Cleaning aluminum

[Keith True]

What can I soak aluminum in to clean it? I used some everyday generic thing years ago,now I can't remember what I used.Last winter I restored the mini bike I bought new in 1969,this winter I'm doing my sisters 1970.It has aluminum center wheels.I can put them in the blast cabinet,but I'm not looking for perfection,just to get rid of the white powder.I've always soaked my A step plates in vineger and they came out perfect.I did some aluminum the same way,but I forget what I used.I'm thinking it was not vineger but it might have been.I'm not about to open a gallon of $60.carb cleaner to do them unless I have another use for it at the time.I have a bunch of speedo drives I want to try and salvage at the same time.Many years ago I threw a half dozen drives into the carb cleaner basket,the next morning they had turned to mush.The carb parts with them were all fine.

[jimvette59]

I have used aluminum prep from West Marine Boat supplies.

[gwhite]

Pine Sol works well...aluminum wheel cleaner from the parts store works too. Might also want to try EZ-Off oven cleaner.

[Preacher]

I WAS TOLD BY A VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUAL THAT HE USED Naval Jelly

[dave in australia]

Originally Posted by gwhite

Pine Sol works well...aluminum wheel cleaner from the parts store works too. Might also want to try EZ-Off oven cleaner.

If the oven cleaner is caustic, this will etch the aluminium and leave a black smut. This can be wipe off, but the smut itself will be caustic.

[dumb person]

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Gasoline cleans alloy well for me. Put some on a rag & rub it for a time.

Originally Posted by Preacher

I WAS TOLD BY A VERY TALENTED INDIVIDUAL THAT HE USED Naval Jelly

If that contains phosphoric acid it will turn the alloy to nothing, it dissolves it i know this because i tried soldering an outboard motor once and thought it might work as flux.