Best Way to clean up an old aluminum canoe

[esox07]

I have actually been a member of this forum for close to ten years. But I sold my last boat about 8 or 9 years ago and haven't really been on the forum since. Now, I am back.

I just purchased a 1973 Grumman 17' square back canoe at an auction. It has been sitting in a hay barn for quite a while and not sure before that. It it expectedly dirty and I would like to clean it up. It seems to be in otherwise excellent condition. I guess it isn't even all that dirty and discolored given it's age. But, I want to get it looking nice and I also would like to get the floor prepped for a couple coats of Herculiner Truck Bed liner. The factory abrasive coating is still mostly there, but it is chipped away in places, and like I said, I want to get it cleaned up and looking good.

Does anyone have any suggestions on cleaners and methods. I do have a bad back so a lot of hard scrubbing won't work out too well. I guess I am hoping there might be a good product that will help clean it up easily.
Thanks,
Bruce

 

[DeepBlue2010]

If you are not trying to prep for paint and just want to clean it up, I would start by a TSP and a pressure washer and see what comes out of it.

 

[esox07]

From what I hear, that (TSP)is great stuff, but it is not legally sold here in Wisconsin.

 

[DeepBlue2010]

Go to Home Depot and ask the guys there what would be the closest thing to it. They can offer few suggestions. You can try something at home also ...

[FONT=&quot]An all-purpose cleaner is made by combining ? cup baking soda, ? cup vinegar and ? gallon water. One-half cup borax can be added; increase the water to 1 gallon. (Source : ehow.com)[/FONT]

 

[jkust]

I'm jealous...I'd love a canoe that can accept a small electric motor. I'll just toss in my two cents and tell you that there are some aluminum products such as Purple Power that, depending on the aluminum coating, will work too well and remove the shiny coating off of the aluminum leaving you with new looking but bare aluminum if you don't severely dilute it. There are others that aren't nearly as potent.

 

[esox07]

I just ordered some Real TSP on Homedepot.com for ship to store. 6- 1lb packages for $15.00 sounds reasonable to me. I dont know how they can ship it to me but can't sell it in store. I guess it is one of those loop holes.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sunnysid...r-in-1-lb-Resealable-Pouches-64216C/203226008

 

[esox07]

I'm jealous...I'd love a canoe that can accept a small electric motor. I'll just toss in my two cents and tell you that there are some aluminum products such as Purple Power that, depending on the aluminum coating, will work too well and remove the shiny coating off of the aluminum leaving you with new looking but bare aluminum if you don't severely dilute it. There are others that aren't nearly as potent.

Yah, the big reason I bought the canoe was so that I could drop an electric motor on it. I have a bad back and am getting old and don't feel the urge to do a lot of paddling if I don't have to. I surely intend to make use of the square back motor mount.

 

[Woodonglass]

Based on your requirements I'd recommend watching this...

There's also a Product called ToonBrite

 

[jkust]

Yah, the big reason I bought the canoe was so that I could drop an electric motor on it. I have a bad back and am getting old and don't feel the urge to do a lot of paddling if I don't have to. I surely intend to make use of the square back motor mount.

Yeah...I have a fiberglass canoe but also have an electric trolling motor I'd like to make use of.

 

[bruceb58]

I have a pontoon boat and bought the aluminum brightener at NAPA. After I did that once and the discoloration came back, I never did it again. Too much work and not worth it in the long run.

 

[jbcurt00]

W a bad back, weight might be an issue, so that'd be another reason I wouldnt use a spray on bedliner on the canoe, it'd add weigh. That'd also reduce the amount of weight you can add to the canoe in you, gear, motor and fuel.

If there are a few leaks, fix them. Covering w bedliner hides them, but doesnt 'fix' them.

And even poorly applied bedliner is not easy to remove. One of the worst jobs ever...... and I've worked on grinding on a fiberglass hull.

 

[Teamster]

Milk pipeline cleaner is an acid that cleans aluminum up nicely,....

Personal preference on the bed liner in a boat,...I find it to be hot in the summer,..And has been noted very difficult to remove if or when repairs need to be made to the hull,..

 

[esox07]

OK, I will skip the bed liner. I am going to go the TSP route to clean it up. Then maybe look at polishing it up a bit.

 

[jbcurt00]

Napa sells an aluminum brightener that truckers use on their diesel tanks.

But all the brighteners clean the aluminum amd leave it in a hazy weathered (oxidized) aluminum grey, not what some think of when they think of bare aluminum. Its not shiny, not even close.

It can be a good place to start polishing it to shiny if thats what you want.

 

[esox07]

Yah, first thing is to get it cleaned up real good. But I have to wait for some warmer weather for that. Then after it is all cleaned up, I may look for an inexpensive auto detailing buffer and some aluminum/meal polish. I don't need it to look like chrome, I just want it to look nice.

 

[gm280]

Do you have a company locally that does vapor blasting? If so let them clean the hull up to a very impressive finish again. It won't hurt the aluminum at all, but will certainly make it look near new again. I have been reading and watching most anything concerning cleaning aluminum lately and vapor blasting is the best. Do a little research and see.JMHO

 

[esox07]

I will check that out GM280, but I really want to do this on the cheap. "Vapor blasting"....huh?

 

[bruceb58]

I thought vapor blasting was always done in a cabinet. Can they do something as big as a canoe?

 

[MTdeepC]

I've been using aluminum polish wadding and a buffing wheel on a drill on my alumacraft. It worked wonders on my 1959 Shasta camper aluminum trim.

 

[esox07]

"aluminum polish wadding"????