic),

but I'm afraid to try it on any new paints , diecast or plastics.

It might just work on OLD diecast engine black paint. (But not white lettering or numbers).

Maybe someone has a piece that they intend to repaint and can try it out and do a thread if it works.

Part of the point of this thread is that:

Many here place great emphasis on "having the box", ( to retain value, desirability). 

Boxes are part of a "liability"  to "value/desirability" when there is potential for moisture (mold, mildew) issues, and may even be the cause of "stinky" trains.

Boxes do absorb smoke smell readily.

justakid posted:

Part of the point of this thread is that:

Many here place great emphasis on "having the box", ( to retain value, desirability). 

Boxes are part of a "liability"  to "value/desirability" when there is potential for moisture (mold, mildew) issues, and may even be the cause of "stinky" trains.

Boxes do absorb smoke smell readily.

If the box stinks that badly, but you’re determined to save it, hit the inside of the box with a light spray of Lyesol, and let it dry.....what do you have to lose? Don’t drown it, just whisp some in there. Try it on the foam in an inconspicuous place to make sure the lyesol don’t eat the foam. As far as the trains themselves go, evrbody above that suggests warm soapy water is on the right path. Anything else chemical wise, you run the risk of destruction....destroy one piece, and your next purchase might have to be clothes pins for your nose!....🤪.........Pat

r as the 

You could try putting them in close proximity to an ion generator.  Be aware that this could be a respiratory hazard, and that you should flush the room with a supply of fresh air before spending time in there yourself.  I had pretty good success getting the smoke smell out of some used speakers and speaker grills with this method.

This method should work fine on paper, cardboard, foam, and even plastic.  But it's also possible that a high concentration of anions (negative ions) could accelerate the oxidation of metals.

I could be mistaken, but I believe odor reducers like Febreeze use ionizing chemicals to bond with smoke particles, etc. causing them to precipitate out of the air.  So that's a chemical approach instead of an electrical one I describe above.  Good luck!  Let us know what you try so others will benefit from what you learn.

I thought a cigar smoke smelling model train was the norm, just like that new car scent

First World Problems

Try filling  a large tray with an excess quantity of baking soda then lay a 2x 4  of the necessary length, flat on the mound of baking soda.

Set the piece of equipment on the 2 x and cover with a sheet of plastic and weight the edge.  Leave for several days depending on the level of stench.  One of the hardest stinks I have found to over come is tobacco smoke.  

Back in the day, when I and alot of you, would buy most of our post-war trains at meets, the oder of cigarette smoke was quite common.  My wife used to complain every time I came home with some items from a meet.  

Some years back I acquired an MTH Premier P&LE Berkshire at a local swap meet.  The outer box was missing and the inner foam packaging looked as if something bored numerous small holes into it so that was gotten rid of.  Thankfully the engine was in excellent condition with little run time.  I acquired a Williams box large enough to hold the engine, brought it to packaging facility and had a spray foam insert created to house the engine when not in use.  It worked perfectly.   I have gotten, via Ebay, one or two freight cars that smelled of tobacco smoke but allowing them to be placed in the fresh air for a spell remedied that.  Their boxes took a bit longer to air out.  Last resort, plastic car bodies can be disassembled and gently washed with warm water and mild soap.  An old toothbrush works well to clean around small details. 

Many years ago, it seemed like I had the misfortune of buying a number of rolling stock items, with tobacco smoke odor, off of an often used auction site. The situation got to the point that I started asking sellers about tobacco odor. I was always courteous and explained the reason why. One seller got very belligerent with me for asking. For me, it doesn’t seem to be as bad a problem as it used to be.

Steve

I recently acquired a Marx boxcar that was covered in many years worth of soot having been displayed on the mantle.  I pulled the shell off the frame and scrubbed it gently with a soft toothbrush and Dawn+water.  To my joy and amazement, the soot and the smell both succumbed to that method.

It was recommended to me by an archivist for paper items like book or magazines that smell musty to put in a paper bag with unscented dryer sheets.  I have done this and it absorbed the musty smell.  When I bought some trains that were musty smelling I put the dryer sheet in the box and over time the smell was absorbed.  If visible mold on a paper item a different restorer/archivist recommended to gently rub the area with antibacterial hand sanitizer.    

I had book given to me that smelled of mold. I had freezer at the time and I double wrapped the book in plastic bags and set it in the freezer for a couple of weeks (-25°). Seemed to work as the book no longer reeks. I think this would work well on boxes that have spent time in damp cellars as well.

