To comply with warranty requirements & to extend the effective life of powder coatings, a very simple regular maintenance programme should be implemented.
As a general rule cleaning should take place every six months. In areas where pollutants are more prevalent, such as beachfront houses & industrial or geothermal areas, then a cleaning programme should be carried out on a more frequent basis, ie every three months.
Three steps to cleaning powder coated surfaces:
- Remove loose deposits with a wet sponge (avoid scratching the surface by dry dusting).
- Use a soft clean cloth or non-abrasive brush & a mild household detergent solution to remove dust, salt & other deposits.
- Always rinse after cleaning with fresh water to remove any remaining detergent.
Restoring weathered or scratched surfaces
If through some misadventure your powder coated aluminium joinery is scratched or damaged, don’t panic. Colour repair kits are available in all colour card colours.
Spray cans make easy aesthetic repairs to scuffed or scratched powder coated surfaces while dabsticks are ideally suited for small scratches or chips.
Weathered areas or mild scratches can also be restored with the use of Dulux Gloss Up which is a light to medium cutting cream ideally suited for gloss restoration & has been specifically designed for the purpose.
Cleaning Products
In some cases, strong solvents are harmful to the extended life of powder coated surfaces. Damage from using these solvents is not always visible immediately & may take up to 12 months to develop.
If paint splashes or sealants & mastics need to be removed from your powder coated surface then the following may be used safely:
- Methylated spirits
- Turpentine
- White spirits
- Ethyl alcohol
- Isopropanol
This information is to help you get the best life from your powder coating. If you have any questions, please contact Bay Powdercoaters Ltd.