Care & Cleaning
How to clean Avalon aluminum frames, doors, glass and hardware without damaging them. Please share this page with your custodial staff and any outside janitorial company. Using the wrong cleaner causes permanent damage that no warranty covers.
Download the printable cleaning card (PDF) to post where your cleaning supplies are kept.
Use only this
Mild, pH-neutral (pH 6 to 8) dish soap or detergent, diluted in clean water, applied with a soft cloth or sponge. Wipe dry with a soft cloth. Work top to bottom, out of direct sun.
Nothing else is approved without written confirmation from Avalon.
Never use on frames or doors
| Do not use | Why |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen peroxide, or any "oxy" or peroxide cleaner | Bleaches the color out of anodized frames. The damage is permanent. |
| Acidic cleaners (pH under 5), including citrus, orange-oil and d-limonene degreasers | Strips the anodized finish. |
| Ammonia, and caustic or strongly alkaline cleaners (pH over 9) | Attacks the finish. |
| Bleach, solvents, paint thinner and degreasers | Dissolves or dulls the finish. |
| Abrasive powders or creams, scouring pads, steel wool, blades and scrapers | Scratches through the finish. |
Bronze, dark bronze and black frames
The color in an anodized frame is dye held inside the finish, not paint on the surface. Peroxide and acidic cleaners bleach that dye out. This cannot be fixed: a bleached frame cannot be cleaned, polished or touched up back to its color. It must be removed, stripped and re-anodized, or painted over, and this damage is not covered by warranty.
“Green” does not mean safe
Cleaners sold as green, eco, plant-based, non-toxic or "non-irritating when diluted" are not automatically safe on aluminum. Several popular peroxide and citrus janitorial cleaners in exactly that category will strip anodized color. Judge a cleaner by its pH and ingredients, not by its marketing.
Other surfaces
- Wood doors (factory finish)
- Dust with a dry or barely damp cloth and use a silicone-free furniture polish. No solvents, ammonia, abrasives or steel wool. Do not let water stand on the wood or soak into the edges.
- Glass
- Clean water and a mild, non-abrasive glass cleaner with a soft cloth or squeegee. Never use blades, scrapers or abrasive pads on coated, low-E, tinted or fire-rated glass. Avoid ammonia on coated glass. Remove labels and construction debris promptly.
- Hardware
- Soft, damp cloth and mild soap only; dry it to avoid spotting. No abrasives or ammonia. Report loose fasteners or a door that will not close and latch. Never disable, wedge or block a self-closing fire door.
Before you switch cleaners
- Check the label or safety data sheet for pH, hydrogen peroxide, citrus or orange oil, ammonia and solvents.
- Ask us in writing before using it anywhere, even on a test spot. We will tell you within a business day whether it is safe.
- Once we confirm it, try it first in an inconspicuous spot and let it dry fully.
Questions? Ask before you clean
Avalon International Aluminum, LLC · (503) 885-9494 · [email protected]
21451 SW 108th Avenue, Tualatin, OR 97062