Aircraft paint and window polish.

[Lood]

I had a look on Spruce's website, but the search returned about 5 pages of different polishes and waxes for use on paint, aluminum and aircraft windows. As I have to ship whatever I buy to South Africa, I would like to make sure that I buy a good quality product - first time.

I am looking for the best product to use on my Mooney's complete exterior paintwork as well as something that will remove the tiny scratches and dullness from the windows. I would appreciate your advice.

[mooneyflyer]

Lemon Fresh Pledge is the best for windows and wings (anti bugs).  Inexpensive and works fantastic!

[The-sky-captain]

I use Rejex. It's made by the same company that produces Corrosion X and works great.

[Guest Anonymous]

Cool, Hat Trick !!!

1. 
   
2. I use dedicated micro-towels for my windows, with a separate set for the rest of the airframe;
   
3. I use Lemon Pledge for my windows and interior hard trim;
   
4. ... and I use Rejex for my airframe,  (and CorrosionX inside).
   

RFB

 

[knute]

I use and like Plexus (prior owner used Lemon Pledge, and swore by it, but I haven't tried it).  One thing I discovered that I really like is Sontara wipes.  (Aircraft Spruce carries them)   It's a DuPont product that is basically a disposable microfiber wipe, and I just keep a box in the trunk of the car and a few in a ziplock in the cargo hold of the plane, and it takes all the trauma out of wondering whether I have a clean & soft enough cloth to avoid scratching the plexiglass.  I've also heard that these can be laundered, but I haven't tried that.  I bought a box of 100 a while back, and it's got another year or two to go before I need to replenish.  My process is to use a bottle of water to drizzle a little water on the windshield to "float" most of the bug crap off with my hand, then spray with Plexus, and finish with the wipe.  Easy, crystal clear, and no scratches.

Good luck!

-Knute

[lahso]

Wash Wax All. Works well all over the airframe, windows, etc.

[Lood]

Thanks a lot all - I'm definately wiser.

[231Pilot]

I use a plexiglas cleaning and polishing foam on the windows, never though of Lemon Fresh Pledge.  I am going to try it as soon as I come out of annual.

[Carl S]

What did you wind up buying?  Were you able to get something local?

I met a guy  a couple doors down from my new hangar rental that uses the "Wash Wax ALL" product on his very clean RV-6 and swears by it. He buys it in gallon jugs and transfers it to a small spray bottle that he keeps with the aircraft. He's talked me into trying it. 

 

 

 

[Lood]

Hi again all - sorry for not giving any feedback. I ended up buying couple of different poroducts from Meguiars. I don't have the exact names handy now, but IIRC, I used three porducts: A wash gel that cleans the paint as you wash, a polish and a wax. I used another of their products that is made for use on perspex, among others, on the windows.

It was quite a job to wash, polish and the wax, but I am very happy with the end result. I fist did about one square foot to see if there would really be a difference and apart from really bringing out the colour again, the treated surface was 100% smoother. In fact, I have sheets of the kind of rip stop material that many tents are made of, which I use to cover my Mooney when hangared. After the Meguiars treatment, I now have endless trouble keeping the covers on. The paint surface is so increcibly "slippery" that everything just wants to slide off. I always used to place the fuel caps right next to their filler necks on the wing when I refueled. I can't do that anymore, because 90% of the times, they just start sliding off the wing.

I also have way less bugs and stuff clinging to the windscreen and leading adges and if there are any, they just come off with a quick wipe. I will certainly do this exersize once a year. I must add that I was not that impressed with their window product. It did make all the windows really, really smooth and static free, but it did not do much to the fine scrathes.

All in all, I happy though.

[HopePilot]

For the first time ever, here's Vickey's beauty secrets (not even available on the Red Board):

Aero-Magnolia Aeroglaze Drywash, for general cleaning.

AirGlare (Polish/Seal), but I'm going to try Prime: Strong and see if I get better results.

NeverDull for polished spinner.

Oxford Windshield Gel, for cleaning the windows.

Wash Wax Degreaser (for belly).

Microfiber towels for everything.

 

I'm looking for tips on how/what to use to clean the propeller itself?

[rob]

I use Aeroglaze also for regular cleaning. I use Glare (from Honda Motorcycle shops) as a polish. Plexus on the windshields with the aforementioned Sonatra disposables. Microfiber elsewhere. 

[Hank]

I'm a firm believer in keeping a smooth coat of Wah & Wax ALL on the plane, and I use their degreaser to clean the belly. Just did it Saturday, since I'm in annual and the belly is off. Took ~20 minutes to make the belly uniform maroon, smooth, slick and shiny.

The spinner gets occasional treatment with Mother's polish, advertised for mag wheels and chrome motorcycle parts. Doing the whole thing once was hard, now I rarely even touch it up except after birds fly by . . .

The windows get Plexus, with a cheap cotton washcloth. Nothing but cotton on the windows!

Daily maintenance is with Mira-Fiber cloths. I'll have to bring one in for contact info, but they are man-made fiber similar to but different from microfiber. Wet it with water, squeeze it dry, and wipe. No chemicals to buy. Nothing to rinse off. I've been using it for three years, and am thinking about tossing it and grabbing a second one. [i bought 5 to get a quantity discount, should last a while.] No muss, no fuss, no empty cans or bottles.

When wiping gets difficult or bug accretion gets bad, it's time for another coat of Wash & Wax ALL. Then wiping gets easy again.