How To Clean An Airless Paint Sprayer (Expert Care Guide)

Before you get started with your airless sprayer, make sure that you are staying safe and do not get harmed by the solvent or other chemicals that are used during this time.

Some of the precautions that you should take before you try to fully clean an airless sprayer include: 

It is now time to clean out the airless paint sprayer to flushing fluid.  Some of the steps that you need to use to help with this include: 

You will need to set up a few buckets to make sure they have the right solutions in place for flushing fluid.

You will need to pick a paint sprayer cleaner or a solvent for flushing fluid that works for the type of paint inside of your airless paint sprayers. 

Keep one bucket filled with water and soap, one with the chosen solvent, and one that is empty so that you can pour the dirty liquid cleaner into that later.  

You will need to place the suction spray hose of the airless sprayer into an empty bucket for flushing fluid. Aim it at the empty bucket.

Push the prime mode and the spray mode in order to get all of the remaining material out. 

Add more water or paint thinner or mineral spirits to the oil paint container for flushing fluid through too. Continue pushing it in and out until the liquid comes out clean.  

The filters are important to your work in this sprayer. There will be two to three filters on these airless paint sprayers. 

Unhook these from the air spray gun and add them into a bucket of soapy water or a solvent mixture or paint thinner or mineral spirits for flushing fluid. Never place the entire spray gun inside.  

Let the filters sit there for five to ten minutes. After that time, remove them from the solvent and scrub with a soft bristle brush to remove the paint.

You can add them back into the solvent for longer if the paint is really stuck in the spray gun filter.  

This is probably one of the most tedious parts of the process. You may want to use an old toothbrush, pipe cleaners, and a needle to get all the paint out.

Place into the solvent to make sure that it has a way to release the paint. Then scrub with the toothbrush until the paint is gone. 

Run more water and solvent through to help rinse out the paint flow when necessary. Look through the nozzle and see if you notice a small amount of light showing through. It is clean when that is done.  

When these are all cleaned off, gives the airless spray gun a good scrub on the outside and then wipe everything dry. Then, use the user manual to help put it all back together again.  

There are several types of airless sprayers that you can use, most different brands that you can use. To clean these brands, follow the instructions below: 

If you plan to use Wagner airless paint sprayers, there are a few steps that you can take in order to get this sprayer all done without leaving any paint behind. Some of the steps that you will need to use include: 

You may need to soak everything in solvent and hot water for a bit to remove the paint. Give the parts time to dry and then reassemble before storing.  

While there are several ways to clean out a Graco Airless Paint Sprayer, one of the best options to use to clean Graco sprayer out is the pressure relief procedure. To do this: 

Once all of the pressure is out, you will need to take each piece out one by one. You can have a bucket full of solvent and one of soapy water.

Put each piece into it one by one to let them soak and get the paint all off. Use a small brush to help get this done. Dry them before putting everything back together.  

When using a sprayer, you need to make sure that you clean it out. This ensures that the paint cannot bunch up inside and get stuck, ruining the machine and making it harder to use. 

When you are ready to clean it out after use, make sure to follow some of the steps above to making this easier.  

References:  

1. https://www.portlandcompressor.com/airless/storage

2. https://www.graco.com/us/en/homeowner/how-to-buy/tipselector.html