I recently got a toy that I can't even display. It reeks, and is making everything around it reek.

I saw an old thread that mentioned using activated charcoal to remove cigarette smell.

Apparently some people will soak toys in a 1:10 vinegar/water solution, or a 1:10 vodka/water solution.

Does anyone else have any techniques that worked for them?

Any help/pointers would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Just start smoking...Then you won't notice the smell.

I think you can seal them in a bag with baking soda(takes a month).

waste of vodka...

Drink enough vodka and any problem will go away.

That sucks, I don't get why people pay all this money for collectibles, but smoke knowing it's going to cause them to stink or discolor. The front door is right there!

depends on the toy, i just got some in from Japan with the same problem. I just used warm water, soap and a toothbrush. It worked...

It's not worth trying to figure that one out. Why do people smoke when they know that it will kill them? Shit, I smoked when I was younger and I can't even tell you why I did it...other than them being delicious and the perfect compliment to beers and bourbon.

My wife and I both smoke cigarettes, and we both hate it, it's more than a habit, because I've stopped most of my bad habits, but I can't quit smoking. That said, I would never smoke inside, nor will I let my toys get near cigarette smoke, vinyl is so porous it sucks the smoke right in. P.M. me I'll send you a bottle of vinyl cleaner, and conditioner. It takes all the nastiness right out.

My wife smoked for a long time and still uses nicotine lozenges. I feel so bad for people that smoke, because it seems like most want to quit, it's just impossible.

I got some figures from ebay with the smell. I washed them a dozen times. It didn't help. I left them sealed in a bag with sodium bicarbonate for months and months until the stench went away. Had to refresh the power a couple times. Now they're fine.

Take the head off, fart inside of it, and hope it outweighs the smoke...

I do that before I mail out any toy.

If I can't keep it...

I tend to fart inside of most things that I own. It didn't end well for the cat.

I had this problem arise like Serpentor a couple of months back with a trade. I totally wasn't expecting it, and kept the offending toy away from my collection. I used a blow dryer to separate it, washed it with tons of soap, and it still reeked. Then I put it in a solution of white vinegar and water and let it soak for about 10 - 15 minutes, then air dried overnight. I just gave it the sniff test and it's perfectly fine, no faint hints of cigarette nastiness or vinegar.


God damnit, Ben!

Damn this thread is perfect right now because I just got a very nice piece but the fucking thing reeks!!! It is really awful. It is very strange though, it is not a cigarette smell but almost like a very very strong fabric softener smell! I have even tried washing it with soap and water and nothing works it is fucking really nasty like the previous owner fucking rubbed it with and a dryer sheet or soaked it in perfume of some kind... Maybe to cover the smell of cigarettes?

bookmarked your trade thread

cigarette smoked + flocked toys = fucked

I have had this happen. Not only did it stink of smoke but it also yellowed the vinyl. Ugh. I aired it out. Let it sit on my window ledge and soak up the smell of nature. Washed it gently with water and scrubbed with the original Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. After a while the smell dissipated and with patient scrubbing, managed to take the yellowing out. Magic eraser will take out paint if rubbed enough but I recall the parts I was washing were white and unpainted.

I have used baking soda (like arm & hammer) for smells before like this. I received an item and it smelled really bad of cat urine (like it came from a house with a bunch of cats). I put it in a closed bag with one of those boxes of baking soda that has the cut out on the side and let it sit for a couple weeks or so. When I took it out of the bag, the smell was gone. Good luck!

Well that would be really awkward if it smelled like that, and they didn't have cats.

yeah definitely not a good sign when stuff wreaks that bad. Yet to have this happen thank god. Such a gross smell.

did we help? what worked?

I got it sealed up with a box of baking soda on the 13th. I'll give an update in a couple of weeks.

Big thanks to everyone for all of their input!

Unfortunately I smoke ...
and use ammonia to remove nicotine and tar from car windows. it cleans perfectly stinky yellow halos
I think it goes well for vinyl

UPDATE: Two weeks after being sealed up in a box with some baking soda, the toy is smelling A LOT better. It isn't quite stink-free yet, so I sealed it back and will check it again in a week or two.

edited because I think this ebay person might be unstable