Airless Spray Painting Machine Cleaning: A Complete Guide

Airless spray painting machines are used to apply paint or coatings to large surfaces such as walls and ceilings. These machines use a pump to drive paint under high pressure via a tiny nozzle. It is important to thoroughly clean your paint sprayer after using it. If an airless sprayer is not fully cleaned at the end of each day, it will quickly degrade, reducing efficiency, production, and job quality. Proper care and maintenance will ensure that your paint sprayer lasts longer and works efficiently. 

Clean the Airless Spray Painting Machine Step by Step:

Step 1: Disconnect the sprayer from its power source.

Step 2: To relieve pressure, turn the pressure down to its lowest level and fire the pistol.

Step 3: Place the pressure relief tube in a bucket and turn the valve down.

Step 4: Remove the filter assembly and assemble the airless spray cannon without a filter. Remove the guard and switchtip. Clean the filter, guard, and SwitchTip with a flushing solution (such as water or paint thinner).

Step 5: Remove the siphon tube set from the paint and dip it in flushing fluid. If your sprayer contains a filter, unscrew the bowl and remove the filter component. Assemble the bowl without a filter. Clean the filter.

Step 6: Turn on the spray and restore the pressure relief valve to the horizontal position.

Step 7: Hold the spray gun without the tip on the wall of a separate bucket.  Trigger the spray cannon and raise the pressure until all of the paint is removed from the hose and the cleaning solvent appears.

Step 8: Set the pressure to the lowest level and fire the cannon to relieve any pressure. Move the gun to the cleaning bucket, repeat Step 7, and let the solvent circulate for a few minutes.

Step 9: Turn the pressure relief valve down and let the flushing solution run for 1 to 2 minutes to clear the drain tube.

Step 10: Raise the siphon tube over the cleaning solvent and operate the sprayer for 15 to 30 seconds to drain the fluid.  Then switch off the power, close the pressure relief valve, and use the cannon to extract the solvent from the hose.

Step 11: Turn the pressure relief valve down to relieve pressure, then restore it to the horizontal position for storage.

Step 12: Remove any filters, rinse in solvent to remove any particles or residue, and then reinstall or replace as needed.

Step 13: Repeat steps 5-10 with a new solvent to fully clean the airless spray machine. Then, using a cloth and solvent, remove any remaining paint from the machine’s exterior, such as the suction tube, pressure relief tube, wheels, spray gun, and so on.

Conclusion

To clean an airless spray painting machine, first flush it with the correct solvent (water for water-based paints, mineral spirits for oil-based paints). Clean the filter, tip, and guard using a brush and solvent. Finally, cleanse the system to verify it is residue-free.