Hi all, Brian Thornton submitted an article about his travails in
restoring automatic musical instruments that have been subjected to
unkind conditions. Two things that I have successfully used in the
past include:
1. "Mean Green" from Dollar General. This has been used successfully
in removing tobacco stains (residue) from instruments. It is in a
spray bottle. You spray it on and watch the nicotine roll down the
side. I have had great luck with this in removing nicotine from juke
box plastics. Repeated applications are usually needed.
2. Loose charcoal (not necessarily briquettes) does a good job of
removing odors. Place some charcoal in, let's say, an empty shoe box
bottom. Place the box inside the offending piano case. Keep the case
closed for perhaps six months. If you check it on occasion, you should
notice that the odor diminishes in strength. I used this on a piano
that had had a large mouse nest and accompanying smell. With the nest
and remainders removed, by the end of a year the odor had disappeared.
Although not a "quick fix", it was successful.
Good luck!
Mike Walter
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