Getting cologne off tablet

[Eats Crayons]

I got a spiffy new tablet for 10% off. The store manager was wearing enough cologne to make an eyeless man tear up from the fumes. Because he demonstrated something, the back of the tablet reeks! I've wiped it down with an alcohol wipe to no avail. Now I've got a paper towel soaked with vinegar lying on the back of it.

I can return it, but it's kind of a pain in the butt. I'd rather try de-stinking it first. Any other ideas of what I can do if the vinegar cloth doesn't work?

[SmartAleq]

Baking soda solution mebbe?

[Harry]

I wouldn't worry about it...the more you handle it, the sooner it will wear off, and that's the best way to get rid of the smell.

[AuntiePam]

Zip-lok bag with kitty litter?

[stormie]

leave the poor thing alone before you get odd stuff in the back and void the warranty. I suggest cotton up the nose.

[Random Precision]

Mild soap and water ought to help quite a bit.

The problem with cologne is that the scent is an oil based solution dissolved in alcohol. The alcohol evaporates very quickly, leaving the oils behind. This oil can actually soak into the surface of many types of plastics, bonding with it. It will eventually wear off - if you can smell it, then it is evaporating - but it may take awhile.

What you want is something that dissolves oils, which is where the soap comes in. A bit of Dawn or similar detergent on a wet, but not dripping, sponge and some elbow grease are the best remedy I can think of. Any really serious degreasers I can think of - acetone, orange oil, carbon tetrachloride - would likely also damage the tablet.

Another thing that might help is a little gentle heat and sunshine - heat speeds up evaporation and sunlight breaks down aromatic esters.

[stormie]

water . . . heat . . this is a COMPUTER. what are you people thinking???

[Chacoguy]

Where's @Solfy?

[Wolf Larsen]

Douse the tablet down with Axe!

[Eats Crayons]

Originally Posted by Harry

I wouldn't worry about it...the more you handle it, the sooner it will wear off, and that's the best way to get rid of the smell.

Alas, that isn't an appropriate solution; I'm allergic to artificial fragrance and will just get s migraine or possibly burn my hands. I'll try soap and water. Vinegar didn't work.

[Eats Crayons]

*sigh* We're going to return it to the point of sale. I just spent the past 20 minutes with a dish detergent and a damp sponge - no dice. At this point all the "cleaning" is doing is irritating my hands because I'm handling the stupid thing too much.

I did the data reset thing that is supposed to restore the tablet to factory settings. Is there anything else I need to do to make sure what tiny bit of data had on there is definitely gone? I had only taken a test picture of the dog, but I logged into my Google account and the Giraffe Boards. It's a Nexus, FWIW.

[SmartAleq]

Whatever else you do, I'd let the management of the store know the reason why you're returning it--rampant stink abuse shouldn't go unreported.

[stormie]

I think you're good on your personal data, but you can ask at the store. Factory settings should remove any remembered accounts or passwords. You can also reopen your browser and clear everything if you want, but I suspect you are ok.

On the other hand, I bought a camera that had been returned and found a pic of a lass in lingere

[Solfy]

I don't blame you one bit for returning it. In the future, my suggestion would be to put it in a bag with a bed of activated carbon. You can usually find carbon packets at pet stores sold for fish tank filtration. It's granular, so it shouldn't hurt the electronics. Random had the scoop on the chemistry of why the stink was sticking, and UV light (not necessarily heat) is a good suggestion, too. I'm not talking about baking it on a dash board, just putting it somewhere in direct sunlight for a day or so. (wouldn't work around here; we don't have direct sunlight for three more months)

[Mustard Stain]

If it was a tablet like an iPad that has the glossy plastic that's one thing, but if the Nexus as the grippier more porous plastic, then you were doomed form the start. That shit never comes out.

Remember back roughly 12 years ago when Calvin Klein came out with some kind of unisex perfume/cologne? I bought a used car and the steering wheel was practically infused with it from the greasy mitts of the previous owner. By the time my morning commute was over, I could taste that shit. Nothing the dealership's detailers or I did made a difference.

