How to Get Scratches Out of Polished Aluminum
- 1). Mix 2 tbsp. of liquid dish soap to 1 gallon of water in a bucket. Do two separate batches of the soap mixture. Use one bucket for cleaning the surface and the other for wet-sanding the surface.
- 2). Dip a sponge into the soapy water and clean the polished aluminum to remove dirt, dust and grit.
- 3). Dry the area thoroughly with a soft, absorbent towel.
- 4). Sand the area lightly with 220-grit sandpaper. Wipe the area often and continue to sand until the scratches are gone. Do not sand so deep that you go through the clear top coat or it will be very hard to repair.
- 5). Dip 400-grit wet-dry sandpaper into the second bucket of soapy water. Cut the sandpaper and use a rectangular piece of about 1 1/2 by 3 inches for easier handling.
- 6). Sand the scratched area lightly in a long back and forth motion. Continue sanding and wetting the sandpaper until the surface is smooth. Wet the sandpaper often so it does not scratch the surface of the polished aluminum.
- 7). Wipe away the debris with a clean dry cloth.
- 8). Repeat Steps 5 through 7, except use 800-grit wet-dry sandpaper and then repeat again using 1000-grit wet-dry sandpaper.
- 9). Buff with metal polish. Depending on the variety of metal polish you use, apply it according to manufacturer's directions. Some metal polish is applied by hand, while others are applied with a buffing tool. Some people use jeweler's rouge for this step.
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