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Removing cigarette odor from a lens?

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Hjonkers

Hjonkers

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So. I bought a secondhand Voigtlander 75mm f1.5 (Nikon Z mount) off ebay at what seemed like a pretty good price. Original packaging, from a seller who claimed that they had barely used it.

The problem was that when I opened the box I was greeted by an awful tobacco odor! And of course since this had never come up in previous purchases, so I hadn't even considered it. The seller doesn't claim it's from a smoke-free home either, so no chance to complain to the site.

The lens itself is in perfect condition, at least. No marks or scratches, and the glass seems completely clean. I did test it on my Zf and it worked perfectly. But that smell is quite a problem!

The lens itself doesn't seem to have much of an odor, but when I remove the rear lens cap I can smell tobacco around the recessed rear element. I left it uncapped for a couple hours and the odor seemed to dissipate, so I capped it again; and when I removed the rear lens cap again the odor was back in full force.

I'm pretty sensitive to that tobacco smell, so I'm planning to attempt to leave the lens (uncapped) in a shoebox with an open box of baking soda for a few days. Does anyone have any reason why this might be a bad idea? And are there any other suggestions for removing this odor so I don't soak up an expensive loss?
 
Hjonkers said:
So. I bought a secondhand Voigtlander 75mm f1.5 (Nikon Z mount) off ebay at what seemed like a pretty good price. Original packaging, from a seller who claimed that they had barely used it.

The problem was that when I opened the box I was greeted by an awful tobacco odor! And of course since this had never come up in previous purchases, so I hadn't even considered it. The seller doesn't claim it's from a smoke-free home either, so no chance to complain to the site.

The lens itself is in perfect condition, at least. No marks or scratches, and the glass seems completely clean. I did test it on my Zf and it worked perfectly. But that smell is quite a problem!

The lens itself doesn't seem to have much of an odor, but when I remove the rear lens cap I can smell tobacco around the recessed rear element. I left it uncapped for a couple hours and the odor seemed to dissipate, so I capped it again; and when I removed the rear lens cap again the odor was back in full force.

I'm pretty sensitive to that tobacco smell, so I'm planning to attempt to leave the lens (uncapped) in a shoebox with an open box of baking soda for a few days. Does anyone have any reason why this might be a bad idea? And are there any other suggestions for removing this odor so I don't soak up an expensive loss?
Click to expand...
Just keep using it. The smell will go away eventually.
 
Hjonkers said:
I'm pretty sensitive to that tobacco smell, so I'm planning to attempt to leave the lens (uncapped) in a shoebox with an open box of baking soda for a few days. Does anyone have any reason why this might be a bad idea?
Click to expand...
No reason not to if that's what you want to do.
Hjonkers said:
And are there any other suggestions for removing this odor so I don't soak up an expensive loss?
Click to expand...
The one time I bought cigarette-stinky photo gear, I just left it in the garage for some time - maybe a week or so - and that's all it took.
 
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That should help and not harm the lens. Put it in a warm place and the smell should dissipate.


Cheers,
Doug
 
I would try first with just the lens caps. The caps are plastic and have a little texture. The metal and the glass in the lens are not pours and any odor would be just surface film.


One thing for the outside of the lens and around the mount would be wipe it down with an alcohol pad (or make your own with a cloth microfiber towel and dip it in rubbing alcohol. Doesn't need to be wet just damp. The alcohol should cut any oily tar residue left over from the tobacco smoke. You can soak the lens caps in a pretty strong solution of a water and a dish washing liquid like Dawn. Same thing, it will cut the tar residue.

The glass elements in the lens should clean up just using whatever method you use to clean your lenses. The glass is hard and not pours and will not absorb any odors it would be just any surface film.

Baking soda may work but I think the trick here is to remove any surface film on the lens and my first suspect would be the lens caps and the outside of the lens barrel and alcohol on the lens barrel itself and the dishwashing liquid on the lens caps should help you.

