Hi Elwood,
I posted this to CAUT just moments ago for a fire restoration, but much is
pertinent to you. I'd guess this will be a situation in which they may be
willing to "risk" whatever corrosion problems may present themselves on down
the road, so probably you can simply do with using DeGreaseAll with 9D9, and
maybe use the SmokeSolv Creme Wood Restorer for the exterior. But, the rest
is perhaps worthwhile information so:
A smoke damage restoration is a big job. It can be done, and you should
take care to do it well, and with appropriate caveats. AIt is possible for
some trouble to appear on down the road with corrosion of strings, etc.,
that you can not predict. Can not, no way, no how. And, it might never be
a problem. So there are many levels to which you can take this kind of
work, the two (reasonable) extremes in my opinion:
Option 1: Full restoration - this is really the only way to be able to make
any real guarantees about the end product. Basically tear the piano down,
keeping the block, board and bridges, clean in that condition, and then
restring, new dampers, etc. One could make the argument that even glue
joints may be suspect, and one should therefore not guarantee those parts
against failure. Probably appropriate, and in this case probably reasonable
to suggest proceeding with a restoration, saying this doesn't appear to be a
problem, but never a guarantee.
Option 2: Clean as is, disassemble only to the point of removal of all case
parts, action removed for cleaning, etc., but no real replacement of parts,
just cleaning thoroughly. There are a number of products made by the
Unsmoke company. I get them from a regional supplier as I don't have a
local source, but you may. I order them from JonDon. see:
http://www.jondon.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=82_2478&osCsid=9c5d2026d2fff676b128e0d8726e7dde
also:
http://www.jondon.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=82_2480&osCsid=1040608be3c3d65efe5fddb05be30a54
There are different products for different odor sources (electrical fire,
refrigerator with meat smells, etc. - choose accordingly). My short list
includes the following:
-Dry Cleaning Sponges - Use first to wipe down all casework, finished or
unfinished parts - removes soot and other residue
-Degrease-All - Use second, everywhere. Mix and use to wipe all unfinished"
things (underside or the back, and inside cabinet); it can be mixed with:
-9D9: Odor control - Wood and Synthetic Fires
-Double O: Odor control - Organics, Protein Odors
-SmokeSolv Wood Creme Restorer - Use on all finished surfaces.
-C.O.C crystals: Ambient passive odor removal
-Space Spray: Very strong, kind of a last resort odor eliminator
That should get you started. It is many, many hours of scrubbing, rubbing,
etc. As I mentioned, there are many places along the path that one could
call "good enough," and it's up to you and the clients to decide where that
is, knowing the advantages and pitfalls of any suggested approach. With
this kind of job, I tend to believe more towards Option one is preferable.
Nothing is more displeasing than paying a lot of money for smoke restoration
and ending up with a piano that still smells faintly of smoke.
My opinion,
William R. Monroe
On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 5:59 PM, Elwood Doss, Jr. <edoss at charter.net> wrote:
> Any suggestions about cleaning cigarette smoke odor from the inside of a
> piano? How about spraying Odo-ban on the action and lightly on
> strings/soundboard? What about using an ozone machine if one can be found?
> What say ye?
>
> Joy!
>
> Elwood
>
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