All:
I just a got great deal on a Samsung 32" HDTV. The only issue is the
smoke smell. Is there a way I can
get it off and out of my new HDTV without ruining the TV? Thank you.
Tobacco-smoke tar is one of the more difficult gunks to remove
(Consumer Reports used to use it as their "difficult" contaminant,
when testing glass cleaners). Unfortunately, washing the exterior of
the cabinet and the tube leaves you with an uneasy choice... cleaners
which are strong enough to strip the tobacco tar, may mar the plastic
case or (perhaps) whatever anti-glare coating was placed on the front
of the tube.
Fresh air and sunlight is probably your best bet. The UV in sunlight
helps break down the tobacco tar and the volatile materials which
cause the odor, and the heat helps volatize what's left and let it
blow away. I remember reading of one service outlet which had a
standard practice, when they got in a tape deck or receiver which
smelled of cigarette smoke - they'd take off the cover and leave it
out in the noonday sun for several days before working on it.
This isn't the right time of year for lots of sunlight, alas, and
opening up the interior of a flat-screen TV to allow sunlight to
penetrate the insides may not be feasible.
My guess is your best bet, at this point, is to clean the exterior of
the cabinet with a general-purpose liquid household cleanser (test it
in an inconspicuous spot on the back to make sure it's not damaging
the surface), and clean the glass front with whatever sort of glass
cleanser the manufacturer recommends. Don't spray liquid on it, or
use a soaking-wet rag to use the cleaning... just dampen a clean rag
and then wipe... you don't want to get liquid into the interior.
Then, put it in your garage, aim a big fan at it, and blow air on it
for several days... dissipate as much of the odor as you can that way.
--
Dave Platt AE6EO
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