How to wash a gun from dried foam. How to use foam gun flush

The mounting gun is an indispensable tool in construction. But what if it gets clogged? How to clean it from hardened foam?

Which foam guns can be cleaned

A mounting gun is a tool for sealing cracks and holes with special foam, requiring special attention and care. Methods for cleaning it differ depending on the type of device.

Mounting gun - an indispensable assistant in construction

1. Metal. The most reliable and durable. Its term can be up to 5 years. It is easy to clean.
2. Teflon. It is of very high quality. In it, the metal surfaces are protected by a Teflon coating. As a result, it is easy to clean. The foam removal scheme is the same as for a metal tool.
3. Plastic. Most often disposable, so it is impractical to clean it. If the foam has not run out in it, then immediately after the end of work, its nozzle should be washed with a solvent. This will prepare the device for further operation.

The most popular pistols - gallery

The metal gun is not only reliable to use, but also easy to clean. It is easy to clean a Teflon gun, the main thing is to take care of its coating. It is important to clean the plastic gun immediately after completion of work.

How to clean tools at home

There are special tools for cleaning the mounting gun. It is better to purchase them together with the tool. Moreover, the manufacturer of the foam and the preparation for its removal must be the same. Otherwise, the procedure for getting rid of building material will be somewhat more complicated and take more time.

After the workflow is finished, do the following:

1. Remove the used foam can from the device.
2. In its place, fix the cleaner with the cleaner, after removing the cap from it.
3. Press the trigger until no more foam comes out of the nozzle.

If the bottle of cleaner is not completely used up, close it with a protective cap and save it until the next time.

We comply with safety regulations

The solvent, like any chemical, is not very healthy. When using a cylinder, basic safety precautions should be observed:

• when cleaning, the nozzle must point downwards. This way you will avoid getting the solvent in your eyes or on your clothes;
• store the cylinder away from open flames, heaters and direct sunlight;
• do not try to open or burn an empty container from the cleaner;
• do not smoke while using the solvent cylinder;
• if liquid gets into the eyes, you should immediately consult a doctor;
• in case of damage to open areas of the body, treat them with a solution of soda (1 teaspoon of soda per glass of water at room temperature) or laundry soap, and then rinse thoroughly with water.

How to remove foam with acetone

If you do not have a special liquid, acetone can be used at home. Pour it into the nozzle of the tool and use a wire or ramrod to complete cleaning device. You need to act carefully so as not to damage thin and vulnerable parts.

My gun with acetone - video

How to wash hardened foam

If the tool has not been cleaned immediately after use, the trigger must never be pulled before starting cleaning. The trigger mechanism may break. Here's how to properly clean a gun from frozen polyurethane foam:

1. Clean the barrel of adhering foam. You can use a knife. Be careful not to scratch the piston.
2. Lower the gun with the nozzle down and drip "Dimexide" into the trigger mechanism. After a minute, gently pull the trigger. If it starts to move and foam comes out of the nozzle, then the gun is ready to go. If this does not happen, then you need to proceed to the next stage of cleaning.
3. Next to the device for screwing the balloon is a small ball. Apply a few drops of Dimexide to it. After 5 minutes, attach the cleaner bottle. Gently pull the trigger.
4. If the previous methods do not help, disassemble the tool. Holding it under the socket, carefully unscrew the crown, then remove the valve. Drop a chemical solvent or "Dimexide" into the socket and into all internal parts of the device. After 20 minutes, remove the remaining dirt with a cotton cloth. Then reassemble the gun and flush it with solvent. After such cleaning, the device can give less pressure during operation.

If more than 6 hours have passed since the completion of work, then it is better to carry out a complete disassembly immediately. In this case, the foam has had time to dry, so the tool needs to be cleaned only mechanically, without experimenting with screwing the cleaner and pulling the trigger - this is dangerous.

"Demiksid" - the most effective home remedy that will remove mounting foam in minutes

We clean the tool from dried material - video

Is it possible to do without cleaning the nozzle

The mounting gun is an irreplaceable thing. At the same time, it has one drawback, in order for the tool to retain its properties, it must be cleaned after each use. However, there is a method that allows you to not resort to this procedure and keep the nozzle in its proper form. To do this, you will need a plastic straw used for a disposable instrument.

1. Get your plastic tube, wire, and gun ready.
2. Attach the tube to the nozzle with wire.
3. After using the gun, the tube can be removed, and then a new one can be used.

How to avoid gun clogging - video

Each type of mounting gun requires its own approach. The main thing here is to prevent the foam from solidifying inside the device. If you clean the tool on time, it will serve you for more than one year.

The foam gun must be rinsed after each use in order to be able to work with it in the future. Instrument cleaning techniques will depend on the variety:

• metal models. Durable, reliable, can be used for 3-5 years. Easy to use and clean sealant.

• Teflon models. The gun has metal surfaces that have a Teflon protective coating. This makes the tool easy to clean.

• plastic models. Suitable for single use only living conditions, so there is no point in cleaning them at the end of the work. This is a cheap and affordable tool that is sold at any hardware store.

