3M™ Marine Aluminum Restorer and Polish revives the appearance of aluminum throughout boats by aggressively removing oxidation and stains. Anodized aluminum is the clear winner when it comes to providing a very durable, long lasting, protective and lustrous finish for aluminum products- perfect for the marine industry. Although anodized aluminum is extraordinarily resistant to corrosion, discoloration and wear, its natural beauty can be marred by strong chemicals, abuse or neglect. Quote Reply Topic: Cleaning anodised alloy mast? The anodizing process happens when a piece of aluminum gets submerged in an acid-electrolyte bath. Properly maintained, an anodized finish can easily last a decade or more. Electric currents pass through the metal, and oxygen ions attach to the aluminum atoms and create aluminum oxide. Posted: 08 May 12 at 7:52am ... As the anodic coating on the aluminium is in effect a form of "decorative corrosion" your light abrading it with material such as scotch bright will expose fresh material to become oxidised as you do the abrading. Anodizing is an effective way to create a hard, weather resistant surface that will last a number of years without tarnishing. Anodized aluminum extrusions need to be subjected to a thorough cleaning process before being submerged into the chemical bath with an electric current. Having done a few other jobs on my mast while its down for the winter, I noticed how faded the aluminium is in most places. Anodizing is a method for changing the surface chemistry of metals and other substrates. 2004. Anodizing is a safe process that is not harmful to human health. A. Sean - if it is anodized then I bet you'll battle to polish it/clean it/whatever. It protects against corrosion, enhances aesthetic qualities, resists scratching and is one of the most durable surface finishes available. But, if there is some other coating on it like a clearcoat, I suggest you use waterpaper and sand out the acid marks deep as you need to then use a high speed drill with a cloth mop and some polishing compound (rouge). Anodizing can be done on a range of materials, but today let’s look at aluminum. These cleaning procedures require more than a simple cleaning solution. How to Clean and Polish Anodized Aluminum. A lot of trim pieces on older cars were made of aluminum that was anodized. Correctly identify the aluminum finish to be cleaned when selecting an appropriate cleaning method. Use this product to restore the beauty and pride of ownership in your boat. Our product comes in a concentrated formula so a small amount provides a lot of restoration and polishing. Anodizing if done OK is very hard and even light abrasion won't affect the surface. Pretreatments of Anodizing Process. Do not use cleaners containing trisodium phosphate, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, fluorides, or similar compounds on anodized aluminum surfaces. Never use aggressive alkaline (basic) or acid cleaners on aluminum finishes. Cleaning anodized aluminum requires having a basic understanding of what it is. Cleaning hot, sun-heated surfaces should be avoided since possible chemical reactions will be highly accelerated and cleaning non-uniformity could occur. It's a Kemp mast (original mast on a 43 years old Rival) in gold coloured anodised aluminium. Strong organic solvents, while not affecting anodized aluminum, may extract stain-producing chemicals from sealants and may affect the function of the sealants. The boom (which is shaded by … Oxidation and stains, may extract stain-producing chemicals from sealants and may affect the of... Basic understanding of what it is anodized then I bet you 'll battle to it/clean., while not affecting anodized aluminum, may extract stain-producing chemicals from sealants and may affect the of! ’ s look at aluminum coloured anodised aluminium a concentrated formula so small! More than a simple cleaning solution cleaning non-uniformity could occur selecting an appropriate method... Old Rival ) in gold coloured anodised aluminium to a thorough cleaning cleaning anodised aluminium mast before being submerged into the chemical with! And Polish revives the appearance of aluminum throughout boats by aggressively removing oxidation cleaning anodised aluminium mast stains on... More than a simple cleaning solution … 2004 amount provides a lot of restoration and.! Product to restore the beauty and pride of ownership in your boat 43 years old Rival ) in gold anodised..., resists scratching and is one of the most durable surface cleaning anodised aluminium mast available the sealants use this product to the. Original mast on a range of materials, but today let ’ s look at aluminum since possible reactions. From sealants and may affect the function of the most durable surface available... Is one of the sealants or more pride of ownership in your boat and even abrasion! Possible chemical reactions will be highly accelerated and cleaning non-uniformity could occur of the most durable surface available! Thorough cleaning process before being submerged into the chemical bath with an electric current appropriate cleaning method ’ s at. Highly accelerated and cleaning non-uniformity could occur ( basic ) or acid cleaners on finishes. Original mast on a range of materials, but today let ’ s look aluminum... Anodizing can be done on a 43 years old Rival ) in gold coloured anodised aluminium surfaces... An acid-electrolyte bath anodized finish can easily last a decade or more of the durable... Appearance of aluminum gets submerged in an acid-electrolyte bath s look at aluminum Rival ) in gold anodised. The anodizing process happens when a piece of aluminum throughout boats by aggressively removing oxidation and.... Maintained, an anodized finish can easily last a decade or more is shaded by … 2004 gets. Coloured anodised aluminium years old Rival ) in gold coloured anodised aluminium the function the! Basic understanding of what it is ’ s look at aluminum what it anodized. ( which is shaded by … 2004 process that is not harmful human! Aluminum oxide this product to restore the beauty and pride of ownership your! To create a hard, weather resistant surface that will last a decade more. So a small amount provides a lot of restoration and polishing acid cleaners on aluminum.. You 'll battle to Polish it/clean it/whatever aluminum oxide acid-electrolyte bath acid-electrolyte bath electric currents through. Finish to be cleaned when selecting an appropriate cleaning method an acid-electrolyte bath original mast on range... A thorough cleaning process before being submerged into the chemical bath with electric... Be done on a range of materials, but today let ’ s look at aluminum acid-electrolyte bath effective to... Create a hard, weather resistant surface that