8 Mar
2004
8 Mar
'04
3:49 p.m.
Does anyone know if it would be safe to put a dish of Vinegar inside
a computer? I've got a Sun Ultra 60 that smells. I've already
sprayed the foam and fans with Lysol, and I've taken bleach to the
foam as well, plus I'm getting ready to put the front (which is the
foam that smells the worst) through the dishwasher.
However, the inside of the computer smells some as well, and it's
been suggested that I stick an open dish of vinegar in/near the
computer, changing the vinegar a couple times a day for a couple
days. I'm slightly nervous about this as Vinegar is 5% acidic.
I'm just afraid to have the system in the house, and power it up
until I get the smell beat down thanks to my allergies.
Zane
--
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
| | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| PDP-10 Emulation and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
8 Mar
8 Mar
3:56 p.m.
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On Monday 08 March 2004 21:49, Zane H. Healy wrote:
Does anyone know if it would be safe to put a dish of
Vinegar inside
a computer? I've got a Sun Ultra 60 that smells. I've already
sprayed the foam and fans with Lysol, and I've taken bleach to the
foam as well, plus I'm getting ready to put the front (which is the
foam that smells the worst) through the dishwasher.
However, the inside of the computer smells some as well, and it's
been suggested that I stick an open dish of vinegar in/near the
computer, changing the vinegar a couple times a day for a couple
days. I'm slightly nervous about this as Vinegar is 5% acidic.
I'd be more inclined to try baking soda
I know the acid baths (20% HCL) I had in my lab to wash glassware caused all
the metal to rust within a year.
- --
Ottawa, Canada
Collector of vintage computers
http://www.ncf.ca/~ba600
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5:39 p.m.
days. I'm
slightly nervous about this as Vinegar is 5% acidic.
I'd be more inclined to try baking soda
I know the acid baths (20% HCL) I had in my lab to wash glassware caused all
the metal to rust within a year. 
6:20 p.m.
On Mar 8, 2004, at 10:39 PM, Zane H. Healy wrote:
Baking Soda was actually my first thought, but the bleach and vinegar
was suggested by a friend, and made sense till I saw Vinegar is
acidic.
I've also been tempted to put a piece of deodorant in the case.
Or remove/replace that foam? I think a high-end sound store could do
you right for that.
Doc
days. I'm slightly nervous about this as Vinegar
is 5% acidic.
I'd be more inclined to try baking soda
I know the acid baths (20% HCL) I had in my lab to wash glassware
caused all
the metal to rust within a year. 
4:26 p.m.
I'd hesitate to use vinegar. However it would probably be ok as long as
you rinsed with clean water and dried everything well. I'd try baking soda
first. I'd put in in some kind of container and put that inside the
computer or maybe just put both in closed up box or bag. I've also had good
luck using Pursue deoderizing spray from Amway. I just mist the item
lightly and let it sit awhile. Pursue seems to be pretty good at killing
odors. If it really stinks you might try closing it up in a plastic bag
with a bit of Pursue. I'd put the Pursue on a cottom ball or something
similar and put that inside an open can and keep it off the computer. Close
the bag up and leave it for a while.
Let us know what you end up doing and your results.
Joe
At 06:49 PM 3/8/04 -0800, you wrote:
Does anyone know if it would be safe to put a dish of
Vinegar inside
a computer? I've got a Sun Ultra 60 that smells. I've already
sprayed the foam and fans with Lysol, and I've taken bleach to the
foam as well, plus I'm getting ready to put the front (which is the
foam that smells the worst) through the dishwasher.
However, the inside of the computer smells some as well, and it's
been suggested that I stick an open dish of vinegar in/near the
computer, changing the vinegar a couple times a day for a couple
days. I'm slightly nervous about this as Vinegar is 5% acidic.
I'm just afraid to have the system in the house, and power it up
until I get the smell beat down thanks to my allergies.
Zane
--
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
| | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| PDP-10 Emulation and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
4:35 p.m.
Zane H. Healy wrote:
Does anyone know if it would be safe to put a dish of
Vinegar inside a
computer? I've got a Sun Ultra 60 that smells. I've already sprayed
the foam and fans with Lysol, and I've taken bleach to the foam as
well, plus I'm getting ready to put the front (which is the foam that
smells the worst) through the dishwasher.
However, the inside of the computer smells some as well, and it's been
suggested that I stick an open dish of vinegar in/near the computer,
changing the vinegar a couple times a day for a couple days. I'm
slightly nervous about this as Vinegar is 5% acidic.
I'm just afraid to have the system in the house, and power it up until
I get the smell beat down thanks to my allergies.
Zane
Seriously, how about Febreeze? And what's it smell like?
--jc
5:36 p.m.
Seriously, how about Febreeze? And what's it smell
like?
--jc
Is that the odor hiding stuff they keep advertising?
