Removing cigarette smoke/stains from silicone?

[grahamsmom98]

I have a scuba diving mask that I left at my parent's place when I got married.

It has had 10 years of cigarette smoke surrounding it (Dad smokes 3 packs a day : ) and the silicone seal on it STINKS and has brownish stains.

As I paid over $200 for this mask (it has my RX lenses embedded into the glass) and I can still see with it after all these years, I would like to try and salvage it if I can! The lenses are sealed in place with what looks like silicone caulking/adhesive.

I don't care if the solution is all-natural or not, at this point, if it will get rid of that awful stink! Going to the Bahamas and snorkeling with a stinking mask is not my idea of lovely!

If I need to toss this and buy a new one, I will, but I would rather not.

Any ideas?????

[Spastica]

First, scrub the mask with a paste of baking soda and water. Scrub as much as you can and rinse. Put a fresh paste of baking soda on the mask again and pour hydrogen peroxide on it.

If there is still a bit of a scent, you can put it in a solution of baking soda and water with tea tree oil in it. Leave it in a bowl with it overnight. You can also use OxiClean.

I would say you can use vinegar on it, since vinegar is great for odors as well, but I'm not sure how silicone reacts overnight to vinegar.

I've read you can also use toothpaste (not gel kind) to scrub your scuba mask (posted by a scuba expert). The baking soda and peroxide is essentially toothpaste, but whatever you have on hand of those would work.

[boongirl]

My thought is that, somehow, the silicone got porous. Like older plastic food containers that have smells to them because microscopic cracks have formed in the plastic and are harboring the smell. I think if you do anything, it is doing to weaken the silicone. Baking soda, in particular, is going to further weaken the silicone and possibly scratch the lenses. Vinegar or tea tree oil are only going to add their smells to the cigarette smell and also could potentially damage the silicone.

Can you take it to a good dive shop and see what they recommend? Or maybe replace the silicone? Maybe have the lenses removed and put back in with fresh silicone.

[grahamsmom98]

It's not just the silicone that is holding-in the lenses, it is the entire seal around the mask edges and the headstrap, as well.

I can replace the headstrap, no problem.

But, the mask seal is another matter!

I'll try the baking soda & H2O2 (gently and avoiding the lenses and mask face plate!).

Sigh, I LOVED this mask and am so damned mad at myself for forgetting it at my parent's place. : Of course, if Dad didn't smoke those horrible coffin nails....................

Anyway, I'll give these a try. I may have to have the lenses removed and replaced into another mask. Oh, well, at least I don't have to pay for new lenses again!!!

Thanks! If you think of anything else, let me know! And, I'll post back here with the results, as well.

[Spastica]

Baking soda is gentle enough to use on goggles, lenses, glass, and stemware of all kinds, it's not abrasive at all (people use it on contact lenses too!). No need to be too careful.

In fact, a thin film of the baking soda may keep your lenses from fogging in the water.