how to clean/polish bottom half of bus

[Bryan]

hey guys just looking for some tips, how can we make the aluminum shiny on the bottom of our bus? This is aluminum right? I know you can't make it shiny like chrome but our needs a lot of cleaning/polishing or something. Thanks!!!

[RJ]

Bryan -

Your coach's exterior is anodized aluminum.  To make is shine like chrome, you've got to literally remove the anodization, then continually keep it buffed and waxed to prevent the rapid oxidation that will occur once the protective anodizing is removed.

It might be a whole lot easier, but not necessarily less expensive, to paint the lower panels in a matching silver.  Any good autobody paint supplier can match the color so closely nowadays that unless you're standing right next to the coach and looking closely, you can't tell.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Bryan]

thanks RJ, that's good to know about the paint job, I'm not sure I'm ready to spend $ on a paint job yet, but maybe. For the time being is there a product to get some of the oxidation off? For example, you can see where stickers used to be, etc. I'm assuming this is oxidation?

[shelled]

A.  WD-40 was originally created to clean aluminum of light corrosion.  It works a treat.  Just spray or wipe on, give it a moment and wipe with towel or soft cloth.

B.  The gunk where decals were is the adhesive, not corrosion.

C.  Remove old adhesive by applying vegetable oil to soften it and (depending on how soft it gets) either rubbing with paper towels or scraping with a plastic or rubber scraper ( NOT anything that will scratch the aluminum).  For older, harder deposits, you may need to be a bit patient in softening the dried adhesive.

D.  Old decals will usually come off with water and a plastic scraper.

e3

[Bryan]

Thanks shelled! I'm thinking it's not residue, because actually is shinier where the stickers used to be. It's like the stickers protected it. I'm trying to get it as shiny as what was behind the stickers. Does that make sense?

[akroyaleagle]

I use Turtle Wax on mine.

Works great.

Lasts a long time.

[Utahclaimjumper]

Wipe it down with MEK>>>Dan

[gus]

The anodizing may have been buffed off by an over eager power buffer jockey. Happened to two of mine and I've been trying to get them looking decent with numerous chemicals with no luck.

I'm anxious to see what you come up with!

[roadrunnertex]

 
Sheila Shine Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish by Sheila Shine.
Amazon has it the quart can.
I use this on my P8M4905A makes the old girl look like it's ready for a night out! 
RRT

[RJ]

. . . makes the old girl look like she's ready for a night out! 

Of course, she's so old she doesn't remember why she's ready for a night out!

[gus]

This is not SS, it is anodized Al, or Al with the anodizing buffed off!! Different stuff altogether.