Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Napa has their Mac's Aluminum Brightner on sale right now. The spray bottles were normally $9.99 and they have them on sale for $6.99 (at least at my local Napa).

My nephew says he has the best toon cleaners...but for some reason, he calls them "exotic dancers"...

Good to know...will be going to NAPA later tonight

Okay, I'm a believer in this Napa stuff. We bought our 2003 pontoon last year from a guy that kept it in a slip all the time - it had developed a bad waterline and stains.

This stuff was very easy to use -- just spray it right from the bottle, let it sit for 30 seconds and then hose it off. I did 2 applications because the toons were really dirty and stained -- used just about 2 bottles.

Here's some before and after pics. In the "after" pics, you can even see the reflection of the yellow line on the ground.

Before and after pics look great!

Does the spray bottle version come diluted? If so, I wonder what the ratio to water is, as I plan on getting the gallon version.

Thanks for the pics!

SoCalAngler wrote:Before and after pics look great!

Does the spray bottle version come diluted? If so, I wonder what the ratio to water is, as I plan on getting the gallon version.

Thanks for the pics!

I have been getting the gallon jug and mixing it with water 50/50 in a spray bottle.

That looks AWESOME! I am going to try the toonbrite cleaner tomorrow will make sure and take pics to compare....

Are the results different between using it full strength and using a 50/50 water mix? I doubt my toons have been cleaned in over twenty years and are almost black in spots. Would be nice to see some results like that.

I'm not sure if what comes in the spray bottle is diluted or not. I would think not because this stuff has a very strong toxic odor. But for less than $15 and 15 minutes, I'll make this a yearly maintenance routine. Now to see how long it stays looking nice. Next year I may try the Sharkhyde stuff after doing the toon cleaner.

Mosnowman wrote:I just went to NAPA looking for it and couldn't find the described product. I asked the NAPA guy and told him what it was for..I ended up with a small bottle of "Mothers Aluminum Polsh"....he didn't know of any NAPA product.....let me know if anyone else has luck finding it.


Heres a link showing it at NAPA....

http://m.napaonline.com/Tablet/parts/Pa ... 0075100080

Maybe you can find a use for the Mother's Aluminum Polish. I tried to polish my boat with it and found it an inferior product.

To anyone that's cleaning their toons with NAPA or other acid based products: They will clean your boat, but will dull the finish badly. From there, you'll need to use a polisher with a wool bonnet and a real quality metal polish. I use White Diamond metal polish (Advance Auto Parts) and a Porter Cable Dual Action polisher. While I'm not after a mirror finish, it's plenty shiny.

I'm fortunate to have a boathouse to keep my pontoon boat 3' out of the water. With polishing once or twice a year, I don't anticipate ever having to use the acid based aluminum cleaners.

I'm thinking that the gallon jug comes the same strength as the spray bottles; I base this on the cost ($30 gallon and $10 for 32oz) and the gallon jug gives no instructions on diluting.

Do you think spraying it straight can harm the aluminum?

Is this product actually removing aluminum (due to it being acid based)?

Also, what type or respirator should be used?

SoCalAngler wrote:I'm thinking that the gallon jug comes the same strength as the spray bottles; I base this on the cost ($30 gallon and $10 for 32oz) and the gallon jug gives no instructions on diluting.

Do you think spraying it straight can harm the aluminum?

Is this product actually removing aluminum (due to it being acid based)?

Also, what type or respirator should be used?

I sell 55gal drums of aluminum brightner. We buy it in a concentrated form which is 30% hydroflouric acid, 10% phosphoric acid, and 60% water. We'll turn that one drum of concentrate into 5 drums that still need to but cut by the customer before use. We recommend that the customer use a respirator like this one: http://www.lowes.com/pd_69598-98-R6211_0_

I'm a Hotsy dealer also and if you have a local Hotsy dealer you have access to a safer aluminum brightner. More details here (It's the first aluminum brightner listed): https://www.hotsy.com/Detergents-Specia ... px?Cid=590

After using the NAPA is the finish dull and difficult to polish?

1. I'm wondering if the finish is dull and chalky making it even more difficult to buff to a polished look.

2. Can the acids in the NAPA product leave an acid base behind causing a slow corrosion process on the aluminum?

Better safe than sorry!

The Napa product does leave them dull. I didn't notice any chalky residue. I wasn't looking for mirror finish though. I just wanted the toons clean without the black stains and streaks. Up close you can see blotches but from a distance, it looks great. It made the 2003 toons look much newer.

does anyone use a sealer after acid washing?, my toons look good after the acid wash but i have to redo every time I use the boat in salt water.