Aluminium - Best cleaner

dig dug dan · Post: # 73668Post **dig dug dan** Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:45 am

not sure if anyone on here can throw up suggestions, but i have a couple of chequerplate under body tool boxes on my truck that are looking a bit tired.
Is there any cleaner on the market that will bring them back up to their former glory.
I only ask as I am having some spray work done on the truck (accident damage and ingimex warranty claim), and would like to smarten up the rest of it.
Have tried alloy wheel cleaner, but it does not touch it!

Pablo · Post: # 73669Post **Pablo** Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:50 am

because they'll be so scratched I would probably give them a light sandblast.

dig dug dan · Post: # 73670Post **dig dug dan** Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:53 am

thats a good idea. Hadn't thought of that!

Post: # 73672Post **Dave_L** Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:20 pm

Some sort of rotary polishing mop will soon have them back to life.

Post: # 73674Post **seanandruby** Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:26 pm

Why bother, couple of months they'll be exactly the same. i'd just scrub with a brush and detergent.

dig dug dan · Post: # 73676Post **dig dug dan** Sun Feb 12, 2012 12:56 pm

Why bother, couple of months they'll be exactly the same. i'd just scrub with a brush and detergent.

thanks. you are right. i just like everything nice and shiny and smart.
just a bit of pride in the things i own i guess!

haggistini · Post: # 73678Post **haggistini** Sun Feb 12, 2012 1:47 pm

I've always used Brillo pads on my dirt bikes frames works a treat !

dig dug dan · Post: # 73679Post **dig dug dan** Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:45 pm

something like
this

Post: # 73680Post **Dave_L** Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:43 pm

dig dug dan wrote:thanks. you are right. i just like everything nice and shiny and smart.
just a bit of pride in the things i own i guess!

Well done you, I'm the same too.

DNgroundworks · Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:09 pm

No Dan dont use the wire cup brush, they are savage and will rip the aluminium to bits, i use them to clean concrete of my shovels when people dont bother to clean them!

local patios and driveway · Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:57 pm

Paint them in silver, worked a treat for my recovery truck

haggistini · Post: # 73691Post **haggistini** Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:52 pm

No no no a fecking Brillo pad only on ally mun ceemmon Wales!!!

Carberry · Post: # 73707Post **Carberry** Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:49 am

Hydrofluoric acid (HF acid) works best but not sure if you can get it anymore because it is quite dangerous to work with

DNgroundworks · Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:50 pm

Aye aluminium is to soft for abrasive wheels/brushes, you will loose the shine and....err....end up with a brushed aluminium finish haha, Try the barlow trailers website i know they sell a cleaner for galv maybe there is a similar product for cleaning ally?

Post: # 73713Post **Dave_L** Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:05 pm

I still think you need a polishing mop and some suitable paste.