Jeff
 
I have seen that Ozone will remove cigarette odor from cars. Perhaps spray a generous portion on a rag and put the rag in a box with the lens. Ozone spray is available at auto parts stores like O'Rileys, Napa etc.
 
jeffnles1 said:
I would try first with just the lens caps. The caps are plastic and have a little texture. The metal and the glass in the lens are not pours and any odor would be just surface film.

One thing for the outside of the lens and around the mount would be wipe it down with an alcohol pad (or make your own with a cloth microfiber towel and dip it in rubbing alcohol. Doesn't need to be wet just damp. The alcohol should cut any oily tar residue left over from the tobacco smoke. You can soak the lens caps in a pretty strong solution of a water and a dish washing liquid like Dawn. Same thing, it will cut the tar residue.

The glass elements in the lens should clean up just using whatever method you use to clean your lenses. The glass is hard and not pours and will not absorb any odors it would be just any surface film.

Baking soda may work but I think the trick here is to remove any surface film on the lens and my first suspect would be the lens caps and the outside of the lens barrel and alcohol on the lens barrel itself and the dishwashing liquid on the lens caps should help you.

Jeff
Click to expand...
Former smoker here who had to get that smell off of all my gear. This is good advice. On the lens cap, I find 409 spray cleaner more effective than alcohol at removing the film that is the source of the smoke odor. A microfiber towel with long pile *moistened* with 409 (or alcohol) is effective on the exterior of the lens. But for any glass I'd only use alcohol or a lens cleaning solution.

I don't think that the baking soda will be super effective. Cigarette smoke contains a significant amount of tar. That's what forms a film on things, that's what stays on things, that's where most of the smell is coming from.

For a real 'fun' time, try getting that smoke odor out of canvas camera bags...
 
Professional house cleaners use ammonia for that. I would wipe it with a cloth dampened with household ammonia.
 
Try wiping the lens with a clean cloth LIGHTLY moistened with cigarette lighter fuel fluid (Naptha) or a weak solution of Isopropyl alcohol. Nicotine is an oily liquid which is soluble in the former chemicals.

If the smell persisits you could try a treatment with one of these bulbs
. You can find then on Ebay.

Take special care in using it as per the video's advice. The bulb generates UV-C rays which form ozone gas.

I use mine in a desktop lamp holder with extension cord and place it in the smallest room in the house with the door almost shut and the cord trailing outside.

I arrange my lenses close by it with caps off.

Switch it on by plugging into a socket outside the room and give you lens a good blast of UV for 10-15 minutes.

It goes without saying don't allow ANYONE in the room especially kids and pets whist the "treatment" is ongoing. Afterwards switch the lamp off remotely from outside and ventilate the room as much as possible - there will be a strong smell of ozone/chlorine.

UV-C has the added bonus of killing off mould and fungus spores which can of course, infect lenses.

If possible have the lens iris fully open. Good luck!
 
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No matter what you do the offensive odor will go away.
 
Former heavy smoker here. The smell dissipates. I would not use anything other than perhaps lightly blowing air across the items with a low powered fan for a few hours at time to try to speed up the process. It worked with my leather jackets.

I remember thinking my car would never stop smelling (and it really stank) but the smell dissipated.

having said that, I don't mind the smell (and no i am not saying I cant smell it) , it just wouldnt bother me that much.

you might find that the box smells more than the lens.
 
nikonzednaikonzee said:
Former heavy smoker here. The smell dissipates. I would not use anything other than perhaps lightly blowing air across the items with a low powered fan for a few hours at time to try to speed up the process. It worked with my leather jackets.

I remember thinking my car would never stop smelling (and it really stank) but the smell dissipated.

having said that, I don't mind the smell (and no i am not saying I cant smell it) , it just wouldnt bother me that much.

you might find that the box smells more than the lens.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily, and not necessarily in a reasonable time frame. I quit smoking ten years ago. Some stuff still smells like smoke.
 
Lisa Horton said:
nikonzednaikonzee said:
Former heavy smoker here. The smell dissipates. I would not use anything other than perhaps lightly blowing air across the items with a low powered fan for a few hours at time to try to speed up the process. It worked with my leather jackets.