I received a engine that it and the box smelled of smoke, I put dryer scented towels in it. and after a while it cleared the stink up. 

When I received cars or locomotives that smell of smoke or mildew, and age old remedy is to loosely wrap them in newspaper, put them in a brown bag, and 5 days later they are fine. 

Sewage is different. If they smell of sewage or waist, you will have to clean them with Dawn or Palmolive liquid soap.  Dry them thoroughly, then if the smell, do the above.

Tobacco smoke is actually partly composed of a colloidial suspension of solid particles in a gas. The lingering odor of tobbaco smoke is actually caused by these particles precipitating onto surfaces such as fabric like curtains, clothing and furniture coverings, hence the persistence of odor long after the actual smoke is gone. Some of these particles may also chemically interact with the surfaces they precipitate onto, making them more difficult to remove. 

mdheavener posted:

It was recommended to me by an archivist for paper items like book or magazines that smell musty to put in a paper bag with unscented dryer sheets.  I have done this and it absorbed the musty smell.  When I bought some trains that were musty smelling I put the dryer sheet in the box and over time the smell was absorbed.  If visible mold on a paper item a different restorer/archivist recommended to gently rub the area with antibacterial hand sanitizer.    

I have done this as well with an old board game I purchased, worked great.

I was told to use "used"  unscented dryer sheets.  Something about the chemical in a new dryer sheet possibly causing a chemical stain. Scented sheets just "mask" , replace one smell with another.

UNUSED clay cat litter supposedly absorbes moisture and smells. I'm going to make a few "sachets" out of old t shirts filled with unused clay cat litter and see if a few days "communing"with a stinky diecast street lamp makes a difference. Will let you know.

Cat litter is specifically designed to REMOVE the odor of what is deposited in it so maybe it will work ( gotta try it on some cardboard too.)

Mildew, the white or grey powdery, fuzzy substance is a fungus.

Mold....white,black.green,yellow, reddish...is a fungus.

Both like porous organic materials to grow on ( wood, fabric, paper "boxes" , clothing, drywall, insulation, carpet, padding, upholstery, painted surfaces, foods).

Mold as it grows releases Mycotoxins into the air and can cause a variety of serious health issues such as skin irritation, eye irritation, shortness of breath, asthma, and can even infect living tissue.

Both mold and mildew spread their spores... "bloom", when contacted or disturbed. 

A " mildewy" item can spread spores into the air and contaminate other items so it should be "cleaned" before you add it to your collection.

Ok. My "personal opinion " verdict is in....

Dawn dish detergent w/ warm water and a soft cloth, do a good job cleaning and removing mildew. Wear latex gloves whenever cleaning mold or mildew.

A  wash with light mix of vinegar and water helped with mildew and smell removal.

Amonia and water cleaned but the smell came back.

Direct sunlight, taking care not to let things "cook" or melt really helped my diecast engine. ( I suspect it "dried" things out). 

Un scented kitty litter in home made sachets acted like desiccant, ... moisture absorbent and mildly odor absorbent....not real effective.

I lightly wiped down paper/cardboard with a strong mix of vinegar and water and had some smell / mildew removal, ...then  Direct sunlight  and airing out for a couple of hours worked well.

Baking soda worked well removing some odor ( and worked as a moisture absorbent). 

20 mile team Borax dusted on cardboard and put into home made sachets worked well reducing odor ( it also kills mold/mildew.).

Borax and water wipe downs work but it  does leave a " cloudy" residue  if you wash an item with it . 

Do not use the same cloth/brush or water that you just cleaned contaminated items with, to clean additional uncontaminated items (you could inadvertantly deposit fungal spores to uncontaminated item)

Dryer sheets mask smell and do not " kill" mold or mildew.

Scented kitty litter masks smell but does not remove mildew.

A mix of Bleach and water can cause mold to " bloom" releasing mold spores into the air. Bleach does kill mold but it is a harsh chemical and should be used in a well ventilated environment "outside", don't forget to wear latex gloves.

NEVER mix bleach and ammonia together it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS  

bleach with ammonia generates toxic chloramine vapor

(deadly to people, dogs, and cats).

If you are ever inadvertantly exposed call call Poison Control for advice on handling the after-effects of exposure and cleaning up the chemicals. The number for Poison Control …

1-800-222-1222

Paper goods/cardboard that are contaminated with mildew and then cleaned  and the smell removed are subject to a return of mildew and smell if they are exposed to moisture again.

