How Do You Clean Aluminum Window Frames

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Frames holding windows in place can be made of many different materials from wood to fiberglass. Aluminum is 1 of the well-nigh popular frame materials since it lasts a long time and has low maintenance costs. Today nosotros volition be discussing how to make clean aluminum window frames, whether they are coated, blank, or oxidized.

Contents

• How to Clean Aluminum Window Frames
  • Cleaning Powder Coated Aluminum Window Frames
  • Cleaning Non-Finished or Non-Coated Aluminum Window Frames
  • Cleaning Heavy Oxidation from Aluminum Window Frames
  • Deep Cleaning Aluminum Window Frames
• Considerations for Aluminum Window Frames
  • Powder Coated Window Frame Pros and Cons
  • Untreated Aluminum Window Frame Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

How to Clean Aluminum Window Frames

The first step in cleaning whatsoever aluminum product is to effigy out what type of coating is in place, if whatever. Pulverization blanket will normally be a fairly shiny, paint similar covering over the aluminum that can be made in just about any colour. Not coated, or not finished aluminum, on the other mitt, can be shiny when installed, but the outside will generally oxidize into a dull finish fairly quickly.

Cleaning Powder Coated Aluminum Window Frames

Powder coated aluminum is very resistant to the elements and to corrosion, and so frames made out of it will normally be easy to clean. Avert using metal or other sharp materials when cleaning because in one case they go scratched, the coating in that area will non protect information technology any longer. Stick with a soft cloth or, if necessary, a soft bristled nylon brush.

1. Start at the top of the window, or collection of windows, and motility down to the bottom. This is then yous can clean up any muddy drip lines as you progress in your cleaning process.
2. Make full a bucket with warm, soapy water. Gentle dish soap works well for this. Utilise a few squirts per gallon of water.
3. Saturate a microfiber textile, sponge, or other soft cleaning material in the soapy water.
4. Rub the textile forth the aluminum frame, fugitive the window every bit much equally possible. The soapy water will not hurt the window glass, but less dirty water on the window makes it easier to clean after the frame.
5. Experience complimentary to use a little elbow grease for areas with built up dirt and grime, which you will usually find near the lesser of window frames.
6. Be certain to pay attention to corners, overlapping edges, and hidden areas of the frame where dirt may hide. Consider using a soft bristled nylon brush to become any dirt out of there.
7. Rinse the aluminum window frame with make clean water.
8. Use a lint free cloth to dry the frame. You may want to dry the window pane likewise at this betoken.
9. Using your favorite glass cleaner, clean the window pane or panes.

Cleaning Non-Finished or Non-Coated Aluminum Window Frames

Bare aluminum window frames tin can provide a very stark, futuristic look to a dwelling house, but they can sometimes be challenging to proceed in the same state that y'all purchase them in. Oxidation is the biggest factor in outside aluminum, protecting the metal from corrosion, but also looking irksome and cruddy. Consider how y'all desire your aluminum frames to perform vs. how you want them to wait.

1. The top of the window frame is once more the best identify to start.
2. Use warm soapy water if the aluminum frame only has small oxidation. Information technology may not be enough to clean heavily oxidized aluminum, only starting time with information technology kickoff.
3. Wash the frame with a soft cloth and the soapy water.
4. Rinse with water.
5. Buff the aluminum with a soft lint costless cloth until it is dry and shiny.
6. To go even more out of a shine from the aluminum, you tin smoothen it with mild steel wool and water. You will have to rinse well and possibly clean the frame once more to ensure that no steel dust or splinters are left to rust on your window.

Cleaning Heavy Oxidation from Aluminum Window Frames

As alluded to previously, untreated aluminum window frames tin can oxidize fairly quickly. To be clear, oxidation is non corrosion. It may look or seem similar the aluminum is corroding, but in fact the oxidation is protecting the aluminum from corrosion. It can just be unsightly vs. the way that aluminum looks when you lot commencement install it.

To clean heavy oxidation from your aluminum frames, you lot will need a cleaning solution a bit stronger than soap and water. Consider using the following if soapy water is non constructive and always test first in an inconspicuous area.

• Vinegar solution – Mix one-half vinegar and half warm water together in a bucket.
• Citrus cleaner – Do non spray straight on the aluminum surface to be cleaned, but instead apply it to a cloth or brush commencement.
• Commercial cleaners that are gentle on aluminum. Some of the products bachelor to the public come in the class of marine (gunkhole) cleanersor automotive wheel cleaner.

Earlier starting the cleaning process, scrub the surface with a dry nylon castor to clean off the surface dirt and any loose oxidation. Feel free to utilise a nylon brush with the cleaning solution as well for a bit more friction and elbow grease. While the boosted chemical will assistance, you will need to put a lot of try into getting rid of the oxidation.

With a vinegar solution, be certain to rinse with water when cleaning is complete. For the citrus and commercial cleaners, read the manufacturer's instructions and follow all potential safety instructions like wearing gloves and goggles. Consider polishing the aluminum frame with wax to filibuster futurity oxidation.

If the oxidation gets built up to the point that the aluminum is now anodized, yous may consider calling a professional person who tin can clean the frame without damaging it. Anodic coating is very difficult to remove using household cleaners and tools.

Deep Cleaning Aluminum Window Frames

1 every year or so, it is a good idea to deep clean your window frames. The instructions follow the same basic guidelines as already discussed, simply instead of leaving the windows in the frames, you could remove the windows completely.

Follow the manufacturer instructions on window removal, and clean out all the rails and hardware. In improver, you lot might find it useful to add grease to any moving or friction-friendly parts of the frame in order to go your windows operating smoothly.

Considerations for Aluminum Window Frames

The difference between the types of aluminum used to make window frames does non merely utilise to the fashion they await, but too to how they should be taken care of. Untreated aluminum normally takes the nigh cleaning and maintenance, but pulverisation coating has its own drawbacks as well. Painted aluminum should be treated the aforementioned as powder coated aluminum.

Powder Coated Window Frame Pros and Cons

• PRO – The process creates a difficult, thick durable surface.
• PRO – Colors added to the coating are consequent all the way through and will non dull.
• CON – Hard, if not incommunicable, to repair spots that have been damaged.
• CON – Matching paint to cover up scratches will non wait the same.

Untreated Aluminum Window Frame Pros and Cons

• PRO – The shiny surface that it originally shows is cute and modern.
• PRO – Light and durable, will terminal for many years.
• PRO – If an oxidized surface is allowed to stay, it becomes even more corrosion resistant.
• CON – Oxidized surfaces are boring and can accept away from the futuristic look.
• CON – Susceptible to corrosion when interacting with other metals such every bit copper, iron, or atomic number 82.

Conclusion

Cleaning aluminum window frames is a fairly simple process once you empathize how the different types of materials determine the cleaning method. Pulverization coated aluminum is very easy to clean but should be treated gently, while untreated aluminum takes more effort but can be treated more than roughly.

Source: https://homeviable.com/how-to-clean-aluminum-window-frames/

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