Lesson Learned

Instuctions and Methods of Can Cleaning

Moderators: Forum Moderator, Current Officers, Previous Officers

MI-Cans
Rust Governor
Rust Governor
Posts: 2647
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:19 am
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1128
Has thanked: 4710 times
Been thanked: 1622 times
Status: Offline
United States of America

Lesson Learned

#1

Post by MI-Cans »

To make a long story short, I built a light box to take new pictures of my collection in order to catalog them using Randy’s CanDB software. I found my pictures to be showing all the flaws and scratches. Having used Meguiars Scratch-X on my vehicles with good results, I’ve been using it to clean the cans. Because I’m doing a flat (24 cans) at a time, I do all the cans with the Meguiars at one time and the wipe them off. Never had a problem...until now.

By choice, I don’t collect microbrews. But, being the Pollack that I am, I felt the need to have Brewski cans in my collection, a regular Brewski and a Brewski Light. When I got to these cans to wipe off the Meguiars, I saw color on the cloth. Apparently, the coloring on these new cans isn’t the same quality as the older stuff. I’ve used the Meguiars on flats, steel, straight and crimped, aluminum of all makes and never experienced this. You can be sure I’ll be more careful with my cleaning from now on. Just something to watch out for! Click to enlarge.
P1030401.JPG
P1030404.JPG
Edski


User avatar
Sweeperman
Rust Governor
Rust Governor
Posts: 2203
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:57 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 918
BCCA Number: 12507
eBay name: sweeperman10
Year Started Collecting: 1974
Location: kentucky
Been thanked: 4 times
Zodiac:
Contact:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#2

Post by Sweeperman »

I'm surprised Budweiser hasn't sued them over that label. First thought I had was an AB product.
sweeperman /// Collector of Kentucky cans....
User avatar
Canadacan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Posts: 3284
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 4:59 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1078
Year Started Collecting: 1987
Has thanked: 117 times
Been thanked: 60 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
Canada

Re: Lesson Learned

#3

Post by Canadacan »

Not surprising on aluminum, I've had the compound start to strip the blue off one glued seam steel. Try just the wax on some throw away cans...never use the cleaner wax or compound on aluminum!...and exercise extreme caution with the compound even on steel. Some cans have no clear coat so you'll strip the paint right off!
Even the Tech Wax has some cleaning compounds in it....in the order shown......strong, stronger, strongest.
Cleaner wax.jpg
Last edited by Canadacan on Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
User avatar
Daev Larrazolo
Supreme Rusty Being
Supreme Rusty Being
Posts: 11815
Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:37 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 804
BCCA Number: 31724
eBay name: HEYBLAMEITONRIO
Year Started Collecting: 1977
Location: West Columbia SC
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 2 times
Zodiac:
Contact:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#4

Post by Daev Larrazolo »

I heard it takes the red paint off someone said on one of the waxing threads.
WANT ANY MONTANA BREWERIANA
User avatar
Canadacan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Posts: 3284
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 4:59 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1078
Year Started Collecting: 1987
Has thanked: 117 times
Been thanked: 60 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
Canada

Re: Lesson Learned

#5

Post by Canadacan »

Yea here is a sample so people can see what is does. This is on an aluminum Bud. I started with the Ultimate Compound took about 2 minutes of continuous rubbing in a concentrated spot....and it took the most off. Then I did the Cleaner wax, it took about 2.5- 3 minutes of continuous concentrated rubbing and it took a little less off. And surprisingly :shock: the NXT wax took the least off but did it in about a 1.5 minutes!
I'm still not too afraid to do my aluminum's with the NXT wax..I've done 10's of dozens of them with no problems, same goes for steel. most of them were metallic finish, that Bud is more of a semi-gloss finish. Just use sparingly (NXT wax ) and don't polish in one spot continuiosly...I more or lees just spread it around, let it thoroughly dry then buff with a soft cotton rag.
Another note I missed the part some how were MI-Cans said he used Meguiars Scratch-X that stuff has mega cutting power! Remember your car has a clear coat finish and these cans do not. I just did a quick sample on a metallic Coke :smt017 results are similar :shock:
test wax.jpg
test wax1.jpg
Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
MI-Cans
Rust Governor
Rust Governor
Posts: 2647
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:19 am
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1128
Has thanked: 4710 times
Been thanked: 1622 times
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#6

