Cleaning aluminum

[300jk]

I have a nice diamond plate aluminum tool box I took off my old truck and would like to clean it up for the new to me truck. It has dull oxidation and looks dingy. I dont own a buffer but plan on buying one for this project. By hand so far i have tried vinegar, zeps citrus degreaser,mothers power metal, and mothers mag and aluminium polish by hand. Mag and aluminum polish was best. Not looking to do the whole job by hand. Am i using the right stuff ? When i get the buffer i will need a liquid correct ? Or should i use something more agressive like polishing compound ?

 

[old]

Back when my Diamond-T was still on the road I used the mothers polish to clean up the aluminum radiator on it and when done you could count your teeth by looking at it

 

[300jk]

I will agree it is a great product. Not so sure how well it will work with buffer.

 

[old]

Wipe it on by hand then use the buffer to remove and it will shine up like a mirror. That is how I did the Diamond=T

 

[Mark-Ia]

White Diamond from Walmart or a parts store works good. Use a little sprinkle of flour to help it cut and polish faster.

 

[gidtex]

Goggle California custom purple metal polish.one bottle is cleaner the other bottle polish

 

[kcm.MN]

I've been using this all my life. For larger projects, I'd work it in by hand, but buff off with a buffer wheel in a drill. I didn't have a dedicated buffer.

 

[Mule Meat]

A product called WAB Polished aluminum cleaner (gallon jugs) does a great job. Best and easiest stuff I have ever used for removing red clay and oxidation stains from car, truck and ATV rims.

 

[Bob Harvey]

x2. Wear nitrile gloves.

 

[coshoo]

So, next question. Once you get it cleaned up and gleaming, is there anything you can put on to keep it that way?

 

[D7fever]

No easy way, it has to be sanded with increasingly finer sandpaper then buffed. That is the only way it is going to shine. You can start with an acid wash if you want.

 

[showcrop]

I have tried buffing aluminum diamond plate. It didn't work well. The wheel got torn up in no time. I used some acid cleaner on one of the fire trucks. I diluted it and let it sit maybe a half minute then scrubbed it with a stiff bristle brush. It didn't shine like polished but it was a whole lot better. The cleaner is phosphoric acid like milk-stone remover that you get at a dairy supply or delimer that they have at a restaurant supply

 

[johnlobb]

I've got a '77 Honda Z50 minibike, and the aluminum engine could be cleaned up, it looks oxidized. Someone tried oven cleaner and that seemed to help. Any thoughts on dealing with a motorcycle engine?

 

[guido]

Hello 300jk,

Whatever you use to shine it and seal is the last step. First you got to get the surface clean. How about spray on aluminum wheels cleaner? Might save some scrubbing,

Guido.

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 05:01:18 08/28/19) Hello 300jk,

Whatever you use to shine it and seal is the last step. First you got to get the surface clean. How about spray on aluminum wheels cleaner? Might save some scrubbing,

Guido.

The company that I work for makes spray on aluminum wheel cleaner for car washes. It is intended only for the coated wheels. It will eat bare aluminum in no time.

 

[Texasmark1]

I had an OTR truck washed in a truck wash one day and the guy said he used Muratic Acid to clean up the aluminum and make it look like new.

 

[AzPeapicker]

Good Morning 300jk
When I was in the Air Force we used a product called never dull on the Aircraft to polish them . Very nasty as I remember .


Azpeapicker

 

[Married2Allis]

Dupont Old #7 and a cotton buffing wheel.

 

[in-too-deep]

You NEED to get a gallon of "aluminum brightener" at your auto parts store or even a big truck shop. You are wasting time trying to polish now. Use the acid brightener diluted in water. Spray it on evenly, watch it work for a minute or 5 depending on dilution strength, and rinse it off. Repeat. You will be amazed. I use a gallon pump-up garden sprayer. AFTER you get it all brightened up with the acid, THEN you can polish it. Please try this. I'd hate for you to use up all your elbow grease in vain.

 

[Married2Allis]

No elbow greese involved if you let the drill or buffer do the work. If the surface is dull it's already oxidized (ectched) so skip wasting money on brighter. Use brightner if that's all you want to do with it. If you want it polished like any diamond plate toolbox I've ever seen --compound and buff, it won't get done any other way.

 

[moresmoke]

Best one I've found is Blue Streak from a boat place. If you use brightener on diamond plate, you want a scrub brush handy. If you dont brush it, you will get streaks between the diamonds.