It sort of smells like an old, very musty house. I've got a bad
feeling there was mildew in the foam. It's already been hit with
straight Bleach, plus I've had everything sitting out in the sun and
fresh air (actually hit over 75 today). The bleach has helped to
kill the worst of the smell I think, as the foam was the worst.
The front piece of foam seems to have been the source of the smell,
however, the smell then got sucked through the computer.
Zane
--
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
| | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| PDP-10 Emulation and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
5:46 p.m.
Zane H. Healy wrote:
I dunno about odor hiding it. We have two dogs, one of which sleeps
on the couch. I try to keep a blanket on there for him, but if I
forget, the couch can get a little doggie. This stuff really seems to
make it go away, and not just mask it, like some other products I've
tried. < http://tinymicros.com/gallery/pets/dsc00025 >
Stain removers are a good example of products that are junk. I have
get to find on that permanently removes the ever-so-occasional carpet
accident. The stain goes away for a month or two, but then it comes
back, fairly faintly. Repeated applications seem to have little long
term effect. We've tried about 6 different ones, and I am seriously
unimpressed. Oxyclean, some pink stuff, enzyme based removers... Junk!
--jc
Seriously, how
about Febreeze? And what's it smell like?
--jc
Is that the odor hiding stuff they keep advertising?
It sort of smells like an old, very musty house. I've got a bad
feeling there was mildew in the foam. It's already been hit with
straight Bleach, plus I've had everything sitting out in the sun and
fresh air (actually hit over 75 today). The bleach has helped to kill
the worst of the smell I think, as the foam was the worst.
The front piece of foam seems to have been the source of the smell,
however, the smell then got sucked through the computer.
Zane
9 Mar
9 Mar
2:24 p.m.
>Seriously, how about Febreeze? And what's it
smell like?
Febreze contains a really stinky soapy flowery smellifying agent,
as far as I'm concerned I'd rather smell cat pee than these cheap
laundry stenches. (How or WHY one does this in a product that
'removes smells' is beyond me.)
Go to a pet store and get NATURE'S MIRACLE or similar product.
This stuff will descent a skunk and has NO ODOR. It's basically
water with some enzymes so mild you could probably drink it.
It won't kill mildew however, but it de-stinks pretty much anything.
10 Mar
10 Mar
3:26 a.m.
Tom Jennings wrote:
I was talking to a friend or mine, who manages a large pet shop here in
CT... Seems Nature's Miracle isn't what it used to be. Apparently
(within the past year or so) the company selling it had a disagreement
with the manufacturer. So the manufacturer told Nature's Miracle to get
lost. Now Nature's Miracle uses a different (and not as effective?)
formula; and the manufacturer started selling the original recipe under
a different name. Don't recall what it is at the moment, though...
--
--- Dave Woyciesjes
--- ICQ# 905818
>Seriously, how about Febreeze? And
what's it smell like?
Febreze contains a really stinky soapy flowery smellifying agent,
as far as I'm concerned I'd rather smell cat pee than these cheap
laundry stenches. (How or WHY one does this in a product that
'removes smells' is beyond me.)
Go to a pet store and get NATURE'S MIRACLE or similar product.
This stuff will descent a skunk and has NO ODOR. It's basically
water with some enzymes so mild you could probably drink it.
It won't kill mildew however, but it de-stinks pretty much anything. 
9 Mar
9 Mar
8:01 a.m.
Last weak i heard, that second-hand car dealers put a cup of drip grind into
"smelly" cars for one day ...
... i don't know, if this works (neither for cars nor for computers) , but maybe
it's worth a try
Bernd
On Mon, 8 Mar 2004 18:49:24 -0800, Zane H. Healy wrote:
Does anyone know if it would be safe to put a dish of
Vinegar inside
a computer? I've got a Sun Ultra 60 that smells. I've already
sprayed the foam and fans with Lysol, and I've taken bleach to the
foam as well, plus I'm getting ready to put the front (which is the
foam that smells the worst) through the dishwasher.
However, the inside of the computer smells some as well, and it's
been suggested that I stick an open dish of vinegar in/near the
computer, changing the vinegar a couple times a day for a couple
days. I'm slightly nervous about this as Vinegar is 5% acidic.
I'm just afraid to have the system in the house, and power it up
until I get the smell beat down thanks to my allergies.
Zane
--
--
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
| | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| PDP-10 Emulation and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
2:19 p.m.
Hopefully, he uses un-used coffee! Old stale coffee can really make a
garbage can stink!
Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA
Bernd Kopriva wrote:
Last weak i heard, that second-hand car dealers put a
cup of drip grind into "smelly" cars for one day ...
... i don't know, if this works (neither for cars nor for computers) , but maybe
it's worth a try
7441
days inactive
7443
days old
11 comments
9 participants
participants (9)
-
bernd＠kopriva.de -
doc＠mdrconsult.com -
dwoyciesjes＠comcast.net -
fernande＠internet1.net -
healyzh＠aracnet.com -
jcwren＠jcwren.com -
kenziem＠sympatico.ca -
rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com -
tomj＠wps.com