This is a warning to those of us who've purchased Eastwood's spray can version of Rust Encapsulator. I've lost two cans from letting them sit for awhile. After spraying I religiously invert the can and wait for a clear mist which I believe means the nozzle is cleared of material. I follow by wiping the nozzle of any residue. This has worked for many cans of Rustoleum paint, but I'm now of the opinion that once one opens the Rust Encapsulator, you'd better be sure you have a need for the whole can as it appears that it does not take well to storage after initial use.

After spending over 30 minutes cleaning and cajoling a can of Rust Encapsulator and getting nowhere, it finally sprung a leak at the opening and out came a black mess on my floor and over both hands while I wisked the bubbling can of liquid out the door and across my new concrete pad into a cardboard box. I spent the next 10 minutes trying to scrub the black off my fingers and fingernails. My skin is dried out and stained.

For comparison, I took out a used can of Rustoleum underbody spray that was on the shelf for the same amount of time and used similar to the Rust Encapsulator. After the required vigorous shaking it performed as it should.

Am I missing something. Am I to be resigned to use the whole can at one sitting? Just thought I'd share my experience. I'll likely switch to the Rustoleum product which is less expensive too.

 

The hype of those products amazes me.

They don't convert rust. They don't neutralize rust. They do not penetrate deeply. They do not stop rust that’s still active underneath. They simply stick to rusty surfaces better than normal primer, slow oxygen/moisture access and provide a temporary barrier. That’s it. If the rust underneath is still active (and it usually is), the coating eventually lifts.

Eastwood is especially susceptible to cans clogging. The material hardens internally because the solids content is high, the resin skims over quickly and it's not stable once partially used.

It's just not a structural solution at all. In reality it’s just a rust‑tolerant primer. It doesn’t stop active corrosion. It works only on well‑prepped light rust and is far less durable than blasting + epoxy.

Look at how many high-end body shops use it.