Best solvent for removing tobacco tar from camera exterior

[Pablito]

A friend of mine just inherited a mother lode of cameras including much Leica, Rollei 35, Olympus Pen, Canon SLR, etc.

Unfortunately, her father was a heavy pipe smoker and the exterior of the cameras are covered with a brown tar residue. It's so bad it makes the silver/chrome cameras look like a warmer silvery color, almost like a light gold color!

Fortunately the glass surfaces and camera interiors are very clean.

I have used a little film cleaner and it does disolve the tar. Obviously one has to use minimal amounts of solvent so as to prevent any liquid from getting inside the cameras and lenses.

However, I am wary of using any solvent that might disolve any writing, or the paint in the numbers on the lenses, the Leica engravings, etc.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has faced a similar problem. What is the best solvent for this? Just as a point of information: nothing that is water based seems to work.

Thanks.

 

[250swb]

Naphtha, aka ligther fuel.

Steve

 

[Landshark]

Anything like 409 will do it. Like you said, minimal amounts. I used to spray it on lens tissue & rub it clean. You can use a tweezers with a small piece for nooks and crannies.

 

[radiocemetery]

I have successfully used Windex glass cleaner. In extreme cases I have resorted to Naptha or lighter fluid as Steve (250swb) suggests.

Steve W.

 

[Pablito]

Thanks, great responses.

 

[stesm]

I use isopropyl alcohol 70%. Also known as rubbing alcohol. Wintergreen will help mask any lingering tobacco smell. It's never damaged any gear I've used it on and I use it quite liberally. Tastes terrible, though.

 

[Roberto V.]

Yup, rubbing alcohol works great. Just be careful with leather. Some leather dyes dissolve with alcohol.

 

[Pablito]

hummmm decisions decisions. Did not expect there would be so many tobacco stained cameras out there. I'm down to choosing between lighter fluid and rubbing alcohol. Thanks, everyone.

Here is a some of the equipment that will require the treatment:
Leica M6, Leica M3. Leica CL w/40mm lens, 3 or 4 assorted 50mm Summicrons including a rigid. 1 35mm Summicron V4, 1 50mm Elmar 50mm, a bunch of 90 mm Leica lenses, some Canon RF lenses, Canon F1 & lenses and another Canon SLR body, Two Olympus Pen with assorted lenses, three Rollei 35's, Olympus XA, Minox, and LOTS MORE.

Under the tobacco tar all appears to be in good condition.

 

[DanOnRoute66]

I use isopropyl alcohol 70%. Also known as rubbing alcohol. Wintergreen will help mask any lingering tobacco smell. It's never damaged any gear I've used it on and I use it quite liberally. Tastes terrible, though.

Alcohol will damage many leathers; I'm talking about any kind of animal hide, not plastic/vinyl leatherette. That kind of concentration of alcohol also likely will loosen the adhesives. I'd go with 409 in very light swipes.

 

[peterm1]

Not sure if you can get it your location but we have (from supermarkets) various spray concoctions that contain strong surfecants designed to remove all kinds of marks, dirt and oily residues. You only need to slightly dampen a cloth and rub lightly. They do not damage leather although as they are a water-based liquid I would not wish to get any inside a camera. One of the ones I especially find effective has in it oil from the skin of oranges. This seems especially effictive in removing gunk (in fact concentrated forms of orange oil can be bought for removing adhsives, cheewing gum etc but that might be a bit too strong for this purpose.

If you cannot access these, I would try a little isopropyl alochol which is a bit less harsh than normal rubbing alcohol. This should be readily available (eg in chemist / apothecary stores). it has the advantage that if it gets inside the camera it is not likely to harm anything as it drys very rapidly.

 

[Nikon Bob]

I have had good luck using Simple Green on walls to get rid of smoke build up. It should work on the metal parts but don't know about the leather bits.

Bob

 

[aldenfender]

Lemon Juice

Lemon Juice

Hate to get creepy on anyone, but in the mortuary cigarette tar on fingers can call for an old mortician trick of rubbing lemon juice to remove the stains and smell... I would imagine that if its good enough on tissue, it should be gentle enough for the camera?

 

[Pablito]

Not sure if you can get it your location but we have (from supermarkets) various spray concoctions that contain strong surfecants designed to remove all kinds of marks, dirt and oily residues. You only need to slightly dampen a cloth and rub lightly. They do not damage leather although as they are a water-based liquid I would not wish to get any inside a camera. One of the ones I especially find effective has in it oil from the skin of oranges. This seems especially effictive in removing gunk (in fact concentrated forms of orange oil can be bought for removing adhsives, cheewing gum etc but that might be a bit too strong for this purpose.

If you cannot access these, I would try a little isopropyl alochol which is a bit less harsh than normal rubbing alcohol. This should be readily available (eg in chemist / apothecary stores). it has the advantage that if it gets inside the camera it is not likely to harm anything as it drys very rapidly.

Yes, over here it goes by various brands, Goo-gone, Gunk-off. I would be afraid to try this. Alcohol and lighter fluid evaporate quickly. You need water to get the Goo-gone off.

 

[Bill58]

Simple Green will work the best for this job.

 

[dave lackey]

Great advice so far... I have a camera from Al Kaplan that wreaked of cigarette smoke which is something I simply cannot bear. Took a lot of work to clean up and I immediately tossed the box it came in as I could smell it from 20 yards!

Years ago, got a television from our in-laws. Same thing. Just can't imagine that stuff inside a person's lungs.😕

With the above advice, you will eventually get the gear cleaned up and acceptable to even the most sensitive nose. Good luck!🙂

 

[Jonathan]

Anytime I have picked up a piece of gear like this I have used kitchen type anti-bac wipes.
Worked a treat every time.
Jonathan

 

[Pablito]

I have used kitchen type anti-bac wipes.

Jonathan

What is that?

 

[PMCC]

I bought an old Rollei with leather covering that reeked of cigarette smoke from across the room. After cleaning it up as carefully as I could with non-ammoniated detergents, it still stank. I ended up sealing it in a gallon zip lock bag with an open one pound box of baking soda and I left it for a week. Then I had to recondition the leather with a good beeswax shoe polish. Now looks great, smells like good new shoes, with picture taking ability greatly enhanced by virtue of non-nauseated camera operator.

Country cousins had suggested that I seal it in a box with freshly-mown hay for a week, but I'm a city boy through and through.

 

[Frontman]

Here in Japan people still smoke like chimneys, and lots of the old cameras I pick up are badly stained from old cigarette smoke. The best thing I have found to clean them up is Simple Green applied with a toothbrush, and then wiped off with a damp cloth. It takes a little scrubbing to get them clean, but Simple Green won't lift up the glue under the leatherette, and it won't eat into the rubber parts like solvents do.

 

[monopix]

No experience of removing tobacco tar but I use just two cleaners for everything. My first choice is a non-alcohol spectacle (glasses) cleaner. This has some sort of detergent in it and it cleans most things and doesn't leave a residue. For things it doesn't shift, I use isopropyl alcohol. I have had instances where the isopropyl has removed paint so use it carefully but I've never had problems with the glasses cleaner.