smoke residue on second-hand optics

I recently purchased a second-hand Denk II set up with Panoptic 24's

As soon as I opened the case I was hit with the strong residual smell of smoke. The seller had given up smoking 5 weeks earlier, said he never smoked around his equipment, but had around his case. Air and sunshine can't get the smell out, and it remains an unpleasant part of using the great optics. I have to wash my hands after viewing to get the scent off.

Will whatever residue there is that I smell do any harm to the coatings or the optics?

Do you have any suggestions for safely removing the smell? Or masking the odor? (I once used a pound of ground coffee to cure the stench of dog puke in my car.)

I'd just as soon solve the problem if I can rather than do a return.

Thanks. John

Ionizer system? We had a house fire here a while back, and the company that did the repairs used an ionizer machine (stronger than what most people use in their homes)- in a few weeks most of the smell was gone. Dunno if that would work around optics without damage, though.

Jess Tauber

Try putting some baking soda in an open container in the case, that should absorb the odor.

This has been a great help to me. I am reassured by the absence of evidence that the smoke smell means damage to the optics. And I'll work through the best options probably starting with the mildest/easiest and report my experience.

A couple of points: I was a smoker until 1980, had horrible times quitting - gnawing the bark off trees, roaring and rolling my eyes as if in some werewolf movie. I still miss it (especially the pipe when sailing). So I have great sympathy for smokers & those struggling to quit. No judgment from me for where ever anybody is on the path.

My seller was over a month into quitting, so it's understandable that he hadn't thought of mentioning it in the ad. And he has been A+ terrific about responding, offering refund or whatever help he can be... a real credit to the astro community.
Thanks for all the input. I'll keep you posted.