Cleaning cocoa butter sprayers

[Soleil]

I have a Husky HVLP sprayer that I bought at Home depot on advice. Works well for my small volume needs. My question is how do you guys clean them?  I was made aware that cocoA butter can go rancid, so any suggestions on what to use and technique to clean this sprayer?  A friend suggested Steamine tablets. I’m still at the high end hobbyist- trying to become more than a hobby stage so I’m not familiar with these. Any advice?  Thanks. 

Soleil

[Kerry Beal]

I turn my HVLP upside down over a paper towel, put my finger over the needle and pull the trigger - cocoa butter refluxes back up and flows out onto the paper towel. I also blow hot air with the heat gun into the cup and repeat the refluxing. Then wipe the inside of the cup with paper towel. I will also just spray hot air through the gun. If it has gotten too disgusting - then I might spray really really hot water through it.

 

 

[Jim D.]

10 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I turn my HVLP upside down over a paper towel, put my finger over the needle and pull the trigger - cocoa butter refluxes back up and flows out onto the paper towel. I also blow hot air with the heat gun into the cup and repeat the refluxing. Then wipe the inside of the cup with paper towel. I will also just spray hot air through the gun. If it has gotten too disgusting - then I might spray really really hot water through it.

 

 

I do more or less the same, except that I never spray water through the gun. I just get the gun warm, then empty it out as best I can, then add a new color and continue. In another discussion on this topic, the consensus was that most people do not do really thorough cleaning of airbrushes or sprayers (such as would require taking it apart). It's not like using it for paint--with cocoa butter, you can just melt everything out.

[Kerry Beal]

13 minutes ago, Jim D. said:

I do more or less the same, except that I never spray water through the gun. I just get the gun warm, then empty it out as best I can, then add a new color and continue. In another discussion on this topic, the consensus was that most people do not do really thorough cleaning of airbrushes or sprayers (such as would require taking it apart). It's not like using it for paint--with cocoa butter, you can just melt everything out.

Yeah - can't recall the last time I cleaned it with water - might have been for a video so it would look purdy!

[Soleil]

Thanks. I’ve just been using air to blow excess cocoa butter out at end but wanted to make sure I wasn’t creating an potentially environment for something to grow or contaminate anything. 

[LabKat]

I was taught to clean it with vodka, just spray out the cocoa butter, pour a capful of vodka in and spray it. You don’t have to worry about any water in it. I also occasionally take mine apart and wipe it down with it. 

[Merry Berry]

5 hours ago, LabKat said:

I was taught to clean it with vodka, just spray out the cocoa butter, pour a capful of vodka in and spray it. You don’t have to worry about any water in it. I also occasionally take mine apart and wipe it down with it. 

 

LK, that is how I was taught too.  But I never hear of anyone else doing it, so I questioned myself on whether or not it was worth using the (admittedly) small amount of Vodka or if I was doing it wrong.  I guess as long as the end result is it is clean, it is okay.