If you have access to a sand blast cabinet, a quick once over will give the aluminum a nice profile for the primer/paint to grab hold of.
The blast cabinet I have access to at work is a pretty powerful one, so I take care not to linger in any one spot.The heat generated could warp the blades and/or thin them out along the edges.
Once blasted, I coat with epoxy primer and a urethane top coat. you are unlikely to have these coatings on hand so just use an etching primer with a rattle can for finish, then touch it up whenever it looks in need.