Product Review: CarPro Eraser Intensive Oil and Polish Cleaner
by Ian MartinezCarPro Eraser is a product that I was very skeptical about when I first heard of it. I said to myself, “why would I pay extra for something that Isopropyl Alcohol can do at a very low price point?” Simply put, it is absolutely worth it!
Eraser is a product deigned to remove oils after polishing to give a completely bare surface for sealants, waxes and coatings to adhere to. A diluted solution of IPA, not the beer, will do this as well. HOWEVER, Eraser does it faster, easier, safer and with a much better scent.
The biggest issue with IPA is that it begins to evaporate very quickly, meaning you can only do small sections at a time before it begins to dry, whereas Eraser has a much longer working time. Eraser also breaks down the polishing oils much faster, meaning it is much easier to wipe the oils away, less effort means less chance of marring the finish you just spent hours correcting. IPA is also not the safest product for trim, although not terrible the over spray from wiping the panel down is not ideal.
Lastly is the scent, you may think this is a trivial quality of this product but that is absolutely not true. IPA does not smell good. It smells like a hospital and reminds people of getting shots from that mean nurse when you were little. She smiled when she gave you a shot like she enjoyed children’s pain…Okay you get the point. Eraser on the other hand smells quite pleasant. Multiple times I have finished polishing and had clients come look at the vehicle and the nice smell made the experience just that much sweeter.
Overall, CarPro Eraser is absolutely worth replacing Isopropyl Alchohol in your arsenal to remove polishing oils. Pictures of using this product do not really show much, so please enjoy this video of prepping a wheel with Eraser prior to coating.
Ian,
Nice article. I do have a question though on when to use the Eraser. I heard someone say before they used the Eraser after every process. After compounding, polishing, glaze. Isn’t that overkill? I was under the impression that you would use Eraser just after the polishing phase. I could be wrong though. Can you point me in the right direction?
Thanks Buddy,
Kevin Hannum
It removes all of the oils left over from polishing/compounding. You can use it after each stage to check your work to make sure it is bare paint you are assessing. A glaze is just a filler product so you would be removing that if used after. Think of it as an inspection helper to use after your polishing steps to ensure you are getting the results you want. Hope that helps!
Yes. Your reply did help. Thank you for your help.
Great write up on a really fine product and I believe a very important step. Sure IPA can be used just like the cheapest wax at wally world can be used.I was brought up to believe you never get a second chance to make a first impression.Eraser really does make a huge difference . That being said this product works much like what a clay bar does .It is a step in preparing the paint to be waxed or sealed properly.I also on occasion use Menzerna Top Inspection but because of volume choose to use CarPro Eraser.I have never used IPA and would NEVER reccomend using it .
A large part of the make up of Eraser is in fact IPA… however Eraser adds some other important ingredients that make it a bit easier and safer to use. There is certainly nothing wrong with using diluted IPA, but I will agree with Ian, and Eraser is my product of choice. When paired with a very high quality microfiber towel, it makes for an effortless prep prior to applying a paint coating (or other LSP of your choice)
Can you please suggest a “very high quality microfiber towel”. There are many out there and weekend warriors appreciate the suggestions of the pros. Thanks.
Eraser is also great for cleaning windows. If I have a window that is giving me issues with my normal window cleaner I use Eraser and the problem is solved.
sir your advise would be greatly appreciated. upon cleaning some very old wheels from a 1999 cougar, the wheels appear to chem. stained from a generic product off shelf. what would u do thank u
It is hard to say without seeing them. If they are painted you can try and polish them the same way you would paint. If you would like, email me some images and I can try to better assist you.
Is Eraser safe to use before all coatings? Or is it better to use the product the coating manufacturer recommends? For example, “Panel Wipe” before Crystal Serum?
It is fine for all coatings. It is just removing oils from the paint, so it has no interaction with the coating, regardless of brand.
Both this and Gyeon Prep are just IPA with a small amount of a surfactant (soap) in them. Check the MSDS.