Oxidation of aluminum ladders

[kevinheap]

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Preferences

I am using my Alaco aluminum sectionals alot lately. I notice my hands get really black from the ladders. This could be oxidation I suppose. Anyone else have this problem or better yet a cure.

Wash them maybe, that would help but perhaps a coating would solve the problem for a longer amount of time.

[JfromtheD]

@kevinheap

I am using my Alaco aluminum sectionals alot lately. I notice my hands get really black from the ladders. This could be oxidation I suppose. Anyone else have this problem or better yet a cure.

Wash them maybe, that would help but perhaps a coating would solve the problem for a longer amount of time.

I know exactly what you mean. I clean mine a couple times a year.
Here’s what to do…

• Go to a marine/boat store (not Home Depot) and pick up some aluminum cleaner -used for cleaning pontoon hulls.
• Pour the solution in a plastic cup/glass/whatever
• Dip and brush it on with a paint brush… The brush will get into the tough to reach areas.
  (on sections, the place where the rungs meet the outer rails are where the most black stuff gets on your hands.)
• simply wash/rinse… you do NOT need to polish. The application does the work.

For those who want to get some other Home depot, Brasso, etc… metal polishers or cleaners…
trust what I say, you will save yourself some frustration and disappointment.

This is the best way to do it… I promise.
You will LOVE the result!

[kevinheap]

Thank you very much for the reply J. I appreciate the time you spend to help myself and others. Best wishes to you are your loved ones.

Respectfully,

Kevin

[JfromtheD]

Wow, what a nice thing to say…
You just made my day… thanks, Kevin!!

[CapeCodCleaner]

@JfromtheD

I know exactly what you mean. I clean mine a couple times a year.
Here’s what to do…

• Go to a marine/boat store (not Home Depot) and pick up some aluminum cleaner -used for cleaning pontoon hulls.
• Pour the solution in a plastic cup/glass/whatever
• Dip and brush it on with a paint brush… The brush will get into the tough to reach areas.
  (on sections, the place where the rungs meet the outer rails are where the most black stuff gets on your hands.)
• simply wash/rinse… you do NOT need to polish. The application does the work.

For those who want to get some other Home depot, Brasso, etc… metal polishers or cleaners…
trust what I say, you will save yourself some frustration and disappointment.

This is the best way to do it… I promise.
You will LOVE the result!

I just ran into this post. Excellent information. Is anyone else cleaning their ladders this way?

Bringing filthy ladders into people’s homes = fail

[anon18136895]

There are ALSO industrial aluminum cleaners you can put in a pump up sprayer and hose off after it sets a bit. Aluminum cleaner is always an acid.

If you have a few ladders that you want to keep clean, often, then this is also a viable option.

[anon63002874]

@JfromtheD

I know exactly what you mean. I clean mine a couple times a year.
Here’s what to do…

• Go to a marine/boat store (not Home Depot) and pick up some aluminum cleaner -used for cleaning pontoon hulls.
• Pour the solution in a plastic cup/glass/whatever
• Dip and brush it on with a paint brush… The brush will get into the tough to reach areas.
  (on sections, the place where the rungs meet the outer rails are where the most black stuff gets on your hands.)
• simply wash/rinse… you do NOT need to polish. The application does the work.

For those who want to get some other Home depot, Brasso, etc… metal polishers or cleaners…
trust what I say, you will save yourself some frustration and disappointment.

This is the best way to do it… I promise.
You will LOVE the result!

Great advice it’s people like you that make this community great for business. Is there a name for the product you use from the marine store or is it just aluminum cleaner. Thanks in advance

Sent from my iPod touch using Window Cleaning Resource mobile app

[RiverCityMN]

Be careful with Aluminum cleaners as I found out the hard way and splashed some on my hand and it went numb for 2 weeks and scared the crap out of me. I am very careful in a work setting about acid, but this was something someone gave us to clean a boat lift and all the other products we had used that day were very safe so I didn’t pay attention…didn’t help that I was on beer 4 of the day;)

[JfromtheD]

I always use the ones from the Marine Store.
But that’s mainly because that’s where I got the idea, and I’ve just made it a habit.
(actually, now that I think about it, I think I DID try to find some at hardware stores and couldn’t find anything that did the trick)

I use a paintrush for the application, so I never actually come in contact with the cleaner itself.
(plus it gets into the crevices better)

I could see how it could be nasty stuff though… the way it takes off all the black stuff like it does.

[CapeCodCleaner]

3M Aluminum Restorer & Polish Cleaner | West Marine

West Marine has all kinds of specialty cleaners, adhesives and so forth. I’ve gotten bronze wool from them as well - more expensive than WCR or HD. They have high prices on some things but they have all sorts of cool stuff to look at even if you are not into boats. [MENTION=507]Henry[/MENTION] would, no doubt, love it.

[Henry]

CCC,

You got that right! There is a Mariner that I do in April every year. Real nice people. They have a mess of different maintenance products they use for the boats getting them ready for the season.

Cleaning aluminum with acid based products is a fascinating subject. A long time ago I was looking for an acid that would not attack glass or aluminum but would react strongly with cured concrete. So I took some 100% aluminum foil and made a little cup with it on top of a drinking cup. I put a little acid in the foil and put my ear to it so I could hear the reaction. A lot of chems gave me some crackle and ate through within one or two minutes. Muriatic/hydrochloric took less than thirty seconds. Nitric was silent. If my memory is OK acidic even at very high concentrations won the ticket too.

Some aluminum cleaners use hydrofluoric with an F. This is a glass etchant, and a health hazard. It peals skin and degrades bone. Goes right to the calcium in your skeleton. Not good. Always know what you are using. Look at the MSDS.

Henry

[JfromtheD]

Today was “Clean The Ladders Day.”

I think I did about 10 pieces and 1 half piece in (what seemed to be) about an hour.

• brush on/spray off.

[wcs]

@JfromtheD

Today was “Clean The Ladders Day.”

I think I did about 10 pieces and 1 half piece in (what seemed to be) about an hour.

• brush on/spray off.

Thanks for tip on the product and the reminder!