Nicotine stains

TravisH

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I am trying to remove cigarette stains from my next pinball restore and I am having a hard time. After searching here and on Google I have tried about everything. I have been using Westley's because that is the only thing so far that will even touch it. I saw someone trying white vinegar, has anyone tried that? The first layer will wipe right off with Westley's but wont do much after that. I figured out that if I wet it down and let it sit for about 5 minutes then scrub like hell with the back side of a scrubber sponge I can get a little more off. Here is a couple pictures after about an hour and a half of work. At this rate it will take a week to get it to a place where I am good with it. I thought about wet sanding with VERY fine sandpaper like you use on car paint and Westley's. The top of the back box is almost black.

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If you look close you can still see that nasty crap even after scrubbing like hell.

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No, this is not a lighting trick, thats how bad it is. This machine must have been in one nasty bar.

Any other ideas?
Thanks
 
CLR can sometimes loosen up nicotine stains, but like 88mph said you need to test it first.
 
do a search on rec.games.pinball. It's probably been discussed there quite a bit, as most pinball purists would much rather preserve the finish on a vintage game rather than touch it up or repaint it.
 
I use a diluted vinegar mixture and it works like a champ. Same mixture my wife uses for cleaning glass I believe. I'll have to ask her exactly what the mixture is. It's pretty cool to see the stains just rolling off, often times without too much scrubbing effort.

But don't forget, that pin is 40 years old, the paint will never look fresh out of the can when you are done ;)
 
I used an industrial type degreaser. Had to be careful because it took most of the sheen off that pain. I ended up waxing the cab after.....it looked OK, but 1000 times better than that brown goo that was all over it.
 
windex, magic eraser, simple green, alcohol (rubbing/highest percentage is best)
 
The cabinet and paint is in great shape if I can get the crap off. I would rather have original paint with a little "character" than a new repaint. I just cant take black where it is supposed to be white. I used all the Westley's I had yesterday so I will have to get more and will get some vinegar and try that also. I tried 91% alcohol and it just laughed in it's face. I also tried Windex, 409, A light rubbing compound for the car and about everything else I had under the sink. So far no joy in nicotineville.
 
Just checked with the wife, I lied about the vinegar, it is "a little" (approx a tbl spoon)ammonia, with a drop or two of dish soap, and then fill the container up with water (I use an old 409 spray bottle).

And ps- I also used it on the same pin you have shown!
 
Try Magic Eraser (melamine foam) and rubbing alcohol. Works wonders for playfields and is usually gentle, unless you go too far. I would 'just' rub until you remove the staining then stop, or you'll burn through the finish. That lacquer paint probably isn't very thick.
 
I had one like that, I used Mean Green degreaser, $1.00 a spray bottle at the dollar store, smells like a combination of chew spit and gypsy tears but it drilled it when simple green would not, I used a magic eraser. When it was difficult in an area, I would let a rag soaked in it sit for about 30 seconds, came right off with the magic eraser... then went back over it with simple green to take of the dookie smell.:D
 
You didn't mention, and I am curious, about any smell it might have retained.
It retained no smell at all, and it does not remain, I hit it with the simple green usually afterwards, I just hate the smell of it, but wholly crap it works wonders on just about everything... I dont use it on exposed artwork If I can help it, but like I said, it removes stuff great and has never damaged any paint, even with the magic eraser,...I used it on a translite for a pin that sat in a pizzaria once, you could smell the pepperoni ooze, but simple green worked almost all the way, this stuff is cheap so I tried it based on another KLOVrs reccomendation and again it drilled it..
 
Try Magic Eraser (melamine foam) and rubbing alcohol. Works wonders for playfields and is usually gentle, unless you go too far. I would 'just' rub until you remove the staining then stop, or you'll burn through the finish. That lacquer paint probably isn't very thick.

You should state what percentage of alchohol. Alchohol can remove paint anyhow...
Btw, great results! I will have to try that!
 
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Simple Green seems to work on almost anything. I can say I would much rather have a game smell like pepperoni rather than cigarettes. Now I am craving pizza.
 
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