How to Clean a Spray Gun Properly

A spray gun is used for painting. After you use it to paint an area or object in your home, you need to clean it. Proper cleaning and maintenance are necessary to help ensure that your spray gun continues to work properly. If you fail to clean it soon after spraying, paint can become clogged inside, which will affect the next paint job you attempt with your spray gun. To clean the spray gun properly, you need to start the cleaning process immediately after using it.

• 1

  Disassemble your spray gun. Take off the cup, air cap, needle and fluid tip. Use a wrench to remove the fluid tip.

• 2

  Use a vinyl scrub brush to remove any dried paint from all of the parts. A smaller brush may be needed to reach small crevices.

• 3

  Rinse each part with paint thinner instead of water and wipe dry with a paper towel. This should remove the remainder of the paint so you can reassemble the paint gun.

• 4

  Remove the leftover paint from your paint job by unscrewing the paint reservoir and pouring out the content of the spray gun storage reservoir.

• 5

  Pour paint thinner directly into the reservoir to clean it. Screw it back onto your spray gun and shake. This will loosen up all the paint. Unscrew it again to pour out the paint thinner. Wipe it clean with a paper towel and put it back on the spray gun.

• 6

  Insert a brush dipped in paint thinner into the barrel of the spray gun. Twist it all around to clean out the barrel.