zx250 Posted April 28, 2017 Report Share Posted April 28, 2017 I got a new mold and when I handle it my hands are turning black. I have tried to wipe them off but no luck. Any should or should not to clean them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglinarcher Posted April 28, 2017 Report Share Posted April 28, 2017 what is the mold material? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx250 Posted April 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2017 Aluminum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgecrusher Posted April 28, 2017 Report Share Posted April 28, 2017 wipe it with a cloth, probably polishing compound - is the mold from delmart? I had some similar recently, I shot em a couple of times and got rid of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted April 28, 2017 Report Share Posted April 28, 2017 It is oxidation from aluminum clean it and it will come back. Any bare aluminum will do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curt k Posted April 28, 2017 Report Share Posted April 28, 2017 (edited) Being a new mold it sounds to me like polishing residue or oils If it's dirt or oils then dish soap is safe to use . It works well and sunlight is the best one to use because it cuts thru the dirt and oils better than the other soaps . Don't use the dishwasher detergents though , they can cause a really bad reaction with the aluminum if soaked for an extended period of time . Trust me , I've made that costly mistake Edited April 28, 2017 by curt k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curt k Posted April 29, 2017 Report Share Posted April 29, 2017 cascade in particular is really bad and I had a horrible experience with it . I washed a bunch of molds in the sink , then I filled the top rack of the dishwasher so they could drip dry . a few hours later my wife filled the bottom rack with plates and fired up the dishwasher without seeing that the top rack was loaded . All of the molds turned purplish and felt as though they went thru a rough tumbler . Some degreaser soaps will do the same or worse . I've turned aluminum parts black while soaking in one brand . Dawn , palmolive or sunlight are the safest to use at home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wchilton Posted April 30, 2017 Report Share Posted April 30, 2017 Anything caustic will eat up aluminum. Soaps made for dishwashers (machines) are very strong and should be avoided. Liquid dish soap for hand-washing should be ok and hair shampoo would also be safe. Some of the strong de-greasers are also strong caustics that should not be used on aluminum. Remember that if you want to clean an aluminum engine or aluminum wheels! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
