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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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Best way to clean and polish black anodized aluminum

Q. What is the best way to clean & polish black anodized aluminium? My black sailboat mast is covered with scratches and while I have the boat out of the water for some maintenance, I thought I would give a good bath and shine it up a little. There are several commercial products on the market but none say they are specific to black anodized aluminium. I would greatly appreciate your assistance in this matter.

Thanks,

Dawson L. Wurzel
- Atlanta, Georgia

Lanox

on Amazon

(affil links)

A. With the way aluminium is anodised, it doesn't matter what colour the dye is. Most coatings can not be successfully polished. Depending on how deep the scratches are, the layer may be broken through and leave areas prone to corrosion. A few of the marine racers and enthusiasts here regularly wipe the areas down with Lanox or a residue leaving substance to assist in minimising corrosion and maintain looks. But the best way to ensure corrosion resistance and for it to be back to a showroom finish is to re-anodise the items.

Daniel Kingston
Metal coatings and finishing - Brisbane, Queensland Australia
May 31, 2016

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