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[sjc <indexer AT fairpoint.net>]

Don Bowen wrote:
> I am wondering what I can use to clean the stains and get rid of the smell.
>   
Ugh, sounds like a smelly mess.  My mother smoked 5 packs a day until 
she died of lung cancer at 42, and after I cleaned her house up to sell. 
I've not tried to clean tobacco mess but at that time (40 years ago....) 
the best thing I found was "sudsy" ammonia.  That did cut through it 
pretty well.  Of course it has it's own stink but it's more temporary, 
at least, than tobacco smell. 

Before I tried to use it on fabric, I'd try it in some out-of-the-way 
place to see what kind/s of color changes you get but from my point of 
view the stuff could turn fuschia purple and I'd consider it better than 
smelling of tobacco/cigarette smoke.  And I'd almost hazard a guess that 
you'll have to take the seats out and really work them over, then do the 
underseat area and if you can pull up the flooring and get rid of it, 
that'll be a bonus; that blasted stuff goes everywhere.  I couldn't 
believe how it was inside bureau drawers, even went through some of the 
carpets.

It's entirely possible that something better has come on the market in 
the meantime, too, but since my technique for the past 40 years has been 
to avoid contact altogether I don't know what it would be.  Hopefully 
someone else has more recent experience.

Susan Jane