"Michael Coslo" wrote in message
...
Then I guess it's a race between rust and galvanic corrosion?

The aluminum will prevent the steel from rusting at the expense of its
own corrosion.

Use synthetic scrubbies (3M ScotchBrite) instead.

Bronze or stainless steel wool might be a good material to use.
Boaters use it on aluminum.

Because boaters do not understand corrosion and electrochemical
reactions, they often choose poor materials. Brass is more cathodic than
steel, the 400 grade ferritic and martensitic stainless steels are more
cathodic than brass, the 300 grade austenitic stainless steels are more
cathodic than the 400 grades, and precipitation hardenable stainless
steels like 17-4PH lie between 300 and 400 grade stainless in being
cathodic. The more anodic a material is, the faster it corrodes. The
more cathodic (or noble) a metal is, the slower it corrodes.

As I said earlier, I have several good, introductory articles on
corrosion and galvanic series that I can send upon request by email.

--
73, Dr. Barry L. Ornitz WA4VZQ