Dusty Morningwood Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I just got an antique long rifle that was over a mantel at a social club for decades. The wood and metal are darkly coated with the residue from decades of tobacco smoke and fireplace soot. Makes the whole thing kind of "tacky" to the touch. What is a good, mild cleaner that can be used to remove this without harming wood? Metal I can clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barleycorn, SASS #76982 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Simply green, and Murphys oil soap come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Nelson Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I used to work on TVs, and they'd end up the same way in a smoker's house. (Plus some homes in the area were heated with coal burned in a fireplace, and the local coal had a lot of sulfur in it. That stuff was corrosive.) I used Windex to clean the screen, controls, and the outside of the cabinet and regularly got compliments on how bright the picture was after I'd worked on it. However... if the wood on that rifle has a finish you care about, I don't recommend Windex. In fact, most things I can think of that remove smoke & tar can also be used as a furniture stripper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusta B. Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I'll bet ya a little saddle soap would be worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Mineral spirits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 GoJo hand cleaner. Blackfoot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickel City Dude Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Mineral spirits I second that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Mineral Spirits will also cut many of the old finishes that were applied to antique Furniture and gunstocks. Murphy's Oil Soap is your best bet. Most other products contain chemicals that will act as a stripper. Coffinmaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I use something called Goof Off on stuff like that and it works very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish ike, SASS #43615 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Careful on what you use. If you want to retain the original finish the use soaps etc. Many old finishes get sticky after awhile, especially varnish. If your not worried about that then stronger methods can be used. Ike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August West, SASS #45079 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 My wife and I refurbished a house that had been inhabited by smokers for several decades. We used Simple Green on everything and it worked quickly and thoroughly. It wasn't pretty, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Kroil has worked for me on metal, rubbed with bronze wool. Takes off (or at least mellows) any patina or freckling, too, while leaving the blue. Mineral spirits on the wood. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Being a soot lord, Ballistol would be my first choice, plus a little rubbing with a paper towel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al OVERA, SASS#26238 Life Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Crud Cutter, available at your local Home Depot or Lowes. Washed that "crud" right off. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurricane Deck 100366 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Another vote for Simple Green. It's a great place to start due to is relative gentle nature on older finishes and wood. worth a try before taking something more aggressive to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Culpepper 32827 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Awesome, found at dollar general and such,,,, dilute with water 1 to 4 parts water,,, lifts tobacco residue right off without scrubbing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Simple Green , followed up with Murphey's oil soap then seal with bees wax CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidewinder Bill Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Mineral Spirits will also cut many of the old finishes that were applied to antique Furniture and gunstocks. Murphy's Oil Soap is your best bet. Most other products contain chemicals that will act as a stripper. Coffinmaker +1 Just used Murphy's oil on an old desk (1920's) and it came out quite well...came from a lifelong smokers house. Will take a number of applications but worth the effort in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Howdy, Whatever you decide to use try removing a little at a time. I would use micro fiber cloth gently wash wipe dry. Maybe two or three cloths. And when I got down to the wood with most of the stuff off I would switch to Scotts Liquid Gold. Its a pretty good furniture cleaner protector. Go slow if the piece is worth it. Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rio Bigg, SASS #29095 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 You have to tell us more about the rifle. Not because it will necessarily affect the cleaning method, but we're curious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Howdy, Too curious for words..... Before and after pix with some details on the cleaning method would be nice. Ive cleaned up some old guns, Its a bit of an adventure. A lot of things can disappear if you are patient and have reasonable goals. Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtwater Doc 17941 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Use peanut butter!! Smear it on by hand, let it incubate a few hours and then wipe off. May need to repeat. And it smells good too, unless you're allergic to peanuts. (then use almond butter!) My mother in law taught me this years ago to clean sticky/tacky residues on furniture but I have used on rubber coatings and painted surfaces that I wanted to save. DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddnews SASS# 24779 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Years ago I worked as a window washer, and the inside of bar-room windows would be think with the nicotine stains. Our cleaner of choice was a small amount of laundry detergent (the brand wasn't critical, but we used Purex because it was inexpensive) and water. Our proportion was about two tablespoons of detergent to one five-gallon bucket of water. I doubt that would be harmful to any old finishes, and I know from experience that it will essentially "melt" nicotine stains. Rub it on, let it set for 30 seconds, rinse it off. Dry and oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Hi Dusty, I've refinished and cleaned up a variety of old furniture. It was a hobby until I ran out of room... I would be very careful with anything that has a water base unless you wouldn't mind refinishing it. The thicker the original finish, the less likely it is to be damaged by a water-based product. Also, never let a water-based product sit for any length of time. Wipe on, wipe off, and repeat rather trying to get all of the muck off with one application. Use lots of clean rags. If it has to be refinished, you may need to restain dark finishes. Wipe on, wipe off, so it won't get too dark. Use the finest steel wool and real lacquer (not polyurethane or shellac). Use steel wool between coats. Do not allow the finish to be too glossy; that will detract from the authenticity of the finish. I had one piece come out too shiny once. I just rubbed it lightly with steel wool to tone down the shine. Regards, Allie PS You will probably get as many different methods as posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrelhouse Bob, SASS#22663 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Even a very mild diluted solution of Simple Green will cut nicotine residue like magic. It would be my first choice to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackey Cole Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Spray the metal with amsoil mp and put in a old silicon gun sock. Spray libery daily until the metal is clean. For the wood I'm lost.matbe the Amish wood cleaner advertised on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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