Vintage Uke Smells bad
- Thread starter Heavy2600
- Start date
besley
Active member
Among the treatments that I've seen suggested for smelly guitars and their cases include dryer sheets, Febreeze, activated charcoal, and baking soda. People have even suggested filling the cavity of the guitar with a coating of baking soda, letting it sit, and then vacuuming it out (though presumably not if you have electronics within). The best treatment - if you have access to one - would be an ozone generator, the type hotels use to purify rooms.
Booli
Well-known member
1. get some pantyhose and cut off about 1ft/30cm from the toes-end (keeping the toes), fill loosely (such that you can insert into sound hole) with your choice of:
kitty litter, coffee beans, rice grains
2. once filled, either tie the open end of pantyhose in a knot, or with a rubber band
3. stuff pantyhose into sound hole of stinky uke
4. then put uke into plastic bag and tie closed
5. leave for 48-72 hrs, then remove pantyhose from sound hole and test for smell removed.
6. if stinky smell not removed, repeat as necessary
7. if smell is removed, then discard now-stinky pantyhose into the trash
8. PROFIT!
:music:
kitty litter, coffee beans, rice grains
2. once filled, either tie the open end of pantyhose in a knot, or with a rubber band
3. stuff pantyhose into sound hole of stinky uke
4. then put uke into plastic bag and tie closed
5. leave for 48-72 hrs, then remove pantyhose from sound hole and test for smell removed.
6. if stinky smell not removed, repeat as necessary
7. if smell is removed, then discard now-stinky pantyhose into the trash
8. PROFIT!
:music:
Ukecaster
Well-known member
river_driver
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I would add that before you do what Booli suggests, put about a cup of dry rice inside it, cover the sound hole, and give it a really thorough shaking. Then dump/vacuum the rice out. If you like you can wear the pantyhose while you do so.
Booli
Well-known member
Yes, I agree, since the loose rice will act as a mild abrasive and help to get rid of any dirt/detritus without causing damage to the insides.
I am not so fancy as to actually wear the pantyhose while performing such a task, as I prefer to be 'au naturale' on my manly, hairy legs
But I am not one to judge
Is it just me or is it getting hot in here?
mikelz777
Well-known member
You might want to try a method I used on a musty, slightly fishy smelling hard case that resisted other approaches to ridding it of its smell - vanilla extract. I took a cotton round (cotton pad shaped like a Ritz cracker often used to remove makeup) and cut it into 3 pieces and then I put each piece into the bottom of a water bottle cap to prevent the extact from getting on the lining of the case. I then put a little splash of vanilla extract on each cotton round piece and put them in the head space, the storage compartment and in the body space of the case. I left the case closed for about 4 days and after that, the smell was gone and the case had a very light, pleasant vanilla scent to it. It should work the same way with a ukulele body by putting the vanilla extract apparatus into the body of the uke, covering the sound hole and leaving it for several days.
Ziret
Well-known member
I had a uke that came from a heavy smoker and it reeked. I put a mixture of rice and baking soda inside and shook it around for a bit. Dumped it out and it smelled like nothing and the odor never returned.
ScooterD35
Active member
Frank Ford is one of the most respected repair people in the world. This is from his massive site frets.com It demonstrates the technique with a guitar, but the method works just as well on a Uke.
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Quickies/RiceClean/riceclean.html
Scooter
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Quickies/RiceClean/riceclean.html
Scooter
OhioBelle
New member
:biglaugh:
There was a time when I used to wear both makeup AND pantyhose. Both highly over-rated.
Knock yourselves out, gentlemen!
EspressoDan
New member
"put about a cup of dry rice inside it, cover the sound hole, and give it a really thorough shaking."
More coffee needed. I read "put a cup of dry ice inside". Dry rice would be much better.
Dan
More coffee needed. I read "put a cup of dry ice inside". Dry rice would be much better.
Dan
Booli
Well-known member
What Scooter said ^. Giving credit where it is due, Scooter was the kind soul that educated me about the rice. Frank Ford is no joke, so heeding the procedure on that link is likely to work out well.
:biglaugh:
There was a time when I used to wear both makeup AND pantyhose. Both highly over-rated.
Knock yourselves out, gentlemen!
You are probably much better off. I agree with your saying 'over-rated'. Most women in my family 'of a certain age' seem to use makeup like war-paint to fend off evil spirits or something (which ends up being clown-ish in a sad-funny way).
Like many things in life 'Less is more'
