Did you just finish a DIY project with your Wagner Spray Gun?
That's great! But now you're probably wondering how to clean your Wagner paint sprayer, right?
Cleaning out your paint spray gun is an important process to prevent wear-and-tear and paint buildup that can ruin your next project.
Which is why in this ProPaintCorner.com guide you'll learn:
- What you need to know about using Wagner paint spray guns
- Supplies you'll need to clean your paint sprayer
- How Wagner sprayers and HVLP sprayers work
- And much more!
So, before you dive in to cleaning your Wagner spray gun, I recommend you read the tips below to learn how to streamline this process!
What You Need To Know About Wagner Paint Sprayers
Wagner Spraytech has been an industry leader in spray guns, airless sprayers, and other painting tools for many years.
They're a fantastic company for DIY home improvement projects and many of their tools can cut project times in half.
But Wagner makes some of the best paint sprayers in the industry and any of the spray guns in their Flexio series are worth investing in.
The Wagner Flexio 590 is a great place to start if you're a first time spray gun user for a variety of painting projects, but cleaning these guns is essential after each use in order to keep them in top condition.
These handheld sprayers can give you a smooth finish that you just won't get using a paintbrush, plus they're just fun to use!
Choosing Wagner Paint Sprayers for DIY Projects
Wagner has plenty of options when it comes to spray guns, but their high volume low pressure (HVLP) guns are fantastic for most DIY projects.
Wagner HVLP paint sprayers are also incredibly easy to use and most people can figure out their intuitive controls and spray patterns very quickly.
These guns spray paint evenly and can lay down an entire wall of new paint in just a few minutes when you get the hang of them.
So, if you're new to HVLP spray guns, we recommend choosing a gun based on the types of painting projects you do most often.
For instance, if you're an exterior painter and need a broader spray pattern, you'll want to go with one of their Wagner iSpray front end nozzle as an addition to your HVLP spray gun.
However if you do a lot of interior painting like refinishing furniture, walls, or trim, the Flexio 590 is a great starter gun for most projects.
Supplies You’ll Need For Cleaning Your Spray Gun
In order to get the best results when cleaning your Wagner spray gun, you'll need a few key supplies. These include:
Luckily, the cleaning process isn't very difficult and shouldn't take more than a few minutes if you can gather all these supplies before hand.
Once you've done this a few times, you'll find it'll be easier and faster each time you need to clean your spray gun after a DIY project.
How To Clean Up Your Wagner Airless Paint Sprayer (6-Step Guide)
- Disassemble the spray gun
- Clean the paint container cup
- Clean the suction tube and spray nozzle
- Disassemble the front end
- Scrub all the parts until clean
- Let dry, then reassemble
Step 1 - Disassemble the spray gun
Before you begin anything, you'll need to disassemble your Wagner spray gun. Luckily this is a pretty simple process and you can watch the helpful video below to see this process in action.
The first thing you'll do is disconnect the front end of the gun from the body of the gun by simply twisting them apart.
Then, you'll unscrew the paint cup and pour out any leftover paint back into the original can.
Step 2 - Clean the paint container
Now you'll want to get your warm, soapy water ready so you can get rid of the remaining paint within the paint cup.
If you're doing this immediately after you've used your Wagner spray gun it should come off pretty easily with a simple soapy solution.
However if you let the paint dry a bit before cleaning, you might need to use a more robust cleaning solution or even paint thinner to get all the excess paint off.
Just make sure you use protective goggles and gloves when working with paint thinner and properly dispose of it when you're finished.
Step 3 - Clean the suction tube and spray nozzle
Next you'll want to clean out the suction tube and the spray nozzle. This is usually easiest with the brush that Wagner provides with their spray guns since it'll be able to get into all the little nooks and crannies.
Again, this will be much easier if done immediately after use before the paint has a chance to dry.
If, however, the paint has dried completely and won't budge, we recommend soaking the parts in a cleaning solution or paint thinner until they loosen up.
Excessive or abrasive scrubbing with these smaller, delicate parts isn't advised since they can easily bend and render your spray gun useless if broken.
Step 4 - Disassemble the front end
Then you'll want to disassemble the front end of the spray gun by simply pulling on the yellow ring around the spray tip until it comes off. After that, you'll twist the nozzle off to gain access to the inner parts that are essential to clean.
Those inner parts might seem like a hassle, but when clogged they can damage the gun and prevent you from using it again or getting an even spray pattern until they're completely cleared of dried paint.
This is why we recommend cleaning your gun out after each use and before you walk away from your project.
Time is of the essence when it comes to paint drying in your assembly!
Step 5 - Scrub all the parts until clean
Now that you've gotten all the parts disassembled it's time to scrub them clean.
Again, you can use the cleaning brush that Wagner provides for this process or any other small scrub brush you prefer.
After you've soaked any stubborn pieces, you can immerse them in your soapy water and try to scrub off the paint again.
Take extra care here with those smaller pieces and make sure you keep track of them as you clean so they don't get forgotten at the bottom of your sink.
Step 6 - Let dry, then reassemble
Finally, we recommend laying out all the pieces from your spray gun on a clean, dry towel to let them dry completely.
You want to inspect them for any leftover solution or soap as well, since that residue can build up and cause your gun to get clogged or mix with your paint in the future. And who wants soapy paint?
Once everything is completely dry, go through and reassemble the gun, making sure to do it in the right order and not leave out any smaller pieces.
Final Thoughts on Cleaning Wagner Flexio Paint Spray Guns
Cleaning spray guns is a fairly easy addition to your painting routine, and once you get the hang of it it'll only take about 5 minutes in most cases.
Make sure you check out Wagner's Youtube channel if you have any further questions on working with your Wagner spray gun, they have plenty of helpful resources and tutorials to show you how to best care for their products.
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