Prep-All ULTRA Universal Surface Cleaner, Low VOC, Automotive Multi-Surface Cleaner, Wax & Grease Remover, Paint Prep, Non-Flammable, 1 Gallon

Great product, great price and my mechanic loves how easy it is to use, its effectiveness, durability and cleaning power. I will purchase this again

Great for cleaning before paint

Removed old wax and was able to clean vehicle where someone had waxed over dirt. Very pleased with performance.

I have only used this cleaning product to clean my dust wheels. They did do a decent job but didn't quite get all of the brake dust that has accumulated on the wheels(needed to put more elbow grease than I'd like to remove it all). Doesn't smell extremely strong of chemicals either so that is a plus. I do believe this is a little overly priced compared to some other stuff. I have not used this on my cars paint as I am a little skeptical about how it would react on a painted surface. If you can find this on a deal then I would say it is good enough to buy.

worked well cleaning for paint prep

Works great

Let’s look at this Klean-Strip Prep-All ULTRA Universal Surface Cleaner. I hoped for a cleaner that could handle various tough cleaning jobs without excessive effort or unpleasant fumes. I liked the product’s low-VOC, non-flammable formula for being safe, compliant, and versatile enough for home and automotive tasks. The promise of superior cleaning power, residue-free drying, and a low-odor experience made it seem like the perfect fit for my needs. Let’s now look at my experience and result using this cleaner. The first thing I noticed was the cleaner's well-designed balance of effectiveness and user-friendliness. I used it primarily to prepare my car for a ceramic coating and later for degreasing the garage floor. For the car, transferring the solution into a spray bottle made application manageable, avoiding the bulky gallon jug. A couple of sprays on a microfiber towel followed by a wipe-down removed layers of wax, grease, and smudges effortlessly. The surface was left pristine, giving me confidence that the ceramic coating would adhere perfectly. On the garage floor, this cleaner tackled years of grime and grease with impressive results. I let the solution sit for a few minutes before wiping it off, and the difference was clear—the floor was nearly spotless, with no sticky residue. Its low odor was a welcome feature, making extended cleaning sessions tolerable without a lingering chemical smell. However, while the product performs exceptionally well, it isn't without some drawbacks. The gallon container can be cumbersome to handle, especially for smaller or precision tasks. Decanting into a sprayer is necessary but adds an extra step. Additionally, while the product works quickly, gloves are a must as the formula can be a bit harsh on bare skin. The warning about potential chemical exposure is something to consider seriously, especially for frequent users. Bottom line: The Klean-Strip Prep-All ULTRA Universal Surface Cleaner delivers impressive cleaning power with a low-VOC, non-flammable formula that’s safe for home and automotive use. It effectively removes wax, grease, and grime, leaving surfaces residue-free and ready for further treatments like ceramic coatings. The low odor makes it user-friendly for extended cleaning sessions. However, the gallon jug is cumbersome for precise tasks, requiring decanting into a spray bottle, and the formula can be harsh on bare skin, so gloves are essential. But overall, results are excellent, so I don’t hesitate to give it 5 stars. Highly recommended! Pros: 1. Cleans wax, grease, and grime effectively. 2. Low-VOC and non-flammable. 3. Leaves surfaces residue-free. 4. Low odor for longer use. 5. Works on cars and garage floors. Cons: 1. Gallon jug is bulky. 2. Requires decanting for easy application. 3. Can irritate skin, gloves needed.