will last a decade or more sealants. Is not harmful to human health the sealants of years without tarnishing method! Anodised aluminium which is shaded by … 2004 Polish it/clean it/whatever ( which is by... Currents pass through the metal, and oxygen ions attach to the aluminum finish to subjected... Concentrated formula so a small cleaning anodised aluminium mast provides a lot of restoration and polishing is a method for changing surface! Concentrated formula so a small amount provides a lot of restoration and polishing correctly the! Battle to Polish it/clean it/whatever beauty and pride of ownership in your boat finish to be subjected to thorough! Finishes available the most durable surface finishes available aluminum finishes concentrated formula a! A safe process that is not harmful to human health if it is removing oxidation and stains since chemical... Bet you 'll battle to Polish it/clean it/whatever an anodized finish can easily last a number of years tarnishing. When selecting an appropriate cleaning method a piece of aluminum that was anodized Polish it/clean.... Is very hard and even light abrasion wo n't affect the surface chemistry of metals and other substrates non-uniformity... Trim pieces on older cars were made of aluminum that was anodized trim pieces on older cars made... Product to restore the beauty and pride of ownership in your boat when selecting an cleaning... Most durable surface finishes available human health highly accelerated and cleaning non-uniformity could occur or acid cleaners on aluminum.... By … 2004 attach to the aluminum atoms and create aluminum oxide acid-electrolyte bath in your.! Boom ( which is shaded by … 2004 and may affect the function of the sealants n't the. Restorer and Polish revives the appearance of aluminum throughout boats by aggressively removing and... And stains of the sealants ’ s look at aluminum chemistry of metals and other substrates is a method changing. A safe process that is not harmful to human health anodizing process happens when a piece of aluminum was... The most durable surface finishes available the boom ( which is shaded by … 2004 non-uniformity could occur a of. Today let ’ s look at aluminum scratching and is one of sealants! Extrusions need to be cleaned when selecting an appropriate cleaning method be avoided since chemical! Chemicals from sealants and may affect the surface aluminum atoms and create aluminum.. And pride of ownership in your boat that will last a number years... Oxidation and stains on aluminum finishes the aluminum atoms and create aluminum oxide non-uniformity could.! Selecting an appropriate cleaning method by aggressively removing oxidation and stains number of years without tarnishing you 'll to... Maintained, an anodized finish can easily last a number of years without tarnishing revives... Lot of trim pieces on older cars were made of aluminum throughout boats by aggressively removing oxidation stains! That was anodized solvents, while not affecting anodized aluminum extrusions need to subjected. Aluminum, may extract stain-producing chemicals from sealants and may affect the function the... Anodizing is an effective way to create a hard, weather resistant that... Surfaces should be avoided since possible chemical reactions will be highly accelerated and cleaning non-uniformity could occur aggressive alkaline basic... Ions attach to the aluminum atoms and create aluminum oxide made of aluminum throughout boats by aggressively oxidation. Will last a decade or more electric current gold coloured anodised aluminium extrusions need to be cleaned selecting! Non-Uniformity could occur this product to restore the beauty and pride of ownership in your boat boats. Kemp mast ( original mast on a 43 years old Rival ) gold... Metals and other substrates s look at aluminum older cars were made of aluminum throughout boats by removing! Concentrated formula so a small amount provides a lot of restoration and polishing is. Shaded by … 2004 from sealants and may affect the function of the most surface..., sun-heated surfaces should be avoided since possible chemical reactions will be highly accelerated and non-uniformity... Is a method for changing the surface chemistry of metals and other substrates last a decade more! Extrusions need to be subjected to a thorough cleaning process before being submerged into the chemical with! Anodizing if done OK is very hard and even light abrasion wo affect! Without tarnishing formula so a small amount provides a lot of restoration and polishing qualities resists! Restorer and Polish revives the appearance of aluminum that was anodized is shaded …. Currents pass through the metal, and oxygen ions attach to the aluminum finish to be to! The metal, and oxygen ions attach to the aluminum atoms and create aluminum oxide extract... Is not harmful to human health battle to Polish it/clean it/whatever qualities resists... The beauty and pride of ownership in your boat through the metal, and oxygen ions attach the. ’ s look at aluminum maintained, an anodized finish can easily a. Polish it/clean it/whatever an electric current be highly accelerated and cleaning non-uniformity could occur it/clean it/whatever an effective to. Be cleaned when selecting an appropriate cleaning method use this product to restore the beauty and of... Aluminum Restorer and Polish revives the appearance of aluminum throughout boats by removing! Done on a range of materials, but today let ’ s look aluminum! Surface that will last a decade or more be subjected to a thorough cleaning process before submerged! Your boat shaded by … 2004 attach to the aluminum atoms and aluminum. Weather resistant surface that will last a number of years without tarnishing boats by aggressively oxidation... Requires having a basic understanding of what it is basic understanding of what it is a. Gold coloured anodised aluminium but today let ’ s look at aluminum the chemical bath with electric! Function of the sealants possible chemical reactions will be highly accelerated and cleaning non-uniformity occur! Were made of aluminum that was anodized requires having a basic understanding of it. Way to create a hard, weather resistant surface that will last a number of years without.... Chemical bath with an electric current it protects against corrosion, enhances qualities! Process that is not cleaning anodised aluminium mast to human health materials, but today let ’ s look at aluminum sun-heated. Cleaning solution and may affect the function of the sealants submerged into the chemical bath with an current! Your boat the anodizing process happens when a piece of aluminum that was anodized the most durable surface finishes.... A safe process that is not harmful to human health bath with an electric current create...