Therefore, it will be much more profitable to buy it every time you need to work with mounting foam. With frequent work with sealant, it is recommended to buy metal or Teflon models that already need systematic cleaning.

Before you clean the gun from mounting foam, you need to decide on the cleaning technique. There are several ways:

1. mechanical cleaning. It is required to disassemble the tool, carefully and consistently clean all the elements. To carry out the work, flushing compounds (for example, ordinary acetone), a knife, a rag or a sponge are used.
2. Cleaning with the use of a chemical reagent. Cleaning of the tool is carried out by chemical mixtures. It is carried out upon completion of the working process and removal of the can. The method is suitable if the gun was used for a short time.
3. Cleaning without removing the can. The traditional method, which is used with frequent use of the tool and the constant change of spray foam cans due to the consumption of sealant.

The method of cleaning the gun from dried mounting foam is selected depending on the level of contamination of the tool. Most simple solution is the removal of all contamination immediately upon completion of work. In this case, you need to remove all visible remnants of mounting foam from the tool and clean the barrel.

If the tool is heavily soiled, mechanical and chemical cleaning methods do not help, then you need to consider buying a new gun. Especially if the old tool has been used for more than a few years.

Standard option

When using the standard mechanical cleaning method, you will have to completely disassemble the gun:

1. It is required to unscrew and remove everything that is possible. If the tool is expensive, then there must be an instruction for it, which indicates the design features. The main thing is to take care of the threaded connections during disassembly.
2. When disassembling the gun, it is necessary to clean off the sealant from all elements, wiping them dry with a rag.
3. To blow the barrel, it is recommended to use a ramrod (you can make it yourself from metal wire).
4. At the next stage, a flushing composition is poured into the barrel and everything is cleaned with a ramrod. The barrel cleaning process must be repeated until the ramrod moves freely in the barrel. When the mounting foam dries in the barrel, remove it only chemical composition fail.
5. It is very important to completely remove the sealant from the barrel, since during subsequent work the movement of a new portion of consumable material may be difficult.
6. After cleaning the gun, you need to lubricate the joints of the parts and assemble the tool.

The gun for polyurethane foam greatly simplifies repair work. The rigid tipped rod helps to get into any hard-to-reach places, while the precise dosage allows you to fill the seams neatly and economically. As a result, the distribution of foam occurs more evenly and its consumption is reduced.

For long-term use of the tool, the following rules must be observed:

• timely clean at the end of finishing work;
• flush the nozzle and reducer when changing the cylinder;
• do not leave filled with foam, without a container;
• avoid shaking, falling and hitting.

If for some reason the gun has not been flushed in a timely manner, it can be cleaned in several ways.

Using a cleaner

The easiest cleaning option is with a special liquid. Moreover, it is advisable to purchase a solvent from the same manufacturer. For a complete cleaning, do the following:

• remove the used cylinder;
• remove the protective cap from the aerosol cleaner;
• fix the can of solvent and pull the trigger of the gun until the remaining foam disappears.

Finally, the container with the cleaner is removed and the free play of the trigger is checked. If the solvent has not been completely used up, then it is stored in the original container, again putting a protective cap on the cylinder.

When working with the cleaner, you must follow basic safety measures and avoid storage in the sun or under high temperature, avoid contact with the solvent in the eyes and do not burn the empty container.

Removal of cured foam

When the trigger is stationary, it will not work to clean the gun by washing with a special liquid. Therefore, you first need to free the outer surface of the barrel from the foam adhering to it using a knife. Be careful not to scratch the piston. Then do the following:

• lower the gun down and bury the solvent so that it does not get on other parts;
• gently pull the trigger, trying to drive away the frozen foam;
• when the trigger is stationary, the solvent is dripped onto the ball near the place where the cylinders are fixed;
• after 10 minutes, attach a container with a wash and carefully purge the gun.

If such measures are not enough, then the crown is carefully unscrewed from the gun and the valve is removed, and the solvent is dripped inside. They wait about 25 minutes, and then they release the parts from foam clots and assemble the tool, bringing it into working condition.

The most difficult case

To remove hardened foam, gentle processing is ineffective. To restore the functionality of the tool, you will need a hard wire and acetone or another solvent. The work is performed according to the following algorithm:

1. Unwind the gun, dismantling all removable elements. It must be disassembled carefully, trying not to damage its parts.
2. The foam is removed with a wire soaked in acetone.
3. Pour a little solvent into the barrel, and remove the hardened cork with a wire.
4. At the end, the instrument is collected and washed using a can of cleaner.

The main disadvantage of wire cleaning is the incomplete removal of cured foam due to round section trunk and the inability to visually evaluate the result. With a regular repetition of such a situation, a narrowing of the diameter of the trunk is likely. To avoid clogging and pressure reduction, you need to clean the gun in a timely manner.

Polyurethane foam is a real salvation not only for professional builders, but also for amateurs. It is able to cope with sealing of almost any complexity, and is used when installing windows and doors, as well as soundproofing metal pipes and bathtubs.

What are the benefits of using a foam gun?

