Nanook

Can ne1 recommend a cleaner to clean/polish the anodized metal running board surface (without staining the rubber slats)..
Mine have a blotchy patina on them after winter..there's gotta be a product available for this type of metal...
tia

Strafzettel

I used distilled vinegar mixed with water to clean my matts which had a lot of salt in them. I also use it to clean the bathroom faucet and it gets the lime off. I haven't tried it on aluminum but maybe worth trying.

jchochla

Have you tried Adams Polishes? Best auto detailing products on the market, hands down! Real easy to work with also.

Cyber GS

I don't have the boards on my 2012 but had them on my 2011 as well as on other SUV's. I've used Never Dull metal polish on the running boards in past and it worked great.

iankayem

Metal polishes are risky as most of the rubber slats stick through holes in the ally step. Polish residue would be extremely difficult to clean up around them. And three of those slats are actually retainers, which could be damaged by vigorous polishing.


I would prefer a liquid cleanser, perhaps vinegar would be fine, but I would like some verification that it had no ill effects first.

shortspark

P21S Total Auto Wash. Place in spray bottle diluted 1:1 with water or use straight if there is tar or heavy grime. Let solution sit a minute then agitate with brush or sponge. Rinse off with strong stream of water. This keeps the boards clean and I have not had reason to polish them.
http://www.autogeek.net/p2totautwas.html

Blueline205

I just purchased a 2013 CPO ML 350 BTC with running boards that are discolored. It looks like the clearcoat is milky. Don't the running boards have a coating over the aluminum? I was thinking I need to treat it like paint? Did anyone have success with any of the above methods? Thank you.

greasykid

Had this problem once before with discolored anodized aluminum (non car related). Solution: WD40. Try it on a test spot.

spillmar

I had the same problem on clear coated aluminum running boards that came factory with my 2014 GL350. After some trials and tribulations - I found a good method which I gleaned off this website.

To remove / disguise the discolorations, I first used some fine metal polish which seemed to be abrasive yet safe enough to remove all the dirt and some surface oxidation;
and
then I followed it up by spraying WD40 liberally and rubbing it gently and then spraying again. I let the second coat of WD40 sit for about 5 minutes and then wiped all the excess off - this caused no harm to the plastic parts and made the running boards almost good as new. The WD40 also worked well to remove some tar spots and other stains.

This approach really does appear to remove/disguise the milky stains fairly well. I am glad I tried this, because I was already considering stripping the clear coat on the aluminum which probably would have been a mistake.

eaglehawaii

Aloha,

Below is what I've done. It works really well and is not difficult at all. You just need a little time and patience.

Tools:
- Meguiar's Hot Wheels Aluminum Wheel Cleaner
- 600 grit sandpaper
- 1/2 inch wide cut piece of a used gift card (see attached photo)
- Nitrile gloves
- Cotton or microfiber towels

REMOVING THE GRIME AROUND THE RUBBER NIBS
1. Make sure you put on the gloves.
2 Cut approximately a 2" x 2" piece of sandpaper.
3. Wrap it around the gift card cut piece.
4. Wet the sandpaper with the wheel cleaner.
5. With the edge of the card/sandpaper, move it back and forth to loosen and remove the gunk around the rubber nibs. The firmness of the gift card behind the sandpaper allows for enough pressure to be applied on the grimy surface. The card's flexibility also helps in bending it to the shape and contour around the rubber nib.
6. Wipe off the dislodged gunk.
7. Repeat for each nib on the runningboard.

CLEANING THE ALUMINUM SURFACE
1. Once all the nibs have been cleaned, it's time to clean the aluminum surface.
2 Cut approximately a 2" x 2" piece of sandpaper.
3. Wet the sandpaper with the wheel cleaner.
4. Start rubbing the stains and grime from the aluminum. This step also gets rid of any scratches that you may create in cleaning around the rubber nibs. Recommend rubbing in one direction only (front to back) to give it a uniform .... almost a brushed aluminum appearance.
5. Wipe down clean with a damp towel.
6. Wipe dry with a dry towel.

That's it.

See before and after photos below.

Just additional info: With 600 grit or finer grit sandpaper and with care, one could avoid heavy scratches. Just need to apply enough pressure to slowly remove the gunk and a lot of patience to continue doing it until it is all gone.

Afterwards, I applied sealer on the runningboard to help protect it from the elements.

I've tried other methods with cleaners, polishes, brushes, etc. I've read on the web but for the grime I had to remove, the method I used above worked really well.

YMMV.

I just need to keep on top of it now that I've cleaned it and not let it get that bad again.

PeteyV

This is a good video showing how to clean running boards with a soft brush.