How to Clean a Spray Gun

Cleaning a spray gun is critical to maintain its performance and longevity. You should clean your gun after each paint job or change in color/ material, several times a week if your a regular user, and always before being put away for a period of time. Knowing how often to clean the gun is every bit as important as the mechanics of how you clean the gun.

The best cleaning method is to use a gun cleaning cabinet as it is fast and efficient eliminating operator time to clean the gun. However, cleaning cabinets are not cheap and so most of us will use there own hands to clean their gun. That is what I intend to talk about.

To clean a gun by hand you should first remove the fluid needle, then the air cap, and finally the fluid nozzle. The fluid nozzle is placed on the gun tight and should be removed using a fluid nozzle wrench. A fluid nozzle wrench differs from a regular wrench because it has a thinner fork on each side of the wrench allowing it to grip a fluid nozzle better. After you have completed these steps you then clean the gun using an appropriate cleaner.

To clean the gun the best way suitable it is important to use what is recommended by your paint supplier. You then use the cleaner preferably inside a small opening squeeze bottle and turn the gun upside down. Cleaner will pass through the area of the gun where the fluid line was attached. Next, you clean the body of the spray gun. Finally, you have to clean the spray guns air cap and fluid nozzle.  This can be achieved by letting the part soak and/or by using a small soft brush to clean inside the fluid passage.  By completing these tasks daily you can help extend the life of your gun as well as maintain quality of finish. To avoid the dirty place make sure you have cleaning services contacts to clean your place at least once a week.