by Brian Simkins
Part 1 - Part 2
Cleaning up well is a crucial part of your paint job. Not only does your clean up in the general work area improve the quality and appearance of your finished product, the proper clean up of your tools will save you some money. Cleaning rollers, brushes, pans, and other tools means that you can store them and not have to buy them all over again when the time comes for your next project. Perhaps the biggest and most costly mistake people make however, is failing to clean out a sprayer properly.
Whether you have taken the plunge and spent the money for your own paint sprayer, or if you merely decided to rent one so that you can knock out your big project in a hurry, you must clean it out promptly and thoroughly. If you don’t clean out your own sprayer then the paint will harden inside. This may not ruin the sprayer, but you will have to cough up a pretty penny to pay a technician to clean it out well. Additionally, you will have to buy a new hose, fittings, and possibly a spray gun. Overall, it’s a pretty costly proposition for a problem that could be avoided just by cleaning the machine as soon as you are done using it.
If you have rented a machine, then they probably gave you instructions for cleaning it out as well. Most rental companies will clean the machine out for you if you bring it back dirty, but it won’t be free. Expect to pay anywhere from a $50 to $100 penalty for bringing the machine back dirty. Again, this unnecessary expense can be avoided.
So, how do you clean those sprayers anyway? If you’ve been using latex paint, then it’s pretty simple. Just fill a five-gallon bucket with clean water and run the sprayer until the water comes out clear. Make sure any over spray that may have started to dry on the machine is peeled away, especially near moving parts.
If you have used an oil-based paint, then you will need to use the same process, but instead of water, use mineral spirits or paint thinner. It is not typically necessary to use a full bucket, but just enough to make sure that the system is primed with thinner. This will keep any paint from drying inside the system. Should you want to use a different color or type of paint the next time, then you’ll need to make sure that you blow all of the thinner and oil residue out of the sprayer and hose. This can be done by pumping some fresh mineral spirits or paint thinner through the pump.
If you have a spray gun that was not cleaned well and seems to be clogged, then don’t run out to buy a new one. There are ways to salvage them. If the gun was allowed to dry with oil-based paint in it, then you will need to use lacquer thinner to clean it. Be very careful as you use this, as it is fairly caustic and will burn you if you don’t get it washed off quickly. Take apart the gun and lay out all of the pieces. If you are unable to remove some parts because of dried paint, then use a small amount of lacquer thinner to soften it. You will need to take the entire gun apart to make sure that all of the paint is removed. The lacquer thinner will soften the paint so that you can scrape it out of the fine grooves of the gun with a toothpick. If the gun has dried with latex paint, then follow the same procedure, but you may need to use a special chemical. Ideally, water will soften the latex enough to allow you to clean the gun well, but if it has been sitting around for a long time, then water may not be enough. Check with your local specialty paint retailer to see what specific products they carry for softening latex paint.
Disposing of Cleaner:
If you are going to be using lacquer thinner, it is important to note that it is illegal to dispose of it on the ground or down a drain. Your best bet is to keep used thinner in a well-marked plastic container until it’s full. Once it’s full, you can take it to recycling or disposal facility where it will be dealt with properly and in an environmentally friendly way. This is very important, as the thinner will not break down organically. The poison will continue to find its way through the environment, eventually ending up in the water supply.
Once you are done working with the lacquer thinner, make sure that you wash very well with soap and warm water. You need to wash until you feel that there is no more oil residue on your hands. You may not feel that the thinner is burning your hands, as the skin on your hands is probably pretty tough. However, as you touch other places on your body where the skin is more sensitive, the oils left on your hands can be transferred, and these other areas will burn. Take the time to wash well; you will be glad that you did.
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