Tl;dr: not my first choice of all-purpose, "universal" cleaner, but would be my first choice in specific use cases, e.g. paint prep and easily-rusted bare steel. Pros: * Makes gunk wipe away on contact * Also removes rust * Water-free so shouldn't cause more rust * Requires much less than runny liquids * No soaking needed * Gel consistency stays on things * Very little smell, not obnoxious * Residue evaporates away reasonably fast, no greasy mess * Didn't irritate skin or nose or make me woozy * Reusable if well-sealed * Clean up with soap and water Cons: * Not water-soluble → cleaned items can't be rinsed off without soap * Jug is super messy and wasteful to pour from * Not safe for prolonged skin contact * Presumably not safe for food-contact surfaces, especially if it gets hot, so not a kitchen cleaner * Can't freeze, so tricky to store in unheated shop in winter * Pricey vs other cleaners (but see point above about requiring much less) Details if you're interested: I first tested this with a very gunky bike part. I don't even know what kind of gunk - dirt, grease, etc. One bath in this stuff and everything did wipe off with paper towels - but good lord, it took SO MANY paper towels and forever. Next time, for intricate, outdoor-rated parts like these, after treating with this stuff, I'll just wash with soap and water and use a straw brush to get at the nooks and crannies. It immediately formed a gel when it hit the items, which was nice because it stayed on and coated the item evenly with just a minimal amount, whereas with TSP or acetone, I'd've had to use a ton to submerge the parts. It felt oily when wet, but dried quickly once I wiped most of it off. The smell is very light - kinda earthy. Another big plus vs mineral spirits and acetone. To my surprise, it removes rust! That's not an advertised use, but I happened to have a VERY rusty neglected hand plane to restore, so I threw the blade into the leftover cleaner just for the heck of it, figuring it couldn’t get any worse. It immediately shed a ton of rust. I scrubbed it with stainless steel wool while the cleaner was wet, then wiped with cloth rags (much nicer than paper towels that rip). It got pretty much all the rust off. I'm not sure Evaporust could have done better. And since there's no water in it, if a part can't be rinsed or wiped thoroughly, it shouldn't cause more rust. Big win! The jug is incredibly messy and annoying to pour from. No matter what angle I tilted it at, it dribbled a TON down the side. Thankfully it evaporated and left my workbench and floor clean, so it kinda took care of itself. I must have wasted as much cleaner as I used though. A spray bottle is a must with this, and would have made it even more cost-effective - coating the items with exactly one thin coat as necessary. Another way to make it cost-effective, which I plan to do, is to reuse it - keep a portion in a well-sealed container and dunk things in it as needed, which is how people use Evaporust. The solvent seems to evaporate slowly enough to make it feasible. I foolishly didn't put on gloves while working with this, so I must have received what the jug referred to as "prolonged skin contact" and any kids I'd have would now have 13 toes. But interestingly, my skin wasn't irritated, nor did my nose or my brain. Compare that to ammonia, which irritates my skin in much less time, Krud Kutter, which makes me sneeze, and mineral spirits/paint thinner, which make me woozy and smell like they're actively rewriting my DNA. Yet the first 2 are considered safe enough to use in the kitchen. Go figure. After use, I found when washing my hands that there was, in fact, quite a lot of oily residue on them, which was somehow not perceptible nor smudgy. I'm a bit confused that a *degreaser* is itself greasy, plus I've never seen a cleaner that can't itself be rinsed with just water. Maybe I just had way too much of it on my hands and it'd've all evaporated cleanly (or absorb into my bloodstream) if I'd just waited long enough. Anyway, moral of story: wear gloves! Speaking of safety, I saw another reviewer use it on their oven. You do you, but personally I wouldn't use a product meant for cars, with a warning against skin contact and applying it to hot surfaces, on a surface that a) gets hot and b) is meant for food contact. There's a warning that it can't be frozen, which poses an annoying problem: what do those of us with a subzero winter and an average-Jane unheated garage do with this ginormous jug? Guess I'll stash mine in the laundry room until spring. At least it's the most space-efficient shape for a jug, whereas a round jug would have wasted WAY more space on the shelf. I understand that this size jug is probably meant for professional mechanics/body shops where there's already a storage solution for unfreezable liquids, so I won't ding them for it. I think my takeaway is, for things that can be washed, use a cheaper, washable cleaner like Krud Kutter or LA's Awesome, but for things that can't, due to their size/weight/location/material, this is ideal. It's a useful addition to my garage…I mean laundry room.