smoke contaminated guns

jcj54 · May 2, 2014, 04:53 AM

So a friend has some guns smoked in a house fire. No fire or water damage. Long guns and handguns.
Best method to clean and remove residue and odor?

g.willikers · May 2, 2014, 10:24 AM

If the finishes aren't damaged, the metal parts shouldn't be too hard to clean.
Just about any of the mild solvents should do it.
The porous parts, like wood and plastic might be harder, depending on how well they were sealed.
Start those with good old soap and water.
If that doesn't help, then maybe alcohol or mineral spirits.
But, like always, test what ever you're going to use in a non-conspicuous place.

Jimro · May 2, 2014, 10:28 AM

Any gun cleaner should work on the metal, even plain gun oil. For wood, I would try mild soapy water first.

Jimro

jcj54 · May 2, 2014, 10:41 AM

The worst thing is the structure fire odor. Getting that out of the wood may be tough.

jcj54 · May 2, 2014, 10:54 AM

The worst thing is the structure fire odor. Getting that out of the wood may be tough.

FrankenMauser · May 2, 2014, 11:04 AM

Unless you soak the wood in a nasty solvent long enough to leech all of the oils out of the stock (and then replace them later), it's just going to take time. ...lots of time.

And, sometimes, even time isn't enough. My grandmother bought a living room set at a "smoke damage sale" in 1976, after the furniture store had a fire in the warehouse. The smell was never too bad. But, even today - 38 years later - you get a nice whiff of electrical fire when you plop down on the couch. ....Or when you vacuum the carpet under where that couch has been sitting for the last 35 years.

mete · May 2, 2014, 12:46 PM

A good ozone generator is about the best to remove smoke odor !

Strafer Gott · May 2, 2014, 12:58 PM

Murphy's oil soap followed by a liberal dose of Ballistol is good for giving everything a proper cleaning. It gets the sulphur smell out of front stuffers pronto.

Jim Watson · May 2, 2014, 01:01 PM

My stocks, cleaned by friends soon after the fire, and being refinished as the gunsmith gets around to them, do not retain a smoky odor... that I can detect. But then I don't have a good nose, even for a human.

May 2, 2014, 04:53 AM	#1
jcj54 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2011 Posts: 218	smoke contaminated guns So a friend has some guns smoked in a house fire. No fire or water damage. Long guns and handguns. Best method to clean and remove residue and odor?

May 2, 2014, 10:24 AM	#2
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	If the finishes aren't damaged, the metal parts shouldn't be too hard to clean. Just about any of the mild solvents should do it. The porous parts, like wood and plastic might be harder, depending on how well they were sealed. Start those with good old soap and water. If that doesn't help, then maybe alcohol or mineral spirits. But, like always, test what ever you're going to use in a non-conspicuous place. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

May 2, 2014, 10:28 AM	#3
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	Any gun cleaner should work on the metal, even plain gun oil. For wood, I would try mild soapy water first. Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

May 2, 2014, 10:41 AM	#4
jcj54 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2011 Posts: 218	the odor The worst thing is the structure fire odor. Getting that out of the wood may be tough.

May 2, 2014, 10:54 AM	#5
jcj54 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2011 Posts: 218	the odor The worst thing is the structure fire odor. Getting that out of the wood may be tough.

May 2, 2014, 11:04 AM	#6
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	Unless you soak the wood in a nasty solvent long enough to leech all of the oils out of the stock (and then replace them later), it's just going to take time. ...lots of time. And, sometimes, even time isn't enough. My grandmother bought a living room set at a "smoke damage sale" in 1976, after the furniture store had a fire in the warehouse. The smell was never too bad. But, even today - 38 years later - you get a nice whiff of electrical fire when you plop down on the couch. ....Or when you vacuum the carpet under where that couch has been sitting for the last 35 years. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

May 2, 2014, 12:46 PM	#7
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	A good ozone generator is about the best to remove smoke odor ! __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

May 2, 2014, 12:58 PM	#8
Strafer Gott Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,315	Murphy's oil soap followed by a liberal dose of Ballistol is good for giving everything a proper cleaning. It gets the sulphur smell out of front stuffers pronto.

May 2, 2014, 01:01 PM	#9
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	My stocks, cleaned by friends soon after the fire, and being refinished as the gunsmith gets around to them, do not retain a smoky odor... that I can detect. But then I don't have a good nose, even for a human.