Wash powder coated aluminium joinery with warm water and a mild, pH-neutral dishwashing detergent, using a soft brush or cloth, then rinse it with a gentle hose and dry it off. Do that about every three months, more often near the sea, and keep aggressive solvents away from it. That is the whole method. The rest of this guide is the detail that keeps the finish looking good for much longer.
Why It Needs Washing at All
The colour on your joinery is a powder coat: a dry powder sprayed onto the aluminium and baked into a hard skin. It is tough, but dirt, salt and pollution that sit on it hold moisture against the surface and slowly wear it. Rain washes the exposed faces for you. It does not reach the sheltered parts under eaves, at the head of a window or behind a verandah post, which is why those are often the first to look tired. Wash every unit, not just the ones that look dirty.
Regular cleaning also matters for the coating's warranty. Dulux, whose powders we use, states that care and maintenance is essential for warranty compliance and publishes a care and maintenance guide for powder coated surfaces.
What You Need
- A bucket of warm water with a small squirt of mild dishwashing liquid.
- A soft-bristled window brush, a sponge or a microfibre cloth. A brush with a detergent dispenser makes rinsing easy.
- A garden hose on a gentle setting.
- A soft dry cloth or chamois.
The Method, Step by Step
- Rinse first. Hose off loose dust and grit so you are not rubbing it into the surface.
- Wash from the top down with the soapy water, frames as well as glass, and get into the corners where dirt collects.
- Rinse gently. Use the hose, not a water blaster. High pressure can force water past seals that are designed for rain, not for a jet at close range.
- Dry it off to avoid water marks, especially on dark colours.
How Often
Every three months suits most Auckland homes. Treat it like a car: little and often beats one hard scrub a year. If you are near the coast, an industrial area or a busy road, wash more often, because salt and fallout are what do the damage.
What Never to Use
This is where finishes are ruined. Do not use aggressive solvents on powder coat. Dulux lists turpentine, white spirits, thinners, kerosene, citrus-based cleaners and insect spray, and petrol and MEK belong on the same list. Strongly acidic or alkaline cleaners and abrasive creams or scourers damage it too. For a stubborn mark, Dulux allows only isopropyl alcohol or methylated spirits, on the affected spot, rinsed off with clean water straight away. If a product is not something you would use on the paint of a new car, do not use it on the joinery. The same rule applies to the handles, hinges and seals.
Two things catch people out:
- Paint splashes. Mask the joinery with a plastic drop sheet before painting nearby. If water-based paint lands on it, wipe it off straight away with a wet cloth and rinse. Do not reach for thinners or turps.
- Sunscreen. Some sunscreens can mark a powder coat permanently where a hand has touched it. Wash your hands after applying sunscreen, and wash any handprint off with soapy water promptly.
Tracks, Drain Holes and Moving Parts
The bottom track of a sliding door or sliding window collects grit, leaves and dog hair. Vacuum it when you wash the frames, then flush it with the hose; the track is designed to drain. Look for the small drain slots on the outside face of the sill and make sure they are clear, because a blocked slot is the usual reason water sits in a track. Rollers, stays and hinges need no more than to be kept clean. If a door starts to drag, call us rather than forcing it.
Bringing Back a Weathered Finish
After many years in the sun any coating loses some gloss and may look chalky. A good automotive cream polish, without cutting compound, used sparingly and not on metallic finishes, cleans and protects the surface in one step. For a scratch, a colour-matched touch-up is available, and we can supply one to match your original order. The full care guide, including the warranty, is on our resources page, and the colour range is on the colours page if you are checking a name.
Contact Us
If your joinery is stiff, leaking or past the point where cleaning helps, we can look at whether it needs a repair, a re-glaze or replacing. Call 09 278 4089 or use the form below.
