What chemicals are NOT safe w/aluminum?

[SilverHoot]

Getting ready to cleanup the window frames and want to know what common chemicals NOT to use to dissolve the adhesives from old weatherstripping. I'm talking commonly available items such as acetone,lacquer thinner and such. Hate to be trying to do some good and do some permanent damage!

[mello mike]

Simple Green cleaner. It will ruin the finish on any kind of aluminum.

[SilverHoot]

Thanks Mike,
Must be some chemists or metals experts out there that know in general terms which chemicals will ruin aluminum then we could check the ingredients if available or MSDS info. Wonder what the ingredient in Simple Green is that is harmful to aluminum? Just checked the label on Simple Green and it says do not use on plastic, leather, suede, unfinished wood, opals or pearls. Nothing about aluminum, so an unsuspecting person like me, but one that does not ask, could cause problems for themselves.

[Kevin245]

We use acetone to clean aluminum routinely. It will damage some clear coatings, but it won't hurt the aluminum.


Regards,

Kevin

[markdoane]

3M adhesive remover.

[Kevin245]

Most Mfgs. make their product data sheets available on line, and they usually state what materials should not be cleaned with their product (though not always).

The big thing to avoid are caustics such as Sodium Hydroxide. The other concern with chemicals is prolonged contact when they become trapped between faying surfaces of seams, or crevices. They can really attack some metals when given enough time.Just some random thoughts.

Hope this helps.

[mello mike]

Originally Posted by SilverHoot

Thanks Mike,
Must be some chemists or metals experts out there that know in general terms which chemicals will ruin aluminum then we could check the ingredients if available or MSDS info. Wonder what the ingredient in Simple Green is that is harmful to aluminum? Just checked the label on Simple Green and it says do not use on plastic, leather, suede, unfinished wood, opals or pearls. Nothing about aluminum, so an unsuspecting person like me, but one that does not ask, could cause problems for themselves.

Yeah, I sprayed some on my kitchen countertop and some excess spray got on my aluminum backsplash. Fortunately, it's at the very bottom and you don't see much but the spots won't come out. Others on this site can attest to this, too.

[InsideOut]

Ammonia will damage aluminum.

Shari

[richinny]

i've been told that silicone will react with the aluminum.

[Wingeezer]

I used to be the plant engineer at a major railway overhaul shop. We had huge
steam-heated caustic vats the size of swimming pools for cleaning baskets of engine parts & such.

If anyone made the mistake of putting any aluminum items in the caustic vat, they would soon vanish!


Brian

(PS I suspect Simple Green may be mildly alkaline (Caustic), not sure though.)

[68 TWind]

I just replaced all the windows and weather stripping in my Trade Wind. I found that lacquer thinner was the best in dissolving the old adhesive, tried all kinds of stuff. For the really dried stuff, Dremel has a scotchbrite buff you can chuck up in the Dremel and it get any residual adhesive and sealants. There are 2 grits, the course will scratch the Alum. skin if you get it on that but on the window frames they saved me hours and hours of scrubbing with 000 steel wool.

[AIR-Quarius]

Don't use 'Bleche White'...it's a powerful slightly acid based cleaner we use around here, but it will etch aluminum. However it is very handy to have a bottle around for other cleaning issues. We use it sometimes to literaly 'melt' grim etc on the inside walls (inner shell) Some time I will take a picture of what the bottle loks like so you will know what it looks like.

[Ganglin]

Originally Posted by mello mike

Simple Green cleaner. It will ruin the finish on any kind of aluminum.

I'll second this one! Just did it a couple weeks ago. It's environmentally safe after all - or so I thought. Not plasticoat environmentally safe.

I sprayed the belt line. The went around the trailer right after with a carwash mitt. It left milky streaks in the coating where it ran down the side. We were able to wax most of it out with a brand of wipe on/off Turtle wax and a microfiber cloth. You wouldn't really see it but I can....

[Minno]

We used Carb cleaner to clean adhesive, Vulkem, etc off of our window frames and windows when we were re-sealing them. Works great and doesn't react with the aluminum. We used a synthetic wire brush chucked in a drill to clean up window frames also. Got rid of excess stuff and kind of shined it up without the abrasiveness of an actual wire brush. I bought a big jug of industrial strength orange stuff at Home Depot, that actually gave instructions for using on aluminum on the jug. You mix it half and half for aluminum. I cleaned the inner panels with it, worked great. Now, what was the name of that stuff?

Kay

[Minno]

It was Zep professional strength cleaner. Comes with a spray bottle you can mix half and half, or use full strength for other things. They don't recommend full strength for aluminum. (Had to run out to my hubbys workshop in the rain to check the name!).

Kay

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by richinny

i've been told that silicone will react with the aluminum.

Hopefully no one is using silicone as a cleaner

I don't know that silicone reacts with aluminum, but it's harder to get off than a duck on a junebug.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

Ammonia will damage aluminum.

Shari

Take a look at many car wash soaps and/or dishwashing liquids. Many contain a form of ammonia which can be detrimental to the clear coat and Alcoa finishes also.

Jack

[vinstream]

Carb Cleaner is what I have been Using... It cleans Aluminum well and does not leave a greasy after layer! IT WILL MESS UP CLEAR COATS!!!

[FreshAir]

I was told by several folks that laquer thinner isn't good with aluminum so I will not use it. I use mineral spirits, not paint thinner, to clean before and after polishing and other cleanup chores.
Neil.