Airplane Washing

[Becca]

I am the proud new owner of a Mooney and it needs a bath.  Can you give me some plane washing advice?  In my younger days, I washed Cessnas and we had some sort of special soap from an aviator store.  Do you use an aviation specific soap and where do you get it?  Any areas to watch out for or is a broom and a soft cloth enough to get the job done?   Thanks for the advice- can't have all the smashed bugs slowing me down!

[jlunseth]

Cover the pitot and the static ports and avoid sending a blast of water at them.  If you have a pitot cover that works well.  For the static ports, masking tape works ok.  You need to make sure you use an aviation soap because residue left in the crooks and crannies can start chemical erosion processes.  Simple Green Aviation is pretty good.  Buy it from Aircraft Spruce.  On the windshield, spray wash it first to get everything off that you can.  Any rubbing, if there is any hard residue on the surface, will cause scratches.  They may not be big or obvious, but they accrue over time and eventually, when you fly into the sun, you will see alot of them. 

[tyrefoote]

I don't wash my mooney with a waterhose anymore Because I discovered it took several days to completely dry in a dark hanger and worred about corrosion.  I now clean it after every flight with Slick Mist made by Slick and a micro fiber cloth available at auto parts stores and keep it waxed with RejeX. If I happen to taxi on a wet surface I also dry and clean inside the wheel wells. I keep the Belly degreased after all long trips or or about every 10 hours with simple green and then Rejex. You will find that a coat of RejeX makes future cleanup easier.  Oh and for the windscreen bugs, I mist water then aircraft plastic cleaner polisher foam and let it sit for a minute, then wipe off with vertical strokes [top to bottom] with microfiber cloth.  Good luck with new ownership and enjoy.  Ty