Maintenance of my polished engine bay eventually became a "been there and done it" thing, over and over. Aluminum is not forgiving. A braided cloth hose that touches the aluminum will leave a mark. Part of the wiring harness lying next to the aluminum will leave a blemish. Droplets of anti-freeze and
oil were a nuisance. Just cleaning off road dust and dirt could leave swirls and traces from the rag used during the cleaning.
I had the polished look for many years, but two years ago I re-did the surfaces with Scotchbrite and WD 40. The appearance now is different, definitely less "showy", but much easier to maintain.
David