Getting the smoke smell out of a console?

[Kaido]

Just bought a used XBOX ONE (the original big unit, not an X or S) from a buddy who smokes heavily. The console emits a strong smell, even when it's not plugged in or turned on. Any good procedures for clearing the smell out? Found an old thread here:

https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/smoke-smell-in-console-any-suggestions.2159488/

Best ideas so far:

1. Disassembly console & do a deep manual cleaning
2. Surround with fabric softener sheets & let it run for a few days
3. Stick a fan on it for a few days to let it air out

Poking around google & reddit, haven't found a really solid solution yet.

 

[shortylickens]

Rubbing alcohol on a cloth. Do not pour it directly on anything.

 

[Nashemon]

I can confirm fabric softener works, at least for games. My recent purchase of CIB Sonic 3 for Genesis arrived smelling awful. I stuck a sheet inside the box, and one on each side, and put it in a ziplock. A few days later it smelled fresh and clean.

I'd imagine a bit more work would be required for a console. Personally, I'd disassemble it and ziplock the individual components.

 

[EXCellR8]

Ah, the sweet smell of smoker-owned Sega Genesis games... doesn't get much more 90's than that.

You absolutely need to dismantle it piece by piece if you're going to rid the smell to an acceptable level. It shouldn't be too bad I'd use rubbing alcohol on the plastic bits and seal the electronics in a clean plastic container with some dryer sheets or something that scent can transfer from. Just be careful to prevent any potential static discharge.

Personally, I wouldn't go through the trouble and just trade or sell it but if you've got the time and patience, and the console works fine, then it's worth a try.

 

[Kaido]

Ah, the sweet smell of smoker-owned Sega Genesis games... doesn't get much more 90's than that.

You absolutely need to dismantle it piece by piece if you're going to rid the smell to an acceptable level. It shouldn't be too bad I'd use rubbing alcohol on the plastic bits and seal the electronics in a clean plastic container with some dryer sheets or something that scent can transfer from. Just be careful to prevent any potential static discharge.

Personally, I wouldn't go through the trouble and just trade or sell it but if you've got the time and patience, and the console works fine, then it's worth a try.

I got it for pretty cheap & also only got it for Just Dance with Kinect for the family, so I'm not super worried about getting a mint console because it's kind of a single-purpose gizmo for us at the moment. I'm on the fence about doing a disassembly, as it failed on my buddy, so he picked up an Xbox One X while it was getting refurbished, and they gave him a six-month warranty on it, so at least I've got some warranty for the moment.

I think I'm going to start out with the dryer sheet trick to begin with, and then do the fan trick (aim a fan at it for a few days just to force air through it) and see if that does the trick. From reading around, it sounds like most of the smell is usually on the surface of the consoles, so unless the interior is super nasty with dust bunnies & stuff, maybe this will do the trick. I'll report back!

 

[EXCellR8]

If the smell is worse when the console is on then I'd say the inside needs to be cleaned.

I'd be willing to bet that there is some caked crud on the inside... in which case (if you aren't going to take it apart) I would recommend using an air compressor on the vents, or at least a bottle of dust-off. Do it lightly in short bursts to get some of the more stubborn stuff out and then see if the dryer sheets or fabric softener will freshen it up.

 

[shortylickens]

If the smell is worse when the console is on then I'd say the inside needs to be cleaned.

I'd be willing to bet that there is some caked crud on the inside... in which case (if you aren't going to take it apart) I would recommend using an air compressor on the vents, or at least a bottle of dust-off. Do it lightly in short bursts to get some of the more stubborn stuff out and then see if the dryer sheets or fabric softener will freshen it up.

Vacuum on one side, blower on the other. Otherwise you're just blasting stuff around, not cleaning it.

 

[EXCellR8]

It might not matter anyway if the crud is a bit caked on, but I typically prefer doing these sorts of things outside anyway, if possible. I'm not super familiar with how the ventilation works on those first gen consoles...

I've cleaned a lot of smokers' computers though and the stuff that gets onto the fan blades and in between heat sink fins defies explanation--other than wanting to make me puke. Of course, I'm not looking to rid the smell most of the time, just get rid of that grimy yellow dust. Maximum gross.

 

[mindless1]

If you want the best odor elimination possible then you need to disassemble it, pull anything off that might get harmed (like fan bearings, bronze, aluminum, rubber), and scrub every surface with a toothbrush, paintbrush in delicate areas, and hot, strong ammonia detergent solution for example Mr. Clean.

Nothing else (common household cleaners at least) comes close to cutting through that tar varnish like ammonia does. Yes do it outside.

 

[Rifter]

Disassemble and clean each individual part/board with 90%+ IPA. Only way to get it all out, the smoke forms a layer of resin/oil on all the parts, cant really clean effectively without full disassembly.