A method for erasing the surface of a rewritable printing form within a printing press in which the form cylinder carrying the printing form rotates during the erasing process, wherein the erasure is performed over the course of two main erasing steps. That is, a first main erasing step is performed during the run-down of the form cylinder upon completion of a printing order, whereupon the second main erasing step performed, for which purpose the form cylinder is again driven after it has run down.