Aluminum cleaning and brightening composition and method of manufacture thereof

A process for preparing an acidic solution for use as an aluminum cleaning and brightening composition having a pH of less than about 1.0 while being non-reactive with human skin tissue, comprising admixing approximately 1-15 weight percent hydrofluoric acid with approximately 1-5 weight percent sulfuric acid and 1-5 weight percent of a phosphoric acid, and further admixing this acid solution with about 83-97 weight percent of an aqueous acid-based composition, said aqueous acid-based composition being prepared by the steps of:

• admixing from about 5-20 weight percent hydrochloric acid with about 5-20 weight percent phosphoric acid to produce an acidic mixture;
• and
• admixing said acidic mixture with an effective amount of water to produce an aqueous acid-based composition having approximately 47-87 weight percent water.

An acidic aluminum cleaning and brightening composition comprising approximately 1-15 weight percent of an aqueous solution containing from about 1-15 weight percent hydrofluoric acid, approximately 1-5 weight percent sulfuric acid, approximately 1-5 weight percent phosphoric acid, and approximately 83-97 weight percent of an aqueous hydrochloric acid-based composition having a pH of approximately less than 1.0 and prepared by the steps of:

• admixing from about 5-20 weight percent hydrochloric acid with about 5-20 weight percent phosphoric acid to produce an acidic mixture;
• and
• admixing said acidic mixture with an effective amount of water to produce an aqueous acid-based composition having approximately 47-87 weight percent water.