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Depending on how badly stink-ified the collectible is, I'm afraid there are no quick fixes to this problem. The quick fixes I've seen, only mask the problem temporarily, and then the smell returns.
I have found that collectibles purchased with a nasty cigarette smell can be greatly relieved of their terrible odor with a good washing.
In the case of MEGO action figures, this means removing all the clothing from the figure and leaving it soaking for two or three days in a Woolite solution. Afterward rinse thoroughly with cool water.
Ultimately, it's the porous clothing that is going to retain most of the foul cigarette stench. Attack the problem there, and you are more than halfway home.
As for the nude figure and plastic accessories, wash them thoroughly with a solution of lukewarm water and lemon-scented dishwashing liquid. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the figure as you work.
If you're dealing with a MEGO type 0 or type 1 action figure that is held together with white bungee cord, you might want to avoid completely submerging the figure in water. The water will gradually rot the bungee and your figure will develop wobbly limbs and eventually just all apart.
For these types of figures, rinse them off without total water emersion, or better yet, wipe them down (after soap scrubbing) with a damp / wet paper towel.
Now that figure, accessories, and clothes are clean, place them on your window sill to be dried by the warm rays of sunlight.
This is great for killing germs.
When everything is dried, check to see if the cigarette smell is gone. If it is not fully gone, repeat the washing / drying process outlined above.
When the figure and its clothes are finally de-ordorized, Place them in a large sealed ziplock baggie with two scented dryer sheets for about a week.
When you are done with this procedure, I guarantee your figure will smell better than new.
Darn smokers! On top of killing themselves with nasty cancer smoke, they poison the rest of us with their rancid second-hand smoke, and now they're stinking up our collectibles too? For shame. Is there no justice in the world?
I have found that collectibles purchased with a nasty cigarette smell can be greatly relieved of their terrible odor with a good washing.
In the case of MEGO action figures, this means removing all the clothing from the figure and leaving it soaking for two or three days in a Woolite solution. Afterward rinse thoroughly with cool water.
Ultimately, it's the porous clothing that is going to retain most of the foul cigarette stench. Attack the problem there, and you are more than halfway home.
As for the nude figure and plastic accessories, wash them thoroughly with a solution of lukewarm water and lemon-scented dishwashing liquid. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the figure as you work.
If you're dealing with a MEGO type 0 or type 1 action figure that is held together with white bungee cord, you might want to avoid completely submerging the figure in water. The water will gradually rot the bungee and your figure will develop wobbly limbs and eventually just all apart.
For these types of figures, rinse them off without total water emersion, or better yet, wipe them down (after soap scrubbing) with a damp / wet paper towel.
Now that figure, accessories, and clothes are clean, place them on your window sill to be dried by the warm rays of sunlight.
This is great for killing germs.
When everything is dried, check to see if the cigarette smell is gone. If it is not fully gone, repeat the washing / drying process outlined above.
When the figure and its clothes are finally de-ordorized, Place them in a large sealed ziplock baggie with two scented dryer sheets for about a week.
When you are done with this procedure, I guarantee your figure will smell better than new.
Darn smokers! On top of killing themselves with nasty cancer smoke, they poison the rest of us with their rancid second-hand smoke, and now they're stinking up our collectibles too? For shame. Is there no justice in the world?
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