The above are my " opinions" based on my own limited experience.

I offer this up as "suggestions" for you to try on your own. 

Keeping things dry once cleaned is paramount.

Invest in and run a dehumidifier.

Those "stinky" items can be salvaged and enjoyed with a little TLC.

J Daddy posted:

When I received cars or locomotives that smell of smoke or mildew, and age old remedy is to loosely wrap them in newspaper, put them in a brown bag, and 5 days later they are fine. 

Sewage is different. If they smell of sewage or waist, you will have to clean them with Dawn or Palmolive liquid soap.  Dry them thoroughly, then if the smell, do the above.

 

I was surprised to see not many mentioned the newspaper method. I have tried that on musty items before and have packed the items  away in a box (I've always used a box) surrounded by newspaper...always seemed to work fine. 

Tom 

I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned either, it works pretty good for me.  I tried it to kill the smoke smell from a used purchase, I'm happy now.

Last year the Boy Scout troop adults (me) forgot to clean out the adult ice chest after a camp out. Two weeks later we washed it out and did other things to get the smell out.  I find a way to remove the bad smell (see picture) and purchased a new ice chest. (I did caused the problem).  On model trains I would try the Kitty litter in a box in a shop building if you have one. On a engine remove the shell and let the inside air out may help.

How about these?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would only use the Home section of the newspaper. Sometimes the political news has a smell all its own.

justakid posted:

Mildew, the white or grey powdery, fuzzy substance is a fungus.

Mold....white,black.green,yellow, reddish...is a fungus.

Both like porous organic materials to grow on ( wood, fabric, paper "boxes" , clothing, drywall, insulation, carpet, padding, upholstery, painted surfaces, foods).

Mold as it grows releases Mycotoxins into the air and can cause a variety of serious health issues such as skin irritation, eye irritation, shortness of breath, asthma, and can even infect living tissue.

Both mold and mildew spread their spores... "bloom", when contacted or disturbed. 

A " mildewy" item can spread spores into the air and contaminate other items so it should be "cleaned" before you add it to your collection.

Ok. My "personal opinion " verdict is in....

Dawn dish detergent w/ warm water and a soft cloth, do a good job cleaning and removing mildew. Wear latex gloves whenever cleaning mold or mildew.

A  wash with light mix of vinegar and water helped with mildew and smell removal.

Amonia and water cleaned but the smell came back.

Direct sunlight, taking care not to let things "cook" or melt really helped my diecast engine. ( I suspect it "dried" things out). 

Un scented kitty litter in home made sachets acted like desiccant, ... moisture absorbent and mildly odor absorbent....not real effective.

I lightly wiped down paper/cardboard with a strong mix of vinegar and water and had some smell / mildew removal, ...then  Direct sunlight  and airing out for a couple of hours worked well.

Baking soda worked well removing some odor ( and worked as a moisture absorbent). 

20 mile team Borax dusted on cardboard and put into home made sachets worked well reducing odor ( it also kills mold/mildew.).

Borax and water wipe downs work but it  does leave a " cloudy" residue  if you wash an item with it . 

Do not use the same cloth/brush or water that you just cleaned contaminated items with, to clean additional uncontaminated items (you could inadvertantly deposit fungal spores to uncontaminated item)

Dryer sheets mask smell and do not " kill" mold or mildew.

Scented kitty litter masks smell but does not remove mildew.

A mix of Bleach and water can cause mold to " bloom" releasing mold spores into the air. Bleach does kill mold but it is a harsh chemical and should be used in a well ventilated environment "outside", don't forget to wear latex gloves.

NEVER mix bleach and ammonia together it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS  

bleach with ammonia generates toxic chloramine vapor

(deadly to people, dogs, and cats).

If you are ever inadvertantly exposed call call Poison Control for advice on handling the after-effects of exposure and cleaning up the chemicals. The number for Poison Control …

1-800-222-1222

 

Paper goods/cardboard that are contaminated with mildew and then cleaned  and the smell removed are subject to a return of mildew and smell if they are exposed to moisture again.

The above are my " opinions" based on my own limited experience.

I offer this up as "suggestions" for you to try on your own. 

Keeping things dry once cleaned is paramount.

Invest in and run a dehumidifier.

Those "stinky" items can be salvaged and enjoyed with a little TLC.

