BMW Pannier Cleaning "Help"

[gteps]

I'm the proud owner of a BMW F800GS which came with the Ali adventure panniers, my question is:
What do you use to clean these panniers other than washing with soap and water ?

Thanks in advance

gteps

 

[Bury_Dave]

I use Brasso on my topbox. Gives them a mirror finish. But don't wipe any stickers with that stuff as on some it removes the printing on them

Try a small area and see if you are happy with the results

 

[Gazzabart]

Belgom alum

 

[Dean]

Powder coating and stickers loads of stickers

 

[v8legend]

Ali adventure panniers, my question is:
What do you use to clean these panniers

Alloy wheel cleaner.

 

[Farmer Palmer]

I just spray mine with GT85 and wash them with wax wash in the summer......Wintertime it's ACF50.

When they get scuffed and scraped a bit from boots etc I just polish them with Solvol Autosol but to be honest they look better with a patina of general use rather than the pristine 'just out of the box' look!

Don't mind the odd scuff but i'm not keen on salt corrosion!

FP.

 

[gs_lad]

bmw suggests using autosol cream, which is why it is sold at the dealers... I bought this cream and then saw that its recommended only for steel surfaces, not aluminium...after taking it back to them, I bought the autosol anodised aluminum specific cream off ebay, but it was so gentle that it didnt polish the aluminium surface, it only removed a very little amount of smudges..
Truth is that anodising is a treatment which causes a small oxidation (rusting) on the surface of the aluminium to inhibit corrosion. If the external anodised surface is removed through polishing, then the surface becomes more prone to corrode, and therefore I would not suggest polishing it. The patina is both better looking and more protective to the case!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodizing

 

[gteps]

Thanks for all your help and advice gentlemen !