Cleaning & Maintainence

[mutepointe]

Dear Folks:

 

I got a Bastari 20 button concertina for Christmas. I have no clue yet on how to play it other than the fingering chart that I found on the internet. But that's not why I'm writing. This concertina was just not taken care of. It must have been a knick knack on the shelf of a very heavy smoker. It's dirty, it has patches of gunk spots, the bellows are dirty and dusty. The dirt in the creases looked like felt. It smells like heavy smoker armpit sweat, especially when it's opened.

 

What is a safe way to get the smell out, and get the dirt and grime off the bellows, ends and buttons. I don't want to damage it but it's dirty. On the sides of the concertina that were facing upwards on the shelf, the cigarette tar is over everything. the corners look like brass but the corners that were facing downwards are nice and silvery. that's how dirty it became.

 

Any suggestions?

 

mutepointe

[mutepointe]

Try to Google "smoke smell removal" I found a pelethra of ideas there. Perhaps you will need to use several different methods as the concertina's leather, wood, metal and the inside of the concertina would, most likely, all need different treatments.

 

I think lots of fresh air would be the best place to start.

 

Randy

 

Thanks, I hadn't thought of this in that direction. I'm getting rid of the smell right now, hopefully.