 

 

 

 

Your suggestions are well written and spot on though I would like to suggest that folks consider using either nitrile or vinyl gloves rather than latex.  Some folks may not be aware that they are latex sensitive and could suffer a reaction.  When it comes to handling materials that may be contaminated with mold spores, etc, the nitrile and latex gloves are both safe to use and can provide a bit more protection than vinyl due to the manufacturers' ability to control the level of microholes.  Vinyl gloves can also offer the same level of safety providing the material thickness is adequate.  No matter where it may tend to show up mold can be challenging to deal with.    Thankfully none of the used O scale trains I acquired had any issues other than an occasional tobacco odor though I did have a mold issue inside our basement walkout which has since been remedied.   

Every time i receive something that is steeped in tobacco smoke, there is also an accompanying sweet smell of what appears to be cheap perfume. It took me a while to realize that not everyone over the years wears the same brand of cheap perfume.

Could any chemists on the forum explain that/if/how some component of the tobacco degrades to what appears to be a cheap perfume smell?

I bought a engine I really wanted from a auction site ( not the bay ) stated it had been in a basement for a few years so had an odor. ( turned out to be smoke ) I put the engine inside the box and put like 5 dryer sheets in with it, about two weeks later I couldn't smell anything but the dryer sheets, which eventually went away also. 

Perhaps the "perfume" residual odor emanated from flavored pipe tobacco smoke?

John H posted:

I would only use the Home section of the newspaper. Sometimes the political news has a smell all its own.

ROTFLMAO!

RoyBoy posted:

How about these?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 I tried a similar product once, but it wasn't very effective.  I'll go with cheap and effective.

My procedure:

Confirm the seller has a return policy before bidding.

Upon receipt of the item, if it gives off the odor of sewage, RETURN IT!

Simon 

Might be talcum powder ( baby powder ?) , made from talc, a mineral made up mainly of the elements magnesium, silicon, and oxygen and sometimes containing asbestos.

As a powder, it absorbs odor and moisture well.  Folks used to sprinkle it in their shoes and used it as a personal deodorant. It was used for "diaper rash" and "prickly heat" rash on children.

They used it in dresser drawers to eliminate odors.  Sprinkled it on carpeting to freshen the rooms. It was used on latex or rubber gloves for ease of putting them on.

(It has pretty much been banned  from use on physicians surgical gloves and pediatricians no longer recommend "baby powder" for diaper rash.)

Talic or talcum powder is now a suspected carcinogen and today by law in the U.S.A. only asbestos free talic can be used in cosmetics. 

People also used it as a "dry" "shampoo" for their pets.

(It is harmful to your dog or cat if they inhale the dust or lick it off themselves. )

Any fine particulate dust is a health hazard if inhaled.

 The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is part of the World Health Organization (WHO). Its major goal is to identify causes of cancer.

• IARC classifies talc that contains asbestos as “carcinogenic to humans.”      

Read all about talc here :

https://amp.cancer.org/cancer/...wder-and-cancer.html

It was an old standby for drying things out and deodorizing boxes and papers.

I bought a old dresser washed it all down with soap and water, and then used stripper to remove the old varnish and refinished it with new stain and varnish, not really noticing the "perfume"  (baby powder) odor of the drawers. (Varnish pretty much stinks until it drys and cures a few days).

After all the work was done and the dresser moved indoors and filled with clothing the "perfume" smell permeated everything. I re-washed the inside of the drawers, lined them with pre-pasted wallpaper and they STILL smelled. We sold it at the next garage sale to an antique shop owner who was going to use it for display.

Tinplate Art posted:

Perhaps the "perfume" residual odor emanated from flavored pipe tobacco smoke?

Unfortunately, all these were cigarette tobacco smells and from all over the country, from a number of different sellers, and this has gone on for a number of years.

My first thought was that people were putting perfume on whatever they sold to eliminate the tobacco smell, but every one I have received has had the same smell. There must be some process where cigarette tobacco smoke degrades to this cheap perfume smell. Either that or my sniffer is wacky.

Put them in a tightly sealed closet, room, or storage shed with an ozone generator for several days. Open all boxes take the trains out and arrange so air can flow around all sides of trains and boxes. Run the generator about an hour twice a day.  I had a moldy basement and ran one periodically for a couple of years and the mold smell went away.  You can pick up a good ozone generator on ebay for about $50.  A neighbor had a fire in their house  20-25 years ago and clean up specialist used big industrial Ozone Generators run constantly for a week after all the burned area was tore out but before new walls and sheetrock went up.  No burn smell at all in around a week.           j

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Home-...3.l4275.c10#viTabs_0

Send them all to me.