How to Rinse a Side Feed Airbrush Between Colors - Airbrush Guru

How to Rinse a Side Feed Airbrush Between Colors

Rinse your side feed airbrush between colors.  This prevents excessive paint build up and paint colors mixing with one another.

This method, also known as a color change rinse, is the best thing you can do to prevent future airbrush problems before they have a chance to become problems.

Instructions

  1. Pull the paint bottle or color cup out of the airbrush.
    Remove the paint bottle or cup from the airbrush
  2. Push the paint bottle filled with the appropriate cleaning solution into the airbrush.
    Attach bottle of cleaning solution
  3. Spray cleaner through the airbrush until it sprays clear.
    • Note: Spray into a filter of some kind.  This keeps excessive  overspray out of the air and your lungs.  Towels, a paper towels, filtering systems, etc. all work.
      Spray cleaner through the airbrush
  4. Pull out the paint bottle of cleaning solution
    Pull the bottle of cleaning solution off the airbrush
  5. Spray until dry
    SPray out the leftover cleaning solution
  6. Move on to the next color
    Next Color!

Do you need to clean the paint bottle too?  You might not actually have to clean that bottle.  Just a thought.

If you need to clean the cup, drop it into a jar or your cleaning solution and let it stay there for a few minutes.  Then have at it with brushes.

The Guru’s Tips

  • Use the ‘appropriate’ cleaning solution for your paint.  It’s usually the reducer or paint’s base chemical.
    Like usually dissolves like
  • The best cleaning solution removes your particular paint and doesn’t use ammonia.  Ammonia is bad for the airbrush itself.
    Just say no to ammonia
  • Your speed will improve, don’t worry if the time you spend here seems long.  Your speed will improve the more familiar and habitual these methods become.
  • Is the day over? Are you going to lunch or on break? Do an End of Session Rinse before you leave.
    Rinse a Side Feed Airbrush After a Spray Session
  • If you are having problems you might need to move on to the next step after an End of Session Rinse.  If so you could try…  a Deep Cleaning.  Make sure you choose the right set of instructions.

    Do you have a screw in nozzle?

    Screw in nozzles have 2 caps on the airbrush's front. screw in nozzle detail

    or…

    Do you have a self centering nozzle?

    Airbrushes with self-centering nozzles have "3" caps Detail of airbrushes with self centering nozzles