I remember thinking my car would never stop smelling (and it really stank) but the smell dissipated.

having said that, I don't mind the smell (and no i am not saying I cant smell it) , it just wouldnt bother me that much.

you might find that the box smells more than the lens.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily, and not necessarily in a reasonable time frame. I quit smoking ten years ago. Some stuff still smells like smoke.
Click to expand...
maybe I am just tolerant of it
 
Hjonkers said:
So. I bought a secondhand Voigtlander 75mm f1.5 (Nikon Z mount) off ebay at what seemed like a pretty good price. Original packaging, from a seller who claimed that they had barely used it.

The problem was that when I opened the box I was greeted by an awful tobacco odor! And of course since this had never come up in previous purchases, so I hadn't even considered it. The seller doesn't claim it's from a smoke-free home either, so no chance to complain to the site.

The lens itself is in perfect condition, at least. No marks or scratches, and the glass seems completely clean. I did test it on my Zf and it worked perfectly. But that smell is quite a problem!

The lens itself doesn't seem to have much of an odor, but when I remove the rear lens cap I can smell tobacco around the recessed rear element. I left it uncapped for a couple hours and the odor seemed to dissipate, so I capped it again; and when I removed the rear lens cap again the odor was back in full force.

I'm pretty sensitive to that tobacco smell, so I'm planning to attempt to leave the lens (uncapped) in a shoebox with an open box of baking soda for a few days. Does anyone have any reason why this might be a bad idea? And are there any other suggestions for removing this odor so I don't soak up an expensive loss?
Click to expand...
Put it outside for a day when it is not too humid, or use ozone gen machine. It destroys volatile compounds and molecules well, I heard.
 
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[No message]
 
As many have said, the odor will go away but be aware it is a slow process, many months, maybe even a year or more, but it will dissipate in degrees, so six months from now, still some smell but definitely not as much. Don't use chemicals on your lens, you don't need to and you might create more damage than good.
 
Aw, for gosh sakes. Just wipe it with something. Almost anything that evaporates. Well, beware of the effect of petrochemicals and oils on rubber. Just keep your eyes open and be careful that it's not something that eats rubber, etc.

You don't have to buy a crazy machine or let it sit for years. A lot of that will disappear with just a damp cloth. Ammonia may help. Be careful about alcohol. Test it carefully. It might eat rubber, and denatured alcohol may very well leave a residue. They don't tell you what's in "denatured" alcohol, and it isn't all alcohol! The tobacco stuff may keep oozing out of rubber for some time, so be prepared to clean it two or three times if necessary.

Clean the glass with any normal lens cleaner.

Smokers and former smokers have no idea how offensive that odor is, and how long it lasts.
 
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ThrillaMozilla said:
Aw, for gosh sakes. Just wipe it with something. Almost anything that evaporates. Well, beware of the effect of petrochemicals and oils on rubber. Just keep your eyes open and be careful that it's not something that eats rubber, etc.

You don't have to buy a crazy machine or let it sit for years. A lot of that will disappear with just a damp cloth. Ammonia may help. Be careful about alcohol. Test it carefully. It might eat rubber, and denatured alcohol may very well leave a residue. They don't tell you what's in "denatured" alcohol, and it isn't all alcohol! The tobacco stuff may keep oozing out of rubber for some time, so be prepared to clean it two or three times if necessary.

Clean the glass with any normal lens cleaner.

Smokers and former smokers have no idea how offensive that odor is, and how long it lasts.
Click to expand...
Yep, this is why I said that using naturally occurring O3 would be enough. Just set it outside for a day or some (obviously not when it is too cold or rainy).
 
So why UV light. It kills Bacteria and much of what we smell is a result of Bacteria at work. In addition it also kills Fungi and is a common treatment for Lens Fungus so it has a long history of not doing any damage to camera lenses. Finally UV lights are now fairly inexpensive so testing this out won't be a budget buster. BTW, I haven't a clue if this will work but if I were in your position I would try it out.
 
wrap it in a cloth and put in a container filled with baking soda.
 
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