the clean up - how to ideas/products

[ukalipt]

there was a thread back about cleaning up a bike.
i have a couple of extra questions. i have an old skool bike to clean up.

what is the best way to clean up chrome/nickel plating with rust pitting?
i know good old elbow grease with steel wool [000 fine grade] is probably the best but is there any other ways people are doing it. i though i read somewhere someone was using vinegar along with steel wool [000 fine grade]

do you use polishing products for aluminum [i.e. cranks etc] something like mothers aluminum cleaner, or i have seen Autosol do some nice clean ups.

and getting rust off spokes. again just steel wool and elbow grease?

any help/tips would be really appreciated

thanks!

[Birdman]

I have a few rusted spokes...i was told to use wood bleach. Aparently that does the job.

Mitch.

[LuckyPierre]

Cludence posted some results of using wood bleach (oxalic acid) that were pretty spectacular. I've used Autosol alloy polish successfully on older alloy seat posts and head stems. Spokes are a pain, no matter which way you tackle them!

[stevendavid75]

wadding cloth can work pretty well tp pollish stuff as well,
similar stuff to mag wheel cleaning stuff.

[Jeremy]

I used to use steel wool and metal polish....worked pretty well, but takes forever to do wheels with alot of spokes

[Hawkeye]

Rusted spokes should be replaced. They are a failure waiting to happen. If you have more than a handful and they are not evenly spread, you should consider getting the wheel either entirely relaced or replaced.

[cludence]

Forget the steel wool! Go for wood bleech. There is info on the forum somewhere which I posted last year. If you do a search you should find it.

If not, let me know.

Karen.

[Aushiker]

Forget the steel wool! Go for wood bleech. There is info on the forum somewhere which I posted last year. If you do a search you should find it. .

Had to try Graeme's search idea. I think this threadcontains the reference Karen is referring to If it don't, please blame Google or someone else

Andrew

[ukalipt]

thanks all,
i tried to get the wood bleach but it was only 10ml per 100ml so i didn't know if was going to be strong enough. so i brought some ranex rustbuster
it is phosphoric acid and it did do the job pretty well. using a tooth brush to apply initially then a rag, the majority of the corrosion / rust came off. took a good couple of hours but worth it.
after i let the spokes sit for a while they did have a white corrosion on them so i went over them again with steel wool and autosol the tube one.
they are 70% better than original. they could really do with another round.

autosol is THE STUFF when cleaning up everything. such an awesome sheen after the polish.

kero was perfect for all marks on the frame.

hot soapy water and sponge as well.

bike looks great