How remove odor from interconnect?
I recently purchased a used pair of Cardas interconnects that have a strong aromatic odor. I suspect that the previous owner might have put something on the cables to cover a smell or possibly used one of those plug-in oil diffusers near the cables. I was refunded the purchase price and told to just keep the cables as he didn’t want them back. Anyway, I’ve tried washing them with isopropyl alcohol, soaking them in Dawn detergent overnight (twice), burying them in baking soda for a week, and tried to bake the smell out in a toaster oven at 180 degrees for several hours. I’m ready to just throw them out unless anyone here might have a suggestion.
@winoguy17 I noticed the smell when I opened the zip lock bag that they were sent in, but I assumed it was just temporary. I then listened to the cables and they sound fine. But when I walked into my listening room the next morning (a spare bedroom) the smell was abundant and easily traced to the cables. I placed them in the laundry room so the bedroom could air out, and then the laundry room reeked shortly thereafter. I've tried airing them out outside for days but no luck. My wife smells them just by walking by. Actually, Fabreze may be what was used on the cables and that smell will just not leave. I never liked the smell of Fabreze. The odor is similar to cologne. @carlsbad2 You're probably right, they will soon be in the trash. I will try the coffee grounds and WD40 methods and try cooking them at a higher temperature and longer and then give it up. |
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Unlikely as it sounds, this is unfortunately a real thing that happened to me (with Cardas cables, like the OP's experience) not too long ago. The odor was definitively repulsive when I was close enough to the cables to connect them to my equipment. I have smelled similar odors on a couple of different used components I purchased over the years but never to the level of what I smelled on these recently purchased cables. I assumed the seller was a prolific user of cologne. Who knows, maybe he wore them around his neck to a rave? It it wasn't until I read this thread that I entertained the notion that somebody may have (purposely?) sprinkled stink on the cables. What type of weirdo would odorize their cables?!? Maybe trying to hide smoker smell? To the OP - the good news is that the odor on the cables I received has become much less over the course of a month or two, so hang in there. I didn't wash them, soak them, cook them, or bury them - just let them air out without getting too close. You might try hanging them outside on a nice breezy day. |