Eventually I wrapped the steering wheel in handlebar tape until I could afford to get it replaced through my own mechanic.

I've since been told that embalming fluid might have helped get it out because some aldehydes in perfume is closely related to formaldehydes. No idea if it actually works or not, or what it might do to the plastics/vinyl. I suppose if you haven't returned it already, you could try a carbolic soap.

[Solfy]

CK One, the background odor of all my years at college. : bleh :
Formaldehyde is not something you want to be messing around with. "In view of its widespread use, toxicity and volatility, exposure to formaldehyde is a significant consideration for human health.[4] In 2011, the US National Toxicology Program described formaldehyde as "known to be a human carcinogen"."

[Jaglavak]

Spray some Febreze on a paper towl and wipe it down?

[Mustard Stain]

Originally Posted by Solfy

CK One, the background odor of all my years at college. : bleh :
Formaldehyde is not something you want to be messing around with. "In view of its widespread use, toxicity and volatility, exposure to formaldehyde is a significant consideration for human health.[4] In 2011, the US National Toxicology Program described formaldehyde as "known to be a human carcinogen"."

Ack! CK One! That's the nasty shit. It lingers in your sinuses for hours!

BTW - I wasn't recommending actually using elbalming fluid, it's just science student I worked with said "Hmm, I wonder if formaldehyde might work." I don't imagine it's easy to get ahold of in any case.

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

Spray some Febreze on a paper towl and wipe it down?

If EC can't touch artifical fragrance, Frebeze is loaded with it.

The stuff that worked best (but was still ultimately unsuccessful) for my steering wheel was a kind of stain/odor remover for pet accidents. It came in a spray bottle and was supposed to work on everything from cat pee to dog barf. Not sure if I'd risk it on the back of a tablet though. And after awhile to CK One pew came back. Like it worked its way back out of the steering wheel vinyl.

[Solfy]

Originally Posted by Mustard Stain

BTW - I wasn't recommending actually using elbalming fluid, it's just science student I worked with said "Hmm, I wonder if formaldehyde might work." I don't imagine it's easy to get ahold of in any case.

Depends on who you are and what you do.

[BJMoose]

I never thought Solfy would get into grave robbing.

[Mustard Stain]

Originally Posted by BJMoose

I never thought Solfy would get into grave robbing.

When you need corpses to reanimate, you have to get them from somewhere. How else are you supposed to get an army of the undead to take over the world for you? Sheesh.

[The Futility of Nihilism]

Originally Posted by Mustard Stain

When you need corpses to reanimate, you have to get them from somewhere. How else are you supposed to get an army of the undead to take over the world for you? Sheesh.

What, you mean you can't get dead bodies for unholy experiments off of Amazon? Well I'll be damned.

[Mustard Stain]

Originally Posted by The Futility of Nihilism

What, you mean you can't get dead bodies for unholy experiments off of Amazon? Well I'll be damned.

Try CraigsList. Their rules are a little more lax.

[Solfy]

The nice thing about Craigslist is the bodies don't have to be dead when you get them. If you post your ad right they come to you, thus saving transportation costs.

[stormie]

This woman knows her way around a budget

I did a physiology degree, and now formaldehyde is death to me also . . . and the stuff used instead of formaldehyde, and the cleaning stuff to clean up body leakage. So I can't teach physio labs without looking like Hazmat staff, which tends to put students off.

[Eats Crayons]

What the heck?... I go to work and leave you guys alone for a few hours, and now you're trafficking bodies?

Anyway, the tablet has been replaced. The manager said "Weird, it smells like cologne... and vinegar." The new one is perfectly fine though.

[Mustard Stain]

In all fairness, it would have saved everyone's time if you'd just started talking about selling body parts right from the get-go. Just sayin'.

You know how we are.

[Jaglavak]

Originally Posted by stormie

I did a physiology degree...

This woman knows her way around a body.

Many moons ago I took an anatomy class that included viewing dissections. That was enough for me. It was very interesting but this is one area where I'm all about book learning.