Tube cleaning tricks?

[CZSteve]

Please share any tube cleaning tricks you may have.

We just pulled our 24' Landau off the water where it's kept floating in a slip; plan on doing some annual maintenance and cleaning during the next couple of weeks before taking back to the slip.

I've already picked up a gallon of Napa Aluminum Brightener to use but what is the best way to clean thru the accumulated crud that has built up on the tubes. We cruised thru a car wash and hit the tubes briefly while they were still wet to avoid the crud from drying up - overall they're not too bad but we do have a some build-up and a water line that's a bit rough.

Best initial cleaner before using the Napa Aluminum Brightener?
Any good drill attachment for getting the rough stuff without too much wear to the aluminum?
Recommendations for using the Napa Brightener? Dilute and use a hand or pump sprayer?

Thanks,
Steve

[reelin in the years]

Not sure if it was best but I used a garden sprayer.

[landlockedsailor]

Try "cleaning toons" in the Search function. (upper right corner of page next to Members key). About 200 items re: your questions about getting those toons clean. Great resource!

[OK Toon]

I don't think it has ever been determined if the gallon sized stuff is diluted from what they sell in the squirt bottles. I bought 2 of the squirt bottles and used them on our toons. It took 2 treatments but it did a great job. Just wet the toons down then spray the cleaner, let it set for 5 minutes and then hose it off -- then repeat. If you don't have much wind, you might want to get a respirator of some kind because the fumes are very strong on this cleaner.

[lightpants]

I don't think it has ever been determined if the gallon sized stuff is diluted from what they sell in the squirt bottles. I bought 2 of the squirt bottles and used them on our toons. It took 2 treatments but it did a great job. Just wet the toons down then spray the cleaner, let it set for 5 minutes and then hose it off -- then repeat. If you don't have much wind, you might want to get a respirator of some kind because the fumes are very strong on this cleaner.

What product did you use here?

[OK Toon]

Lightpants, I used the Napa Aluminumn Brightener. But my local Napa only carried the squirt bottles and not the gallon jug. This will be part of my yearly maintenance from now on -- this was the first time I used this stuff and I was very amazed.

[Bryden24shp]

Not sure if it was best but I used a garden sprayer.

+2

[Marathon]

I give the Napa aluminum brightener the big thumbs up. Previously, I used other stuff and a lot of elbow grease with little effect. I mixed the napa stuff half and half with water in a spray bottle (okay; the girlfriend did) and just sprayed it on, waited a minute or two and sprayed it off with a hose. It was amazing. On the really tough spots, I reapplied, scrubbed (not much effort) with a scotchbrite pad, and rinsed. Can't believe the result.

[Bamaman]

Steve: You're doing right cleaning the boat as much as you can with a pressure washer before putting the aluminum cleaner.

I've found that the best thing to go after the toons is ScotchBrite pads, when you have to scrub. Plastic won't scratch like heavy steel wool and other gritty pads.

I still swear by power equipment after the toons are clean--dual action polishers with wool bonnet and a high quality aluminum polish. (Mothers aluminum polish is not high quality polish for d/a polishers.) It all depends on how shiny you want the toons to be.

[Berkshire 514]

I applied NAPA Aluma-Brite mixed 1 to 1 with water in a garden sprayer this weekend and the results are indeed amazing. The Best ten bucks I ever spent.