Post by MI-Cans »

Ivan,
First item you mentioned, some cans don't have clear-coat. As I look at the two micros that I damaged, there's obviously no clear coat on them. Their shine doesn't match the shine on a lot of other cans I've looked over. Something I never considered. Second item, using the Scratch-X. While wearing disposable gloves, I only use a small dab on each can that I spread around with the gloves. Only use extra effort on visible spots. I think the problem becomes more evident because I go through 24 cans at a time. After I finish cleaning the 24th can, I return to the 1st can and start to wipe it off. Just too lazy to clean and wipe off one can at a time..got over a thousand cans to process!

Daev,
You mentioned the red color. Looking at my 2nd picture, the Brewski Light, it's apparent that the red color was attacked more than the others. Thanks for mentioning the cleaning/waxing thread. That's where I should have posted this item. I will ask Dan to move it there.

Edski
User avatar
Malt Lager
Rust Master General
Rust Master General
Posts: 540
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:52 am
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 0
BCCA Number: 29844
Year Started Collecting: 1973
Has thanked: 102 times
Been thanked: 10 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#7

Post by Malt Lager »

Mild dish soap and water for aluminum cans, Only! That's the best route to follow in my experience.
ML
User avatar
golf_lover44
Grand Marshall of Rust
Grand Marshall of Rust
Posts: 1800
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2013 7:57 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 0
BCCA Number: 34341
Year Started Collecting: 2013
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 482 times
Status: Offline

Re: Lesson Learned

#8

Post by golf_lover44 »

So what is a safe cleaner wax for aluminum and/or steel cans? I need to start protecting my investment.
golf_lover44
BCCA #34341
Collector of current micro and craft brewery cans from Chicago and the USA
User avatar
Malt Lager
Rust Master General
Rust Master General
Posts: 540
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:52 am
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 0
BCCA Number: 29844
Year Started Collecting: 1973
Has thanked: 102 times
Been thanked: 10 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#9

Post by Malt Lager »

Mr. Golf_lover44,
I would not wax any aluminum can. More often than not it will remove some of the paint and quite often, most of it.
Save the waxing for the steel cans.
User avatar
Canadacan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Posts: 3284
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 4:59 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1078
Year Started Collecting: 1987
Has thanked: 117 times
Been thanked: 60 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
Canada

Re: Lesson Learned

#10

Post by Canadacan »

golf_lover44 wrote:So what is a safe cleaner wax for aluminum and/or steel cans? I need to start protecting my investment.
Well maybe just soapy water is the safest :smt102 Have a look on this from earlier in the year. viewtopic.php?f=24&t=33570&p=297301&hil ... ns#p297301" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
User avatar
Flat_Top
Rust Governor
Rust Governor
Posts: 3661
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:15 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 721
BCCA Number: 15216
eBay name: beer-1
Year Started Collecting: 1976
Location: Sarasota FL
Has thanked: 155 times
Been thanked: 123 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#11

Post by Flat_Top »

I wouldn't wax aluminum cans. The paint just seems to thin to hold up to the waxing. Below is a post I put up in a previous thread.



Living in Florida a low humidity is 60%. I have used Meguiar's cleaner wax on my cans for 20+ years. Never had an issue with one of them developing any yellowing, humidity spots, or rust.


I started waxing my cans after noticing how nice and shinny and clean feeling the big dealers cans are. And what a difference it has made in their appearance. I also use Meguiar's Cleaner Wax in the maroon bottle. It really cleans them up and the wax is easy to apply and remove. You will not believe the dirt that you will get off a can that you thought was clean.

