In order to maintain performance and shelf-life of paints, it’s critical you know how to clean a spray gun. Designed for both automotive and industrial applications, spray guns not properly maintained can result in poorly painted products, extra work repainting on the unit, and lost production. Today’s production environment puts a premium on speed and process of delivery. New spray gun cleaning systems are expected to improve the quality, results, speed, cost, and liability of an operation.
Paint Spray Gun Cleaning Solvents are Hazardous
Paint thinner and solvents are commonly used to clean paint guns because of their ability to dissolve paint residue, especially in the small openings of paint guns. Paint thinner and solvents are effective for cleaning, but there are significant environmental and health concerns related to their use.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions from solvents contribute to smog formation
- Solvents are highly toxic and detrimental to overall public health
- Emissions are strictly regulated by air districts and the EPA, with strict rules for hazardous waste reporting, keeping, purchase, use, storage, and management of solvents
- Paint thinner and acetone are flammable.
- Waste thinner and solvents are hazardous waste.
Pollution Prevention Strategies for Paint Spray Cleaning
Our goal is to reduce hazardous waste using solvent recovery and distillation systems that cut costs on solvent purchases, and as a result, create a more environmentally-friendly way of recycling your solvent.
There are four options for how to clean spray gun:
1. Extend the effective life of the cleaning solvent with two-stage cleaning.
2. Clean with enclosed automatic paint gun washing equipment
3. Use disposable paint cup liners
4. Use alternative gun cleaning technology
You must also be aware of any solvents left over from previous paint gun cleaning practices and be able manage those properly, including solvents reclaimed in an on-site recycler.
If you’re looking for environmentally-friendly alternatives for learning how to clean a spray gun, contact us to get a consultation for any of the above strategies, or schedule a demonstration today, free of charge.