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Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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How to remove haze from engine degreaser on stainless steel

I have a grill in my car which is 1966 that I believe is stainless steel. I used an engine degreaser on it to remove some road grime and such. Anyhow it was very shiney and now has a white haze on it. I need to no what I did and how to possibly fix it if possible.

Mike Spreng
- Boelus, Nebraska, United States
2003

I suspect it was anodized aluminum, Mike. Sorry to inform you that the degreaser probably contained caustic that dissolves anodizing and aluminum. You need to either send it to a shop for re-anodizing or try to power buff the haze away and clearcoat it.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

If a magnet does not stick to your metal it would indicate aluminum and your finish is corroded. If it actually is chrome and your degreaser is high in silicates, then you may be able to remove the haze with a little cleaner containing a little hydrofluoric acid. In this case try cleaning a small spot first using Q-tips ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] saturated with the cleaner followed by a quick rise with tap water.

James Chunn
- Theodore, Alabama
2003

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