For most cleanup I use those blue shop towels and Mothers or some other aluminum polish. Microfiber towels work well too but they seem to not hold the compund the way the blue shop towels do thus making the towel more able to polish longer.
I have also found that the finish last a lot longer if it is mirror polished to start with.
I have a lot of aluminum and some of it just gets the scotchbrite treatment for the finish and the cleaning, it is near impossible to keep it looking perfect and if you can't live with it you should paint it!
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May the Horsepower Be With You !!!!