Ultimately, this puts large, ugly streaks on the exterior of the trailer. That’s because acid wash will wear down the top layers of the aluminum, weakening the metal and even changing its chemical makeup. But if you’re using acid wash for cleaning, you’re pouring the trailer’s resale value right down the drain. The flip side is that aluminum can oxidize, or develop a dull, yellowish layer that needs to be cleaned off regularly. Since aluminum doesn’t rust, they resist deterioration and can look new even when they’re a decade or more old. One of the biggest reasons to buy aluminum trailers in the first place is that their resale value sticks like glue. It’s something we see all the time here at Blue Ridge Trailers, so we wanted to share some insights to help people avoid these bad cleaning methods and keep their trailers in good shape. You may already know about a common trailer cleaner known as “acid wash.” While acid wash initially leaves trailers looking shiny and new, this harsh solution gradually causes serious damage by etching into the aluminum year over year. There are products out there that even professionals use to clean aluminum trailers, without realizing the harm they’re doing to the trailer’s exterior and its resale value.
Just because an aluminum trailer looks sparkling clean doesn’t mean it’s been cleaned the right way. Before-and-after an aluminum trailer cleaning with Aluma-Brite at Blue Ridge Trailers.