I don't wax any cans with rust, but do wax cans with minor humidity spotting and it seems to keep it in check.

Here is my process. Get a roll of very soft paper towels. Don't use the cheap stuff as it is very rough and may scratch the cans.

1) Remove any excess dirt or dust with a damp paper towel and wipe dry
2) Using a clean paper towel, fold it in half several times and apply a liberal amount of wax starting at the seam moving around the can. This will remove the dirt you can feel, but not see.
3) Using another clean paper towel apply a second coat of wax. You can do the seam and lids if you like. I always do the seams last because the bare metal sometimes turns the wax black.
4) Let the wax rest for about a minute then using another clean paper towel buff to a shine. I lay the can flat on a table and start at one seam and use fast strokes to buff the can out.
5) Next I buff the lids and seam.
6) Lastly I use a very soft bristle toothbrush to remove any extra wax around the rims on in the seam. You can use a wood toothpick to remove any tough white buildup from inside the seam or around the lids.

I've never had an issue with paint loss and am always happy with the nice clean and shinny can. Try is on some of those 1970s cans and see what a difference it makes.
Chuck
Michigan Cans wanted
Sell your Stuff, Keep the Dog, Live on an Island!
User avatar
Gunther
Rust Master
Rust Master
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 2:02 am
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1112
BCCA Number: 27964
eBay name: us-conetops
Year Started Collecting: 1975
Location: Maryland
Been thanked: 2 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#12

Post by Gunther »

Canadacan wrote:Not surprising on aluminum, I've had the compound start to strip the blue off one glued seam steel. Try just the wax on some throw away cans...never use the cleaner wax or compound on aluminum!...and exercise extreme caution with the compound even on steel. Some cans have no clear coat so you'll strip the paint right off!
Even the Tech Wax has some cleaning compounds in it....in the order shown......strong, stronger, strongest.
Cleaner wax.jpg
Years ago, I was using one of the typical petroleum based "Auto Polishes" to "step up the shine" on a newly acquired Grade A1+ Gretz Tooner Schooner beer can that I had just acquired that afternoon at one of the Jersey Shore Trade Shows.

I had used this same petroleum based Auto Polish hundreds of times before on other beer cans without issue, however in this particular case, complete disaster had struck.

Basically speaking, the clear coat on the Tooner Schooner can was very weak and the petroleum based Auto Polish removed almost 1/3rd of the cans printed label transferring the lithography inks from the beer can to my polishing rag.

In just a few moments, I had turned a Grade A1+ Tooner Schooner Beer Can to virtual garbage.

At least for myself, the lesson that I learned that afternoon was to never, ever again use any kind of Auto Polish or Auto Wax product that is blended with any kind of a petroleum base.

Petroleum based Auto Polishes and Waxes are fine for most modern type paint finishes, but these petroleum based auto polishes and wax products can be disastrous for items that are painted with lacquer based paint or items that are illustrated with lithography inks that have no modern clear coat type protection.

Since that fateful day in 1995, I have since used Zymol Wax Products to clean, protect and preserve my beer cans, trays and other lithographed tin signs as these wax products are blended with nothing other than pure yellow and white carnauba wax along with oil extracts.... and no petroleum based cleaning agents.
Pete Raimondi
Forest Hill, Maryland
BCCA: 27964
ECBA: 2140
Collector of Grade A1+ or Better Condition 12 Ounce U.S. Beer Cans: Flats, Cones, Crowntainers & Rare Zip/Tab Top Cans
Advanced Collector of Baltimore, Maryland Brewery Advertising & Breweriana - Preprohibition through 1959
Baltimore Breweries: National, Gunther, Free-State, American, Globe/Arrow, J.F. Wiessner's, Bauernschmidt Brewery, etc.
User avatar
Canadacan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Posts: 3284
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 4:59 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1078
Year Started Collecting: 1987
Has thanked: 117 times
Been thanked: 60 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
Canada

