Cleaner/Degreaser that is OK to use on Aluminum

B

Bioman

New member
Bought some Greased Lightning Cleaner Degreaser to clean my exhaust midpipe of tar, dirt and grease. It cleans very well, but after doing half of the midpipe, I noticed staining in the aluminum. Then I read the label and it says do not use with aluminum. I am an idiot. I thought any degreaser would be ok. Now I have to polish it to get rid of the stains. Will simple green not stain aluminum? Could you guys suggest some OTC products to clean aluminum(polished and standard)?
 
really any metal/aluminum polish will do the trick. A lot of people on here use the NXT metal polysh with great results. I've also heard good things about the mothers and eagle one polishes.
 
Neothin said:
really any metal/aluminum polish will do the trick. A lot of people on here use the NXT metal polysh with great results. I've also heard good things about the mothers and eagle one polishes.
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I'm looking for a degreaser, not a polish. Something to get off the tar, dirt, grease, etc. After cleaning with the degreaser, I will use a polish. But my dilemma is that the Greased Lightning crap is staining the metal. I need something that is less "harsh", but cleans just as well (breaks down road grime, engine grease, etc).
 
Your exhaust pipe is aluminum? Perhaps I am behind the times, but I thought exhaust pipes these days were made from 409 stainless steel, or in some aftermarket cases, 304, and in some very rare instances, titanium. Although I do remember reading that the current Chevy Malibu had some sort of aluminized muffler, but I'm sure it was some sort of steel under the aluminization.
 
Hmm...could be steel. Not sure. If it is, then the degreaser is staining my steel. It's a polished metal though.
 
Simple Green does discolor aluminum. You could either dilute the current degreaser a lot or you could get some Oil Eater at Costco. This stuff is a very strong degreaser but it doesn't seem to do any discoloring at 1:1 dilution, so that's probably your best bet. Plus, it's only $8 for 1.25 gallons.
 
Well, the 409 SS should be magnetic, so if you have a magnet and it clings, it's not aluminum. Is the Greased Lightning something that you use with water? Or is it an aerosol can? When you say midpipe, this is the pipe that's under the car, between the catalyst and the muffler? At any rate, some concours-oriented member will probably chime in on this.
 
Greased Lightning is a spray on degreaser. I was using it full strength, because it says use Full Strength for auto parts. I'll try diluting it and not spraying it on directly anymore. Where can I get some D-Limonene if that doesn't work? Is it OTC?
 
If you use Citrus-Based cleaner you should read this:

ORANGE TOUGH® 40 Informative Bulletin

http://www.spartanchemical.com/web/products.nsf/DocId/d5218151a4f23cbc852567f3004a228a!OpenDocument&Click=
 
Most degreasers will stain aluminum and some stainless steel. It's even worse if you allow it to dry on the surface.



It's quick to get rid of though. Just a quick application of some metal polish and it will be gone. So while I'd prefer to use a cleaner that doesn't stain, you can always fix the staining pretty quick afterward.
 
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