Now that spring is here, it’s time to pull your airplane out of the hangar and get it ready for the upcoming flying season. And the place to start is with an in-depth cleaning of both the interior and exterior of the aircraft. Detailing helps protect your plane from the damage, while improving its overall look and functionality. If you’re in the mood to tackle the project yourself, here are some common aircraft detailing supplies and popular products that will help the process go smoothly. Looking for more great information about aircraft detailing? Head over to our Aircraft Detailing Guide!
Leather Cleaner & Protectant
The interior is just as important as the exterior, and cleaning your leather will help keep your seats in good condition. You’ll avoid any cracking or fading from sitting in the sun, while keeping seats more comfortable, overall. Add some protectant after regular cleanings to ensure spills and stains don’t ruin upholstery.
Common Leather Cleaning Products
Below are some popular aircraft leather cleaning products:
Carpet Cleaner
Airplane carpets can stain easily over time, as pilots and passengers track in dirt, rain, oil from the hangar and a million other things. Invest in some good carpet cleaner—and maybe even a steam cleaning device, like this handheld device from Vapamore—and give your carpets a good scrub every now and then. Not only will it look better, you’ll fight bad odors and bacteria.
Common Carpet Cleaner
Below are some popular aircraft carpet cleaning products:
Aircraft Degreaser
Moving on to the exterior, start by getting yourself some strong aircraft degreaser. This product goes on the aircraft first, and will help to remove the grease, oil, atmospheric dust, bugs, petroleum mist and pretty much everything else that accumulates on the plane’s exterior. For those that like a shiny paint job, regularly cleaning the aircraft with degreaser will ensure that the exterior stays clean and better protected from the elements.
Common Degreasing Products
Below are some popular aircraft degreasing products:
Aluminum Polish
If your plane has any exposed aluminum, such as on the propeller, wings, body or wheels, it’s a good idea to spend some time polishing it up. Especially because aluminum is prone to corrosion, which can cause troublesome maintenance issues. Aluminum polish also removes and prevents pitting, as well as removes accumulated surface dirt and stains from anodized material.
Common Aluminum Polish Products
Below are some popular aircraft aluminum polish products:
Metal/Fiberglass Polish
For the other exterior surfaces of your plane, look to a metal or fiberglass polish to make the plane’s body shine. Remember to always wear protective wear when working with metal cleaning products, like gloves, eye goggles and a facemask.
Common Metal Polish Products
Below are some popular metal/fiberglass polish products:
- Arrow Magnolia Flash Metal Polish / Plastic Cleaner (1 lb)
- Rolite Metal & Fiberglass Polish (1 lb / 2 lb)
Ceramic Protective Coating
As paint ages, it becomes more porous, trapping grime, oil, dust and other things. This causes colors and reflectivity to fade over time. If your plane is looking bad, you’ll have to take it to a body shop in order to have a thin layer of paint shaved off. The ceramic coating is then applied as a permanent barrier against the elements. Usually, it’s a multi-layerable, clear, liquid coating that when cured transforms itself on the surface to a durable shield.
For example, at Inflight, our aircraft maintenance shop can transform your plane’s exterior with our Ceramic Pro products and services. These coatings are a fantastic option for preventing corrosion, sun fading, ice and more – while greatly improving the plane’s overall look and reflectivity. The Ceramic Pro helps seal off any pourosuness in the paint, while multi-layered coats harden into a protective external surface.
Premier Aircraft Detailing Services in the Twin Cities
We offer full-service, concierge-style aircraft maintenance services through our partner, Inflight Aircraft Maintenance. We’re located at Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM), conveniently located right outside of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Get in touch with us to find out more about our detailing packages that will get your aircraft ready for spring and protect it from future damage. Contact us today or call (952) 698-3000 to speak with one of our service professionals.
