How do I clean the foam gun? Tips and Tricks

In the process of construction and repair work, both professional and home masters use a gun for mounting foam. It allows high-quality and accurate blowing of seams on a variety of objects. This tool can significantly save the owner's money, since the purchase of a can with a special mounting tube will cost more.

For a foam gun to last a long time, it needs proper care. The dried material on such equipment can prevent proper blowing of joints and seams. Therefore, every master must know how to clean the foam gun before starting work.

There are several approaches to solving this problem. Which one to choose in each specific case, will prompt expert advice. Responsible for the need to maintain the purity of the instrument, you can significantly extend its service life.

Need for cleaning

A good gun for mounting foam is quite expensive. It pays off in the process of exploitation due to the ability to apply it several times. How long it will be possible to use this tool in its work depends on the quality of its service.

In the gun after treatment remains foam. It's not scary, if you immediately remove it from the barrel and other items of equipment. But sometimes even with a short delay, the substance freezes. It's getting harder to remove.

For inexperienced masters, this may raise the question of whether to clean the gun for mounting foam. Of course, if in the future it is supposed to be used for repair, this process can not be avoided. Otherwise, the purchase of the presented instrument simply does not make sense.

For single use it is better to buy a balloon with a special applicator. Although even domestic craftsmen, as experience suggests, use a foam gun more than once. Therefore, it is more convenient to clean regularly.

Key Service Recommendations

Professional installers know how important it is to keep the foam gun clean. They give advice to novice masters who use this tool for repair. It is very important to remove traces of contamination immediately. This will simplify the maintenance, which so needs a gun for foam mounting. How to clean it, depends on the degree of contamination, as well as the residence time of the material on the tool. The faster the foam is wiped, the less effort it will take to spend it.

For cleaning use a variety of chemicals. Experts advise to purchase them immediately together with the mounting foam of the same manufacturer. Special means show better results than universal varieties.

Each manufacturer produces a mounting foam with different properties and chemical composition. The purifier from the same series takes into account all the features of this material and acts on it purposefully.

The main characteristics of the cleaner

All the chemical solvents of the mounting foam have a different composition. But they are characterized by almost identical properties. These are substances designed to remove contaminants from both the tool and other surfaces, the skin of the hands.

Getting acquainted with the technology of how to clean the gun for mounting foam, you need to consider the principle of the impact of funds. These are substances of medium toxicity. They are not dangerous to humans, but if they get on your face, mucous membranes can cause irritation. Therefore, if you get a chemical on your skin, you should rinse it with plenty of water. In case of accidental ingestion into the eyes or into the body, it is necessary to consult a doctor immediately.

The substance is under pressure in the balloon. It has a high level of flammability. Therefore, do not spray it near open flames or overheat. Observance of these elementary rules will help to avoid trouble during the work.

Timely cleaning

When studying the question of how to clean the mounting gun after foam, you should consider this procedure in detail. If the remedy is not withered, the process is quite simple.

The balloon, which was used by the master and no longer contains foam, is wriggled out of its nest. In its place is installed a container with a solvent. Before this, it is necessary to remove the protective cap from it.

Then the tool lever is pressed several times. The washing is continued until the pieces of the mounting material appear in the jet. After that, the tool is removed from the equipment. If there is still some substance left in the bottle, you can screw back the protective cap and store the cleaner for a while. If the repair is not planned in the future, the chemical should be disposed of better.

If the foam is dry

Sometimes it happens that the washing was not carried out in a timely manner. In this case, the mounting foam freezes right inside the gun. In this case, the trigger can not be moved. How to clean the gun for mounting foam in this case? There are a number of recommendations.

Never pull the trigger. This is guaranteed to lead to the destruction of expensive equipment. Instead, it is necessary to clean the dried foam at the base of the trunk. This should be done carefully, so as not to scratch the metal.

Then the barrel must be lowered down. A drop of solvent is introduced into its base. After such a procedure, after about ten minutes, you need to pull the trigger again. He must become mobile again.

In this case, the cleaning work is completed. But if the tool has not been resuscitated after the above actions have been carried out, it will be necessary to resort to another method.

Cleaning the main valve

If after the above manipulations the trigger is still not pressed, then the foam hit the main valve. It will take more time and effort to wash it.

How to clean the mounting gun in this case, experts advise. On the upper knot of the instrument, where the balloon is screwed, there is a small ball. It requires several drops of solvent to be applied. Then you need to wait 10-15 minutes.

The balloon with chemical washing is wound on the valve and the trigger is pressed. Remains of dissolved foam should exit the trunk of the mounting gun. After this, you can continue to work on applying foam to the seams.

But sometimes there are more neglected clogs. In this case, the work is much more complicated.

Complete flushing

If a large amount of foam is frozen inside the tool, it will be necessary to disassemble it into its component parts. Do this carefully. Going into the topic of how to clean the foam gun, it is necessary to understand the design features of the device presented.

First, you need to unscrew the valve crown, to which the balloon is attached. The solvent is introduced into the tool. And you need to process the socket of the installation node.

To untwist the equipment it was more convenient, it is necessary to hold it below the place of attachment of the cylinder. The solvent is inside the system for about 25 minutes. Then it is required to press the ball of the main valve. Clots of dissolved foam at the same time come out.

The tool is assembled in the reverse order.

The foam froze completely

Some masters have a question, how to clean the gun for mounting foam, if it is completely frozen. In this state, the material is already completely all its inherent qualities. In this case, solvents or other chemicals will not help. Acting with brute force.

From the pistol remove all the details that are amenable to dismantling. It is necessary to prepare a wire of appropriate thickness and acetone. Fill in a few drops of the solvent and wait a while, using wire to get out small pieces of foam.

The action is carried out until the wire appears on the other side of the barrel. The gun is then collected and washed with a chemical.

Recommendations of experts

Experienced installers argue that the equipment can not be brought to such a state. Even after cleaning, foam will be fed much more heavily. If the material to be mounted is not yet frozen, the whole procedure will be faster. The answer to the question of how to clean a foam gun for mounting foam is simple in this case. It is necessary to use a special tool.

Experts advise to keep the balloon with washing during the installation work. This will avoid unpleasant consequences and unforeseen costs when the material solidifies inside the instrument.