How to Clean an Aluminum Panel

Aluminum panels are sustainable and recyclable.

Distinguished for its lightweight strength, resilience and corrosion resistance, aluminum is used in residential, transportation and consumer goods applications. Aluminum panels for siding and walls require regular upkeep to remove surface contaminates that can discolor and mar their finish. Dirt, tree sap, bugs and bird droppings inevitably accumulate on aluminum panels, causing their shiny surfaces to weather over time. Regardless of an aluminum panel's function, simple cleaning can immediately revitalize its appearance.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose
• 1 tbsp. alkali-free liquid detergent
• Bucket
• Spoon
• Soft nylon brush
• Cloth
• Denatured alcohol

Instructions

1. Let the aluminum panel fully cool and spray it with water to loosen and detach grimy fragments.

2. Pour 1 tbsp. of alkali-free liquid detergent into a bucket while filling it with 1 gallon of warm water. Stir the detergent mixture well.

3. Dip a soft nylon brush into the detergent concoction. Scrub a 2-by-2-foot section of the panel with the soapy brush, starting at the bottom of the panel and moving upward to completely clean that section.

4. Spray the freshly cleaned 2-by-2-foot section with water. Rinse off all detergent and gunk.

5. Continue cleaning each 2-by-2-foot section of the panel, working upward. Concentrate on one section at once, thoroughly rinsing each section before moving on to the next.

6. Rinse the entire aluminum panel to ensure all detergent is flushed away.

7. Examine the panel for lingering tree sap. If sap remains, wipe it off the aluminum surface, using a cloth soaked with a solvent such as denatured alcohol.

8. Rinse the solvent and loosened sap off the aluminum panel, using the garden hose.

9. Let the aluminum panel fully air dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Alkaline detergents and cleaners discolor aluminum. Abrasive cleaners scratch aluminum.

• Test the denatured alcohol on the aluminum to prevent discoloration.

References

• The Aluminum Extruders Council: Features and Benefits of Extruded Aluminum
• "Michigan State University Extension"; Cleaning Aluminum; Anne Field
• Repair Home: Cleaning Aluminum