# cleaning alum heads
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [February 2, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368 "2009-02-02T21:52:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@NYstanger](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/NYstanger)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/1 "2009-02-02T21:52:21Z")
I got some alum heads that oven cleaner was used on to try to clean up. Now that area is darker in color. Any way to clean that up to make them all purdy again?
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### Author:  [@FASTMOFO](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/FASTMOFO)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/2 "2009-02-02T21:53:34Z")
Spray em down with the hose
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### Author:  [@Karter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Karter)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/3 "2009-02-02T22:01:11Z")
take them to a machine shop, they will clean and check them for you for a price.
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### Author:  [@Freek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Freek)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/4 "2009-02-02T22:14:28Z")
You have several options.
Tell us a little more about your situation. Are they off the car? Are you looking to go cheap or done right? How well do you want them done?
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### Author:  [@NYstanger](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/NYstanger)
#### Post date: [February 2, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/5 "2009-02-02T22:22:49Z")
They are not installed. I’m just looking to cheaply pretty them up to throw them on ebay.
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### Author:  [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2009, 10:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/6 "2009-02-03T10:33:32Z")
I have cleaned at least 3 neon heads with lemon-scented oven cleaner in my shower. Just don’t let it sit on there for more than a few minutes, as it is corrosive. It REALLY cleans them up nice. I never had any problems from it either, and still made 400+ whp on a head made for a car that makes 110 crank stock, so it is definitely a cheap alternative to taking it to a machine shop.
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### Author:  [@tpgsr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tpgsr)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2009, 10:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/7 "2009-02-03T10:35:38Z")
The dark is because it was let to sit and corrode away. Honestly I am not sure on how to fix that aside from blasting it (if it is cast alum) or taking a heavy polish to it if it is aluminum tube.
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### Author:  [@civicjim](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/civicjim)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2009, 11:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/8 "2009-02-03T11:03:19Z")
Put them in the dish washer.
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### Author:  [@suzukiriderman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/suzukiriderman)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/9 "2009-02-03T15:28:18Z")
blast them with glass bead.
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### Author:  [@Firehawk853](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Firehawk853)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/10 "2009-02-03T17:31:23Z")
Glass bead or soda
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### Author:  [@NYstanger](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/NYstanger)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/11 "2009-02-03T20:57:19Z")
> [@neonglh](#):
>
> I have cleaned at least 3 neon heads with lemon-scented oven cleaner in my shower. Just don’t let it sit on there for more than a few minutes, as it is corrosive. It REALLY cleans them up nice. I never had any problems from it either, and still made 400+ whp on a head made for a car that makes 110 crank stock, so it is definitely a cheap alternative to taking it to a machine shop.
Lol, now you just use the shower area to clean it or you actually showered with the part? Cuz I’d like to think I’m not the only one who has gone with the 2nd method. :roflpicard:
As for soda blasting or bead blasting, would the heads need to be dissassembled and then throughly cleaned after?
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### Author:  [@Firehawk853](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Firehawk853)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/12 "2009-02-03T21:08:57Z")
Soda can wash away with water, but I don’t know if I would do an assembled head. Glass bead would require a complete tear down and cleaning after to remove the stray glass. That is the beauty of sodium bicarbonate
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### Author:  [@turbo\_ls1\_ss](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbo_ls1_ss)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/13 "2009-02-04T04:59:22Z")
are there seals and valves in the head?
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### Author:  [@Inn-Tune](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Inn-Tune)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2009, 6:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cleaning-alum-heads/62368/14 "2009-02-04T06:57:34Z")
Glass bead an aluminum head that’s assembled??? Have you seen what a glass bead does if it gets in the combustion chamber? I have and it’s not pretty.
We teardown and have them soda blasted so you know it will all come out and you never have to worry about a stray glass bead coming out of the head once it’s in a car and gets heat cycled.