Cleaning Anodized Aluminum

[DrivingMissLazy]

Dallas, The topic of the post is Cleaning Anodized Aluminum

From Google:

Anodized Aluminum
Many metals are structurally weakened by the oxidation process, but not aluminum. Aluminum can actually be made stronger and more durable through a process called 'anodizing'. Anodizing involves placing a sheet of aluminum into a chemical acid bath, quite often acetone in laboratory experiments. The sheet of aluminum becomes the positive anode of a chemical battery and the acid bath becomes the negative. An electric current passes through the acid, causing the surface of the aluminum to oxidize (essentially rust). The oxidized aluminum forms a strong coating as it replaces the original aluminum on the surface.

The result is an extremely hard substance called anodized aluminum only a few thousands thick coating.
The next hardest substance below diamonds so says the literature. It is a chemical process accomplished in a processing plant with somewhat toxic chemicals.

You can not do it yourself. And never try and remove it yourself. A monumental task that would then leave you with polished aluminum which you would have to keep polishing Similar to polished aluminum wheels.

A couple of links for more information.

http://www.anodizing.org/
http://www.anodizing.org/what_is_anodizing.html

Richard

Please note that the subject of this post is Cleaning Anodized Aluminum, not polished aluminum. These are two different animals and what works on polished will not help much on anodized.
Richard

Just yesterday, I discovered a GREAT product!!!
It is made here in my own county and was recommended to me by my bus mechanic.
It is called "BLING MASTER" and I tried it out on a piece of aluminum in my work van.
It made the aluminum shine like a mirror.  I can't wait to get to my bus to try it out.
It doesn't take much effort either.
Check out the website: www.BlingMaster.com

Richard,
I wouldn't have answered the way I did if it was aluding to "anodized" aluminum.
I didn't see any referral to anodizing  refered to in Cliffs posts at all.

I took it that Cliff had panels that were still shiney,(anodized), and others that were grubby and dull.
If I did take it right, then the best thing to do is get rid of the rest of the anodization and polish what is left.

Or, he could re-anodize the existing aluminum, which isn't really dificult, but does require experience and a certain touch.

Dallas

[Len Silva]

The way I understand it, Anodize is not a finish which is applied to aluminum but rather, a process where the aluminum oxide is enhanced with chemical baths and electrolysis.

This from the Aluminum Adodizers Council
http://www.anodizing.org/what_is_anodizing.html

...anodizing is accomplished in five carefully controlled, calibrated, quality-tested stages:

1.  Cleaning. Alkaline and/or acid cleaners remove grease, and surface dirt.

2.  Pre-Treatment.

Etching. An appealing matte surface finish is created with hot solutions of sodium hydroxide to remove minor surface imperfections. A thin layer of aluminum is removed to create a matte or dull finish.
Brightening. A near mirror finish is created with a concentrated mixture of phosphoric and nitric acids which chemically smooths the aluminum's surface.

3.  Anodizing. The anodic film is built and combined with the metal by passing an electrical current through an acid electrolyte bath in which the aluminum is immersed. The coating thickness and surface characteristics are tightly controlled to meet end product specifications.

4.  Coloring

5.  Sealing

Len