How is best way to clean aluminum boat?

[reggis]

I would like to get it to shine again but don't know what to use.

[wwwUncle]

Maybe some hints in this thread.?

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/mecha...n-removal.html

[DRPEPPER]

I just simply wash my Pan Fisher with a boat wash. I spray the pontoon boat with "ToonBrite" using the directions on the bottle. Be sure your area is well ventilated. The best job I have ever seen, the fellow was an AC repairman. He said he used coil cleaner. I never have used products like Sharkhide; don't know how they do.
DP

[ccga]

Mine sat for 7 or 8 years before I bought it and I used the toonbrite. It cleaned it up really well. Only issue I had was I tried to cover too large area and in one place it left some streaks. I started at the bottom and worked up but it still left a few streaks.

[macon123]

Mine sat for 7 or 8 years before I bought it and I used the toonbrite. It cleaned it up really well. Only issue I had was I tried to cover too large area and in one place it left some streaks. I started at the bottom and worked up but it still left a few streaks.

Where do you get ToonBrite cleaner?

[Herewego]

I use The Works it has oxalic acid in it to clean the stain off my fiberglass boat, it will also clean aluminum I was told. I buy at famlly dollar store for $1 a bottle.

[ccga]

Where do you get ToonBrite cleaner?

i bought mine at Bass Pro. I had been looking for something to clean it with and this was the first thing i found that was for aluminum so i picked some up

[skeetbum]

If you are looking to shine, the spray on and agitate isn't the right stuff. All of the cleaners I've looked at used an acid to achieve the results. In effect they are termed brighteners. They remove the outside layer of oxidized metal, leaving a porous surface behind. it then collects more trash in the pits/pores the next time. If that is to your satisfaction, go to it. Shine is accomplished by polishing with a compound and a buffing wheel. No, it isn't fun and it is time consuming and dirty. But when you're done, there are no pits to hold the junk that made it look bad in the first place. Using the acid first and then polishing is not as easy as removing the crud with a cleaner/degreaser then polishing. Acid roughens the surface to be polished. Not telling you how to do your boat, but after shining the tanks on big trucks for the past 18 yrs I had to pass on a little of the education I learned the hard way. Good luck and I hope this helps.