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How to Strip Anodizing From Aluminum

Sometimes anodized aluminum surfaces get damaged or need to be cleaned. When this happens, the aluminum's anodized surface can make the task somewhat difficult. The simple fact remains that surfaces that have been anodized don't clean up well. Deanodizing the aluminum, however, will help with the cleaning process. Although you need only minimal equipment to deanodize aluminum, remember to work outdoors or in a well-ventilated area to avoid breathing in the fumes created by the chemical reaction.

Gloves
Goggles
Rubber gloves
Measuring spoons
Drain cleaner crystals containing sodium hydroxide
Nonreactive bath pan (i.e., ceramic)
Warm water
Soft cloth
Cold water

Instructions

- 1
  Pour enough warm water into the pan to cover the aluminum completely. For each gallon of water, add one tablespoon of drain cleaner. Mix thoroughly.
- 2
  Submerge the aluminum in the bath. Every two minutes, remove the aluminum from the bath and use a soft cloth to remove the "smut" on the surface of the aluminum. Smut is a byproduct of deanodization that prevents the anodized coating from reacting with the bath if you do not regularly remove it.
- 3
  Allow the aluminum to sit in the bath for 10 more minutes. Remove it and make sure that the entire anodized coating is gone. The surface should now be a uniform color. If there are any darker anodized spots, place the aluminum back in the bath until the spots disappear.

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