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Old cabinets and smoke
GadgetGeek:
I might have the opportunity to pick up a free dead ms pac. I'm thinking this might be a good alternative to building my own cabinet from scratch. When I mention this to the Mrs (I know, easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission) she gives me THE LOOK, then elaborates saying that I'd never be able to get rid of the smoke smell from the cabinet.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Does a cabinet keep the smell? Or does it go away with a good scrubbing and a fresh coat of paint?
paigeoliver:
Well, most cabinets don't have a smell to them at all, even ones with heavy nicotine staining or water damage.
If it does have a smell, then you can try cleaning the outside and painting the inside (and bottom), and that SHOULD take care of it.
Although it is my experience that a few people seem to have super senses of smell or something (attuned ONLY to smoke), and can smell smoke for rediculously long times after it is gone.
NoOne=NBA=:
My wife is one of those people.
Epoxy and fresh paint smell goes a long way to covering up smoke smell though.
My boss smokes cigars; and my wife can usually tell when I've had a meeting with him.
The exception to this is when I have to spend alot of time back in the printing department at work.
Then, the only thing she can smell is the ink/thinner combo--whether I met with the boss, or not.
My wife complained about the paint smell in the house for weeks after I brought my cab in from the garage.
She quit complaining about that smell the day I had to epoxy something though.
maraxle:
I bought a house that was previously owned by smokers. I washed the walls with TSP (Tri-sodium Phosphate, available at Home Depot, Lowes, etc) and painted. There is no smell left at all, and I am really sensitive to the smell, so I would know if it was there. TSP would probably do the trick for your cabinet as well. Just make sure to wear gloves!
Rocky:
I got a couple of my cabinets from a guy who was a smoker.
The first one was gutted and I painted it before I brought it inside. No smoke smell at all now.
The other game was complete and I did a lot to clean and deodorize it. Overall, it is pretty good. When I open the back, the smoke smell is still noticable. The nicotine really clings to the monitor electronics.
YMMV,
Rocky