Detergent

[rhtrudder]

What’s the safest detergent to use on a aluminum plane, I figure ph neutral, but should keep away from phosphate , most of the auto cleaners have sodium in some form, a lot to choose from 

[Flightrite]

Ive used Dawn dish washing soap in the past with no I’ll effects. I no longer wash my planes, I clean with furniture polish after every flight, they never see water!

[Freizeitpilot]

Ardrox 1900B

[skippydiesel]

The problem with anything labeled for Aircraft/Aviation,  it often attracts a price well above a similar product not so specified.

 

Seems to me that you could talk to cleaning product suppliers/manufacturers, to find something unlikly to react with aluminium and its various alloys.

 

Try Chemtec, they make a wide range of cleaning products https://www.chemtech.net.au/

 

I often use very very dilute Castrol windscreen wash (for particularly grubby/stained areas a few spots on a damp rag adds cleaning power). I think is probably close to a pure (non soap) detergent.- No idea if it attacks aluminium. Great stuff but I think now unavailable (still got about 10L - will last many years) Lots of alternative products, don't know if they will measure up to the Castrol though.

Edited September 6 by skippydiesel

[Freizeitpilot]

Johnson’s baby shampoo ?

[skippydiesel]

5 hours ago, Freizeitpilot said:

Johnson’s baby shampoo ?

Problem with most  products, for human use, is they are soapes with only a little detergent. Detergent is rough on human skin.

If my memory serves, pure detergent does not foam (or very little).

The froth / foam you get when using automotive shampoos is more for the pleasure/satisfaction of the human applicant, than a practical cleaning agent.

Heavy duty truck washes etc, foam very little.

Windshield wash, foams hardly at all (don't use dishwashing liquid in windscreen wash)

Edited September 6 by skippydiesel

[Red]

On 05/09/2024 at 5:51 AM, Flightrite said:

 clean with furniture polish after every flight

??..The whole aircraft?

[BurnieM]

I regularly use Chemtech CT18 on cars, motorcycles and boats so should work fine on painted surfaces.

 

What are people using for windscreens ?

Edited September 6 by BurnieM

[Flightrite]

9 hours ago, Red said:

??..The whole aircraft?

The canopies, LE’s and the belly gets a polish. Do it after every flight and there’s little to clean👍

[Freizeitpilot]

6 hours ago, BurnieM said:

I regularly use Chemtech CT18 on cars, motorcycles and boats so should work fine on painted surfaces.

 

What are people using for windscreens ?

Perspex windscreens ? dilute baby shampoo mixed up in a trigger spray bottle, wipe off with a microfibre cloth.  Baby shampoo is a low foaming detergent (not soap) …..and gentle on your baby !

 

[skippydiesel]

On 07/09/2024 at 8:55 AM, Flightrite said:

The canopies, LE’s and the belly gets a polish. Do it after every flight and there’s little to clean👍

What! No bugs on the leading edges? Where in Australia do you fly?

[skippydiesel]

On 07/09/2024 at 8:28 AM, BurnieM said:

I regularly use Chemtech CT18 on cars, motorcycles and boats so should work fine on painted surfaces.

 

What are people using for windscreens ?

Mostly water from a spray bottle, wiped down with damp chamois, followed by dry polishing cloth (microfiber).

 

Every now & again  I use ViewPlex, skip the chamois, go straight to the microfiber .

 

What do people use on their propeller??

 

• I try get as much dried bug guts off with dilute detergent/water.
• I follow this with a good quality automotive polish (usually 2-3 applications).
• Finally apply a layer of Carnauba wax, to leading edges and rear surface - this I let dry and do not polish off.

 

The idea is that the dried wax will "shed" bugs more readily than  the polished surface. I think it works.

I have also used this technique, on all leading edges, when on an away (multi day) trip - seems to save a lot of cleaning when I get home.

[Marty_d]

Timely discussion, I was about to ask about Polycarbonate windscreens.

Assume that similar (couple of drops of detergent in water, microfibre cloth rinsed often, then dry microfibre) is ok?

[sfGnome]

The bloke I learned from swore blue blind that Mr Sheen was the go for aircraft windscreens. Used it for years and it seem to work well.

[skippydiesel]

What do people use on their propeller??

 

• I try get as much dried bug guts off with dilute detergent/water.
• I follow this with a good quality automotive polish (usually 2-3 applications).
• Finally apply a layer of Carnauba wax, to leading edges and rear surface - this I let dry and do not polish off.

 

The idea is that the dried wax will "shed" bugs more readily than  the polished surface. I think it works.

I have also used this technique, on all leading edges, when on an away (multi day) trip - seems to save a lot of cleaning when I get home.

[skippydiesel]

13 minutes ago, sfGnome said:

The bloke I learned from swore blue blind that Mr Sheen was the go for aircraft windscreens. Used it for years and it seem to work well.

Not all windscreen are made of the same plastic.

 

Polycarbonate windscreen must not be touched by hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons (eg petrol) are very likly to cause crazing/misting and even cracking of the material. Hydrocarbons are found in some polishes/cleaners.

 

No matter the windscreen, if you want to minimise scratches & polishing marks, it is important to remove as much material (dust/squished bugs) as possible BEFORE polishing. I recomend plenty of water (to flush away any potential abrasives), followed by a damp/wet cloth / chamois,  then whatever polishing you want to do. NOTE: Polycarbonate windscreens are particularly vulnerable to being marked.

[Freizeitpilot]

On 11/9/2024 at 10:33 AM, sfGnome said:

The bloke I learned from swore blue blind that Mr Sheen was the go for aircraft windscreens. Used it for years and it seem to work well.

Mr Sheen has been used a lot on aircraft windscreens, but prolonged use (years) on some grades of Perspex will eventually make it dull. Mr Sheen contains paraffins and uses a butane propellant.

 

[skippydiesel]

46 minutes ago, Freizeitpilot said:

Mr Sheen has been used a lot on aircraft windscreens, but prolonged use (years) on some grades of Perspex will eventually make it dull. Mr Sheen contains paraffins and uses a butane propellant.

 

Are not paraffins & butane hydrocarbons? If so keep away from polycarbonates.

[Flightrite]

On 11/9/2024 at 9:29 AM, skippydiesel said:

What! No bugs on the leading edges? Where in Australia do you fly?

What do you think LE’s mean?😂

 

If and I mean if (as I never leave my planes unclean) bugs are plentiful and hard to move I use water and a chux wipe followed by furniture polish, the cheapest stuff I can find. Being doing that for years on all my planes.

I would use the stuff on the Bombardier Jet I drive but me thinks the owner wouldn’t be happy😂

[skippydiesel]

45 minutes ago, Flightrite said:

What do you think LE’s mean?😂

 

If and I mean if (as I never leave my planes unclean) bugs are plentiful and hard to move I use water and a chux wipe followed by furniture polish, the cheapest stuff I can find. Being doing that for years on all my planes.

I would use the stuff on the Bombardier Jet I drive but me thinks the owner wouldn’t be happy😂

"...................there’s little to clean"

[Flightrite]

5 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

"...................there’s little to clean"

I think you missed my point, but yes little to clean IF it’s done after every flight😀

[skippydiesel]

29 minutes ago, Flightrite said:

I think you missed my point, but yes little to clean IF it’s done after every flight😀

You must fly from a sealed runway - all grass ay my end. Clean every bug, fuel & exhaust stain off the aircraft - do a few TO/landings and it looks like is never been detailed😈