What is STP? STP is an additive you put in the motor oil of your car to thicken it, which quiets down a worn out engine. TSP stands for Trisodium Phosphate Crystals which is an all purpose cleaner. It is inexpensive and works good for a lot of jobs, and from cost viewpoint, you are not paying for a bunch of advertising on the product like name brands you pull off the shelf at Walley World (Wal-Mart).