Re: Lesson Learned

#13

Post by Canadacan »

Thanks for that Gunther! :smt023 ....good to know about that wax, did you get it from an automotive shop? And gee that was a disaster! :smt010
Any glued seam steel can I approach with caution now days, I'm not sure if the paint coming off so easy has to do with the fact that they are tin free steel?, (which is why they are glued and not soldered) or that can may have been subjected to high humidity and a bit of sun fade weakening the paint to begin with.
Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
SoCal
Cone Top
Cone Top
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat May 12, 2012 7:05 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 0
Year Started Collecting: 1980
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 10 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#14

Post by SoCal »

Gunther, what type of Zymol do you use? What's the process that you follow? Do you apply wax only to 1+ cans? Thanks for the info!
kruegerbock
BCCA Committee Chair
BCCA Committee Chair
Posts: 1945
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:21 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 775
BCCA Number: 10480
eBay name: kruegerbock
Year Started Collecting: 1976
Location: Chatham, NJ
Has thanked: 107 times
Been thanked: 159 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#15

Post by kruegerbock »

Gunther - wow! I have never heard of that happening. I have used the Nu-finish for years. Nu-finish is petroleum based, and basically acts as a very weak solvent to remove dirt and discoloration around minor spotting. I suppose that it could also dissolve some paint. I've never even seen any pigment from a can transfer to the paper towel I have used, but I will certainly be careful in the future.
-Al Aprea
User avatar
Gunther
Rust Master
Rust Master
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 2:02 am
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1112
BCCA Number: 27964
eBay name: us-conetops
Year Started Collecting: 1975
Location: Maryland
Been thanked: 2 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: Lesson Learned

#16

Post by Gunther »

To those that have asked - virtually 100% of all Auto Polish products such as Nu-Finish and many commercially available Auto Wax products are petroleum based.

And as such these Auto Polish and Auto Wax products are blended with petroleum distillates or other solvents containing naphtha or acetone which is nothing more than diluted paint thinner.

These Auto Polish and Auto Wax products are fine when used on painted surfaces that have a modern acrylic or enamel clear coat protective finish, but these same products can be disastrous on lacquer finishes or other painted or lithographed items that lack a modern clear-coat protection layer. (reference my story above on the Gretz Tooner Schooner Beer Can).

For the last two decades, I've used Zymol Wax Products on my beer cans, trays and lithographed signs as these wax products do not contain any silicone or other petroleum distillates and are blended from pure carnauba wax and other organic vegetable/fruit oils such as coconut, banana etc.

Here's a link to the Zymol website: http://www.zymol.com/index.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I typically buy my Zymol Wax Products on eBay as these products are very difficult to find locally and are not often stocked in most Auto Part Stores given its cost.
Pete Raimondi
Forest Hill, Maryland
BCCA: 27964
ECBA: 2140
Collector of Grade A1+ or Better Condition 12 Ounce U.S. Beer Cans: Flats, Cones, Crowntainers & Rare Zip/Tab Top Cans
Advanced Collector of Baltimore, Maryland Brewery Advertising & Breweriana - Preprohibition through 1959
Baltimore Breweries: National, Gunther, Free-State, American, Globe/Arrow, J.F. Wiessner's, Bauernschmidt Brewery, etc.
User avatar
Canadacan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Posts: 3284
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 4:59 pm
Answers: 0
Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1078
Year Started Collecting: 1987
Has thanked: 117 times
Been thanked: 60 times
Zodiac:
Status: Offline
Canada

Re: Lesson Learned

#17

Post by Canadacan »

Thanks for the link! :smt023 ....gona hunt some down!
zymol.jpg
Ivan... RB #1078 Collector of soda cans & bottles from Canada. Looking for Canadian soada cans 12oz & 10oz From the 1950s right into the 80s.
Also Canadian Beers ,USA Orange Crush bottles And American Drewrys beer cans.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic

Return to “Beer Can Cleaning”