PSA: I primed bare steel with rattle can etch primer for 4 years, then a painter in Reno showed me a rag

Miles Scott · 2026-10-15T18:25:05.685292+00:00

I used to swear by that green etch primer in a can for every little scratch down to bare metal. Quick scuff, spray, walk away, done. Then this older painter named Ray at a job in Reno watched me do it on a quarter panel and just said "wipe it first, that oil from your fingers is still on there." I figured he was being picky. He grabbed a rag with wax and grease remover, wiped the same spot, and the rag came back gray. That was my fingerprint oil sitting right where I was about to spray. He told me etch primer over skin oil is basically paint over grease, and it lets go in 6 to 8 months, usually right after the customer pays. Pulled a fender I did two winters back and sure enough, the primer was lifting in a ring exactly where I had handled it. Now I keep a spray bottle of wax and grease remover on the cart and hit bare metal spots twice, once before sanding and once right before primer. Costs me maybe 30 seconds a panel. What are you all using to wipe down before you prime, or am I the only one who skipped that step for way too long?

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PSA: I primed bare steel with rattle can etch primer for 4 years, then a painter in Reno showed me a rag | Auto Body Repairers - Guest Forum