How to whiten NI Maschine MK2 yellowed pads due to nicotine?

AnanasHaus

Hi,

I recently bought a NI Maschine Mikro MK2 off eBay. From the photos i already knew I was getting a device with yellowed pads. I initially thaought that they yellowed because they were exposed to the sun all the time. Boy was I wrong. The whole device smelled like an ashtray including all the pads. It was so bad that even after disassembling the whole Maschine and soaking the pads in soda and then in vinegar the smell did not disappear. It literally is infused into the rubber. Currently I'm trying the retrobright technique with hydrogen peroxide. No change at all after 3 hours. I will have to lay them into the sunlight tomorrow.

If this does not work, has anybody sugesstions on how to at least get rid of the bad cigarette smell? I don't care if I don't get white pads again but I don't like my fingers smelling like I would rummage about in filthy ashtrays for fun all day.

Here's the picture of the device:

Thanks in advance to anyone answering.

darkwaves

I want to fight whoever had that before you.

AnanasHaus

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/59871#Comment_59871

Please do it :D I kid you not there even was tobacco falling out of it. I'm out of words describing what was done to it.

Gee_Flat

Try Crest! 😁

AnanasHaus

Is it toothpaste? Really?

Gee_Flat

In one way it seems like a harmless idea, but no it was meant to be a joke. So if the rubber smells the whole unit stinks inside also.

You should have filed a complaint with EBay and forced the seller to take it back. Too late now.

AnanasHaus

No, I didn't want to return it because it was very cheap. I mostly got rid of the smell and the pads are a bit more white now. They smell like hydrogen peroxide now. Better than nicotine I guess. They literally are like sponges! They get infused with whatever touches them for hours. I will try retrobright again in the sun and give an update if it worked.

Gee_Flat

Well, If you did take them off, whitening tooth paste might have worked and would certainly take the smell away. :)

But for the cost of an effective whitening paste, you could probably replace them. They can't be that expensive. Good luck.

D-One

That happens overtime even without any smoke close by for many types of material.

Use hair oxidiser, should work really well, the same stuff people use to remove color from hair, used a lot to unyellow sneaker soles... It's the easiest solution, other ones include using Hydrogen peroxide + UV lamps but thats will cost you more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mDAQIbU-V0

You have to use the strongest brand you can find. Of course this means disassembling the device.