Improving IPA solution for LSP prep

[Calendyr]

Ok, so I was about to order some Eraser after reading about it several times on this forum... then I saw the price. Roughtly 10 times the price of my IPA solution ;(

So I thought : "Well, the advantage of Eraser is to provide lubricity while stripping"... so why not add lubrication to the IPA solution?

My first thought was to use a little bit of ONR but I know it will leave a polymer coating behind so that is not the best if you want to apply a coating or a sealant.

What do you guys think about adding soft soap? Could be a few drops of dishwashing liquid, or car shampoo... Something like that.

What do you guys think? If you were to do this, how much soap would you use? My first guess would be something like 127:1 so one ounce per gallon of solution. Think it's enough? Too much?

I would love to read what you think about this.

[wdmaccord]

I would think that would cause spotting/streaking?

[jamesboyy]

I personally would not add any soap to my IPA solution for the fact that it leaves a film behind and if I did use soap I would add a drop of baby soap

[Calendyr]

Hum... you are wiping it off right away, why would it leave streaks or spots?

Baby soap, noted. Can't wait to see what everyone else has to say ;)

I decided not to order Eraser with this order. It's my first order with E-Shine, I swore I would not order from any Canadian distibutors anymore but I decided to give them a chance. Just wished they had the one item I really needed in stock: A pad washer. Hopefully they will get it in stock before I decide to order from Autogeek directly. You guys should really open a Canadian store ;(

Ok back on subject. After 2 posts, a little bit of baby oïl to the solution...

[chet31]

I plan to experiment with adding ONR to an IPA solution. I saw a post where an Optimum employee indicated ONR could be used as a final wash before any Optimum LSP, including Opti-Coat, with no IPA wipedown needed.

Also, when you do an ONR wash, your diluting 1 oz in two gallons of water, most of which falls off the car. Then the rest is dried off. Whatever gloss enhancer is left behind is going to be minimal and will be overwhelmed by a pad full of LSP, not to mention the agitation.

So, I personally would not worry about ONR as a precursor to an LSP, unless the LSP is a permanent coating not made by Optimum, then I would probably follow the mfg instructions.

[FUNX650]

I suppose a person could try making up their own version of "Eraser" by closely mimicking its ingredients:
•IPA...<30&#37;
•DI Water...>60%
•Sodium Laureth Sulfate...1-3%
•Odor additive...1%

So I'll suggest:
•Use/Purchase IPA @ 90%
•Add some Dial or Ivory Liquid Hand Soap
•("Odor" will be provided by the Hand Soap)

Mixing Method: "Shaken, not stirred"


J.B. ("Bob") Bond

[Kitoy22]

I suppose a person could try making up their own version of "Eraser" by closely mimicking its ingredients:
•IPA...<30%
•DI Water...>60%
•Sodium Laureth Sulfate...1-3%
•Odor additive...1%

So I'll suggest:
•Use/Purchase IPA @ 90%
•Add some Dial or Ivory Liquid Hand Soap
•("Odor" will be provided by the Hand Soap)

Mixing Method: "Shaken, not stirred"


J.B. ("Bob") Bond

I'm Assuming sodium laureth sulfate will act as a lubricant, is this correct? I am currently using 15% IPA with wash dilution of ONR. Looks like a faded eraser, lol. Works fine, used it before applying PNS. But will definitely try this one, thanks Bob!

[Calendyr]

I suppose a person could try making up their own version of "Eraser" by closely mimicking its ingredients:
•IPA...<30%
•DI Water...>60%
•Sodium Laureth Sulfate...1-3%
•Odor additive...1%

So I'll suggest:
•Use/Purchase IPA @ 90%
•Add some Dial or Ivory Liquid Hand Soap
•("Odor" will be provided by the Hand Soap)

Mixing Method: "Shaken, not stirred"


J.B. ("Bob") Bond

So you would not go the baby shampoo way? I have seen a lot of your posts and you seems knowledgeable so I am inclined to take your advice on this.

What do you think about what Chet31 said regarding ONR?

I could not care less about odors LOL

And regarding the Shaken, not stirred quote, I have read experts saying that is the worst possible way to make a Martini ;) So be warned ;)

[Lowejackson]

I have used IPA with ONR without any problems and just as an aside it also works very well as a DIY glass cleaner. As said above, I would not try this mixture if using a coating but for any sealant which has solvents, these will remove any trace of ONR.

