How to Clean Perforated Aluminium

Is your perforated aluminium lacklustre? We are often asked how to take care of and maintain perforated metal, so here’s a useful guide on how to clean perforated aluminium to bring the shine back to your facades, balustrades, fencing and exterior features.

All types of perforated metal benefit from regular cleaning. You will find it is often a requirement to maintain the durability – and importantly the warranty – of any coatings applied.

Please remember that this is only a general guide, and it is always best to seek our expert advice for your specific project and the type of metal used.

How to clean perforated aluminium

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Perforated aluminium is a best-seller for many types of projects and for good reason. It’s lightweight but strong, durable and easy to punch. And although aluminium is very corrosive resistant, it does need a little bit of attention to maintain its good looks.

The first step when you want to clean your perforated aluminium is to identify the finish – typically either anodised or powder-coated – because it is the finish that will dictate what you can do if you are faced with stubborn stains.

Cleaning perforated aluminium step-by-step

For both anodised and powder-coated aluminium, a wash down with warm water – and mild PH-neutral detergent if necessary – is all that’s needed to remove most everyday soiling, as follows:

Rinse the metal with clean water to remove surface dirt
Use a damp non-abrasive sponge or cloth dipped in the water or detergent solution, and gently rub to remove any deposits.
Rinse thoroughly to remove soap and dirt residues.

For any deposits that won’t shift, what you can use depends on the finish.

If it is powder-coated, the only two products which are recommended by powder-coating manufacturers are methylated spirits or Isopropyl Alcohol, followed by a thorough rinse-off.

If it is anodised, white spirits may help to shift the dirt, again followed by a thorough rinse-off and drying with a non-abrasive, soft cloth. There are also dedicated cleaning products you can use.

What’s important in all cases in that you don’t use anything that may damage the painted or anodised coating on your aluminium, such as harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbing sponges. If you are not sure, it is always best to get advice first when tackling hard-to-remove stains.

How often should perforated aluminium be cleaned?

How often you need to clean your perforated aluminium depends on the local environment. Metal that is installed in a coastal location is subject to high levels of salt pollutants for instance, and will therefore need to be cleaned much more often.

Rainfall affects your cleaning schedule, too. If you are in a drier climate, surface debris that would usually get washed away by natural rainfall won’t be removed, and the metal will require regular cleaning.

But in general, for low-pollution areas, inspect and clean the metal at least every 12 months. In higher pollution areas, this may need to be done every six months and in very high industrial or marine locations, as often as every three months.

Check with our team or your coating supplier about the cleaning and maintenance schedule you need to follow to keep your coating and your warranty in perfect condition.

Order perforated aluminium with Arrow Metal

Download our perforated metal brochure to explore our range of perforated aluminium, for delivery Australia-wide. We keep a wide selection of popular profiles in stock ready to ship for urgent orders, with a larger choice of patterns made-to-order.

Or custom-create your own architectural design, which we’ll manufacture using advanced CAD software. Talk to our team to explore the possibilities for your project on (02) 9748 2200. Or send us an online enquiry here and a member of our team will be in touch.

Posted: November 10, 2020