Cleaning photo gear (Skunk Spray)

Two parts to this one. First, what gets skunk spray off photo gear such as the bodies, lens, leather & plastics? Second, will skunk spray do any damage to lens coatings? Thanks

Ouch. My sympathy to the photographer.

 

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I don't know what gets skunk spray off of photo gear specifically, but other things, like clothes, shoes, cars, etc., are given a bath in tomato juice in my old neck of the woods (Tennessee). It is pretty hard to get rid of this smell, and time may be the only way to get anywhere close to 100% removal.

Well, having owned hounds over the years with a propensity for challenging skunks, I have to say I've found tomato juice remarkably ineffective. What does work quite well, however, is some stuff from the local feed store called "Nature's Miracle Skunk Odor Remover". It's made by Joe Weiss Co. in Palos Verdes, CA (213-373-1559) and is a water like substance that doesn't rely on any masking agents. Don't know how it might affect camera equipment but they claim it is safe for carpets, floors, furniture, etc. And it really does work. Maybe not perfect but better than anything else I've found.

Personally, I wouldn't want to use anything water based on my equipment. But then again, I wouldn't want to use a camera that smelled like skunk.

 

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Have you tried rubbing alcohol? It's generally save for cleaning cameras and lenses but I don't know how effective it will be. You might want to call a repair shop.

Actually, rubbing alcohol might be worth trying. I opened a bottle of the stuff I mentioned earlier and it does smell very much like alcohol. For all I know that might be all it is, albeit at a premium price! I probably shouldn't have made the water comment- that's just what it looks like when you wipe down a fragrant dog.

I just have to ask. Did you get a good picture of the skunk?? ;-)

I'm not sure about skunk spray or tomato juice, but I am pretty sure that alcohol wouldn't be a good solution to use on a coated lens. I do agree with the fellow who said that the tomato juice bath isn't 100% effective.

 

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If the gear was insured, perhaps it could be written off as a total loss.

Lens coatings are pretty tough. Typically they are vapor deposited

insoluble inorganic materials like Magnesium Fluoride (MgF). You won't dissolve them in any

normal solvent (water, alcohols etc.), but you have to be very

careful with organic solvents since they may dissolve the paint

or plastic parts of the lens! The recomended route is to

apply the solvent to a lens tissue and use the tissue to gently

wipe the

lens. What you <em>don't</em> do is to pour the solvent on

the lens, then try to swab it off with a tissue. This practically

guarantees that solvent will leak into the lens and start

dissolving internal parts or lubricants!

 

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I clean coated optics a lot (laser mirrors for example). I know

of no common solvents that affect the coating. Typical cleaning

solvents are methanol, ethanol and acetone. Acetone is the best

solvent for organic deposits (grease etc) but is <b>VERY</b> good

at dissolving plastics and paint!