Sometime ago I tried removing various polishing oils with just ONR and this seem to work very well but my testing was done on glass and have yet to find a way to clearly determine if all polishing oils have been removed from paint

[Calendyr]

Ok I decided to mix a batch and I will try to use it tomorrow. If it doesn't work well I will go back to the drawing board LOL

So I used:

64 ounces of distilled water
32 ounces of IPA (70&#37; concentration)
1 ounce of baby shampoo
1 ounce of dawn dish soap
1 ounce of liquid hand soap

Could not decide what was best so I used all 3 LOL

So that comes to a little over 3% soap, 23% alcohol. A little weaker than Eraser but still much much stronger than what I used for an IPA solution (10% was my default).

Total cost for 98 ounces: 10$
So that's only 10 cents an ounce compared to 1.24$ for eraser (prices are in Canadian money and includes taxes). HUGE DIFFERENCE!

[Calendyr]

Oh and yes I use 70&#37; concentration instead of 91% because the 70% product sells for half the price of the 91% one around here.

[BobbyG]

Ok I decided to mix a batch and I will try to use it tomorrow. If it doesn't work well I will go back to the drawing board LOL

So I used:

64 ounces of distilled water
32 ounces of IPA (70% concentration)
1 ounce of baby shampoo
1 ounce of dawn dish soap
1 ounce of liquid hand soap

Could not decide what was best so I used all 3 LOL

So that comes to a little over 3% soap, 23% alcohol. A little weaker than Eraser but still much much stronger than what I used for an IPA solution (10% was my default).

Total cost for 98 ounces: 10$
So that's only 10 cents an ounce compared to 1.24$ for eraser (prices are in Canadian money and includes taxes). HUGE DIFFERENCE!

You actually used 3 ounces of soap in 96 ounces of fluid???? :eek:

The difference in cost is valid enough but will its performance equal CarPro's Eraser?

[Calendyr]

You actually used 3 ounces of soap in 96 ounces of fluid???? :eek:

The difference in cost is valid enough but will its performance equal CarPro's Eraser?

Ya, the list stated 1-3&#37; for the soap substance and 1% for fragrance substance, that's roughtly 4% or 4 ounces per 100 ounces. Since the soaps I used have frangrance in them, I calculated about 4% and used that. If I see it overlubricates I will simply cut it in half (or more) with distilled water and alcohol so that the percentage of soap go down. Won't know until I try it so I went with max percentage. The way I see it dawn must contain a lot of detergent and baby shampoo almost none. Hand soap probably doesn't have that much either, mostly product that creates suds.

As for performance, will see. I never used eraser but from the list of ingredients, it's not a complicated product... water, alcohol and soap. So how better can it be?

Would love to read Larry Kosilla's thoughts on this, too bad he doesn't write too often in here.

We usually assume that car products are super complicated and involve a lot of science. That is probably true for some of them, but in this case I don't think it is.

I use a lot of home made products for general cleaning around the house and many of those greatly outperform commercial products. Yet they are super simple to make (vinegar and dish soap are the base for most of them).

Tests will let me know how this mix works. If it's no good at all then all I have done is waste a little time and a few dollars ;)

[BobbyG]

Ya, the list stated 1-3% for the soap substance. If I see it overlubricates I will simply cut it in half (or more) with distilled water and alcohol so that the percentage of soap go down. Won't know until I try it so I went with max percentage.

As for performance, will see. I never used eraser but from the list of ingrédients, it's not a complicated product... water, alcohol and soap. So how better can it be?

Would love to read Larry Kosilla's thoughts on this, too bad he doesn't write too often in here.

Give it a shot and let us know how you make out man!! :props: :cheers:

[FUNX650]

The way I see it dawn must contain a lot of detergent and baby shampoo almost none. Hand soap probably doesn't have that much either, mostly product that creates suds.

I'm Assuming sodium laureth sulfate will act as a lubricant, is this correct?

Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), or ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) are: Surfactants, foaming and thickening agents, degreasers, oils/stain removers...that are used in many, many, many products for their cleansing and emulsifying properties. They behave similarly to soaps.


Bob