Cleaning aluminum

[rp2813]

I've tried three times to grow rhubarb and it always fails the second year it's in the ground -- if not sooner.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong.  It's supposed to grow like a weed with little or no attention once it's established, but I can't even get it to that point.

 

I did use either Mothers or Meguiars aluminum/mag wheel polish on a vintage Mirro-Matic 6-quart pressure cooker and it produced a bright, shiny mirror-like finish.   The finish when found at a thrift store was dark and dull and I thought it was beyond hope, and I couldn't believe the results.  The finish is still beautiful several years later.  I wash it with regular dish soap and dry it immediately to avoid any spotting.

 

I'm not as comfortable using that type of polish/cleaner on interior surfaces of aluminum cookware, though -- particularly the ribbed finish on the interior of my Guardian Service (National Presto rebadge) 10-quart pressure cooker.  I'm not sure about my vintage set of Magnalite either.  Should I be concerned?  I recently bought more polish for another project so have it on hand if others here can advise that it's safe for surfaces that make contact with food, and how to make sure all residue has been removed.

 

[launderess]

Growing rhubarb....

Yes, the thing should grow like weeds for a good few seasons. Rhubarb does tend to like rich soils and cooler weather. Best to use natural fertilizers like compost or manure, though some suggest artificial things like nitrates are fine.

https://www.almanac.com/plant/rhubarb

https://web.extension.illinois.edu/veggies/rhubarb.cfm

Rhubarb

Get expert RHS advice on growing rhubarb – choosing, planting, growing, harvesting and tackling problems

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[firedome]

Barkeepers Friend...

has oxalic acid as a main ingredient. My wife swears by it, she's a fanatic about shiny cookware - and everything else - I'm surprised she doesn't wax the furnace annually...typically German! lol

 

[sfh074]

Rhubarb ......

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Both sets of grandparents used to grow it and make rhubarb pie every year.

Why?

Cause it was a southern thing I guess.

I hated it. No amount of sugar would make it taste right.

 

If it was because of oxalic acid, then yeah same as eating Barkeepers Friend! Just plain yuck.

 

[sfh074]

Polished vs cast aluminum .....

require different cleaning methods. 

 

Heavily used cast aluminum I have used spray mag cleaner found in the automotive section with good results. Takes several applications if baked on mess. It oxidizes the top layer to leave a clean/ new surface.

 

Polished aluminum is the armstrong method. I like this stuff and it leaves a waxy layer to help prevent future oxidation. This stuff is by far the fastest as well.

 

 

 

[circlew]

Guardian Service used to sell a powdered cleaner for their cookware, and I have a can of it, but have no idea where - probably at storage. I don't know what it contains, but it may be similar to BKF.

 

[maytagbear]

Nevr-Dull!

Is good stuff. Stinky, but effective, Petroleum distillate of some sort.

Lawrence/Maytagbear.

 

[sudsmaster]

I would avoid using steel wool on aluminum. It can leave behind little bits of steel embedded in the softer aluminum metal, which will, of course, rust later when exposed to water or humidity.

Mother's is good, as are the various mag wheel cleaning/polishing products. If the aluminum is in real bad shape, then various grades of nonmetallic scrubbing pads *might* work as long as they are not too abrasive. I'd start with the least abrasive. Sort of depends on the desired final result: mirror finish vs. patina. A buffing wheel with a polishing compound might be a good choice for the finer finishes.

 

[launderess]

Naval jelly is still around, It's sold by Henkel under brand name Loctite.

https://www.hunker.com/13415944/how-to-remove-rust-with-naval-jelly

Naval jelly isn't recommended for cleaning aluminum, but some do anyway.

https://dsportmag.com/the-tech/surf...the-iron-oxide-bring-out-the-healthy-metal/3/

There once was Loctite Aluminum Jelly Cleaner and Brightener which did contain phosphoric acid, but amounts were different than naval jelly, and product lacked or had smaller amounts of oxidizers. Henkel discontinued that product some time ago however.

Remaining on subject it is important to decide of one wants to clean aluminum or polish. The two aren't always same and some products are meant to do one but not always the other.

 

[circlew]

Steel wool

The Guardian Service "service kit" included steel wool, in addition to the powder cleaner and snap on Bakelite handles. Evidently they thought it was suitable for use on their products. Stainless steel wool is available if rust spots are a worry.

 

[launderess]

Finest grades of steel wool, such as used for polishing wood furniture, floors and other things is fine for cleaning cast aluminum. Aluminum sheet things are likely best off with a nylon scrubbie.

Use fine steel wool with a bit of soap jelly (since have tons of soap lying about spare), all the time on my Wagner cast iron cookware, works a treat.

https://www.howtocleanstuff.net/can...is best for,a circular motion while scrubbing.

This being said some still don't believe in using steel wool of any sort to clean or polish aluminum.

Cleaning & Polishing Aluminum - Boler.ca

Techniques to Polish Aluminum One of the most frequent questions I get asked is how to polish aluminum. The word polish can be interpreted several different ways so let’s explore the different methods, products and results. Let’s start by understanding … Read More

www.boler.ca

 

[dermacie]

My Home has aluminum windows and I use Bon Ami to remove oxidation and make them shine.