Autoality's Car Care Blog

860/861 (depending on the size) is Duragloss Aluminum Cleaner & Brightener (ACB).  The label states that it is, “an industrial strength aluminum cleaner formulated to remove oxidation, oil, road film, and brake dust.”  From the label, we also get that ACB is acidic–though, it is pressure washer safe and biodegradable*.

This is a spare engine I picked up for my 1973 Honda CB350 motorcycles.   It was from a bike that was stored outside at some point, and it was pretty dirty.  I cleaned most of the grime off first with an APC, but even after that, there was this tough, somewhat crusty dirt on a lot of the cast aluminum.   I thought it would be the prefect chance to test out ACB in a (somewhat) controlled situation.

The bottles directions instruct you to wet the surface to be cleaners prior to spraying ACB, spray the cleaner from bottom to top, rinse and let dry.  This aluminum cleaner can be diluted, and the bottle has recommended ratios, up to 1:10 for general cleaning.

I first wet the surface, and sprayed ACB straight, without diluting.  The cleaner quickly foams.  I let it sit for about 10 seconds, and rinsed it off.  After rinsing, I checked out the results and repeated.  This time, I let it dwell for about 45 seconds and then rinsed.

When using this aluminum brightener you can use a brush to loosen up dirt, but remember that the cleaner should be doing the work.

This is the results of 2 applications of Duragloss Aluminum Cleaner & Brightener.  It is hard to tell, because there is still water on the engine in the picture, but there is still some dirt left behind, and there are some white crusty spots on the tappet covers ( two round covers with the hex heads on them).  I wasn’t worried about a little dirt, because this engine in going in my bike, and it will be getting a little grimy in the process.  The white spots are from the cleaner.  This is most likely due to the ACB not being diluted.

What exactly is an aluminum brightener?
Contrary to what the name kind of implies, aluminum brighteners do not leave a bright polished finish.  They are highly acidic cleaners that attack the aluminum surface to get heavy oxidation, oil, and dirt off.  In doing so, they leave a thin layer or oxidized aluminum behind.  This thin layer is much easier to polish than a thick layer of oxidation.

Since aluminum brightener does eat away at a little of the surface, some stay away from them for fear or thinning the surface.   There is some legitimacy to these concerns, but for the most part, aluminum brightener is fine for cleaning most un-coated aluminum parts.  The amount of aluminum material that is sacrificed is marginal if used properly, but some if you are cleaning something that get cleaned frequently, and is supposed to last a long time (a horse trailer for instance), it is probably not a great idea to clean it with aluminum brightener every time it needs clean.  Though, Duragloss Aluminum Cleaner & Brightener would serve as a great heavy duty cleaner for that occasion heavy cleaning.

The warnings (MSDS)
Duragloss Aluminum Cleaner & Brightener is VERY acidic (pH of 1-2).  What does this mean?  When using it, you should wear a respirator, safety goggles, and gloves.  ACB contains  ammonium biflouride, a chemical used in glass etching, so it will etch glass if you get it on your windows.  It also contains phosphoric acid and 2-butoxyethanol, so it is not to be considered a gentle cleaner, and it should be taken seriously, and stored well out of the reach of children.  It can also damage or strip many common coatings and paints.

Hear that?  It can damage paint.  It is important to know that the aluminum you are cleaning  is raw aluminum, and not coated or anodized.  Clear coated aluminum is common for wheels, motorcycle engines, and other aluminum components.  I recommend testing a ACB in a inconspicuous place before using it.  If you have enough experience around metal, you will be able to tell (within a decent margin of error) if a metal like aluminum is coated just by look and feel.

If you dilute ACB, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about exposing non-raw-aluminum parts adjacent to the ones you are cleaning being damaged.

Final thoughts
I like Duragloss Aluminum Cleaner & Brightener, but it is the kind of product that if you don’t understand it or its intended purpose, you could be severely disappointing.  If you detail a lot of motorcycles, boats, trailers, and other things with a lot of aluminum, pick up a bottle and try it yourself.

Nick can be reached via email (nick@autoality.com), or by calling Autoality’s Monroeville Mall store (412-374-9595).

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*This is something that kind of bothers me.  Duragloss is advertising that this chemical is biodegradable, but that doesn’t really mean much–even an aluminum can will biodegrade (though it may take 100+ years ).  Saying something is biodegradable doesn’t mean that it is good for the environment, or that it can be handled in our water supply.  As for the specific effects of Duragloss Aluminum Cleaner & Brightener on the environment, I can’t say, but it is something to think about the next time you see “biodegradable” on a product label.