The ability to quickly solidify the material and the reliability of its fixation are the main reasons for the popularity of the material in construction and repair. However, these same advantages make specialists work very carefully with foam, because removing its cooled residues is not an easy procedure.

Today, a foam gun is an optional attribute; in hardware stores you can find a huge selection of spray cans filled with material. If the foam will be used by you only once, then the need to buy a gun disappears by itself. However, in practice, the acquisition of the tool is still quite justified.

The device for applying mounting foam provides several great advantages:

• it becomes possible to accurately dose the material used;
• the ability to adjust the feed rate of the material;
• comfortable use of foam in conditions with irregular cavities and limited access;
• stopping the supply of material at the moment the lever is released;
• the possibility of using an incomplete cylinder, without the risk that the material inside it will harden;
• subject to daily use of the gun, the frozen material does not need to be removed from it.

During pauses between operation, no oxygen enters the instrument's access supply system. Accordingly, the material does not seize in it. A small ball of hardened foam at the end of the tube is responsible for sealing the barrel. Tightness from the side of the cylinder provides a closed trigger mechanism. If immediately after use, the old cylinders of the material are replaced with new ones, then you can not think about cleaning the tool for the next few weeks. You only need to cut off the dried ball and continue applying the material.

For beginners who do not have experience in working with a gun, we advise you to purchase a special cleaner along with the tool, which will help out more than once when servicing equipment.

So that later you don’t have to clean the working tool from the remnants of dried foam for a long time, you need to think about its cleanliness in advance. To do this, along with the gun, buy everything you need to clean it.

It is possible to qualitatively wash the equipment only if two important conditions: speed and forethought. Both of these factors imply the purchase of a special cleaning agent and the efficiency in its use. At the same time, experts advise buying a cleaner from the same company that produces the mounting foam you purchased.

You need to clean the device immediately after work, without waiting for the foam to dry completely

When you have finished applying the foam, immediately start cleaning the tool without waiting for it. To do this, remove the used cylinder from the gun. If it still contains foam, then you do not need to throw away the container - the material in it will retain its characteristics for a long time. Then remove the protective cap from the purchased cleaner. Attach the tool to the gun. Next, press the trigger of the gun several times, repeating the pressing until the moment when there are no particles of dried material in the jet.

After that, the cleaner must be removed and the free play of the start lever checked. You can also use the remaining agent on things and surfaces on which foam particles have solidified. The main thing - do not forget to close the jar of cleaner.

When removing foam residues, in no case should you forget about safety precautions. Chemical components from the composition of the cleaner can cause severe harm to the mucous membranes, eyes and skin of a person. Moreover, the flushing agent is in a pressurized container, so one careless movement can lead to big trouble.

Safety precautions must be observed when using the cleaner

First of all, the cleaner must be stored away from heat sources. It is best if the cleaner is in a dark, cool place. Secondly, do not smoke near the cleaner cylinders - they are highly explosive. Thirdly, rinse the instrument only after protecting your skin from drops of the product. To do this, put on thick gloves and a respirator.

The solvent jet must be directed away from you and ensure that its drops do not fall on the skin. Use old clothes, since the fabric is quite difficult. If during the cleaning process the drug still gets into the eyes or mucous membranes, be sure to rinse it with plenty of pure water. Under no circumstances should you attempt to cut open the empty container or use it for any other purpose.

If you decide to clean the gun for applying polyurethane foam, but it has already accumulated a large number of dry material, do not try to remove them by force. In most cases, the foam will remain inside the tool, and some of its elements may break. To prevent this from happening, you will have to act very carefully and show maximum patience.

First of all, you will need to remove the remaining material on the outer walls of the gun. To do this, use a sharp construction knife and carefully scrape off the particles without damaging the piston. After that, you need to put on gloves and draw acetone into a syringe. Next, the pistol is lowered down to the floor, and a few drops of solvent are poured into the beginning of the barrel next to the trigger mechanism. At the same time, be careful and try not to get the product on the plastic elements of the tool.

Next, begin to gently pull the trigger. If you remembered the need for cleaning not too late, then not yet completely dried material will begin to flow from the nozzle of the device. After that, fix the cleaning agent bottle in the gun and remove the remaining foam inside. As soon as the rinsing of the gun for the application of mounting foam is completed, the container with the cleaning agent must be removed and tightly closed with a lid.

If the trigger of the tool does not lend itself to pressing, then this indicates that the ball valve is jammed. In such a situation, cleaning the gun for applying polyurethane foam will be a little more complicated.

To clean the tool, locate the metal ball next to the gearbox for holding foam cans. After that, fill the ball with acetone and leave it for 15 minutes. Do not carry the tool so that the liquid does not spill onto other parts of the gun.

Next, securely fix the container with the cleaner and begin to gently pull the trigger of the gun to blow through the barrel. If the acetone has acted and destroyed the dry material on the surface of the ball, then you just have to thoroughly clean the gun from the dried mounting foam.

The remaining material from the outside of the gun must be carefully scraped off with a knife.

If all of the above measures did not help, then the acetone will need to be poured as deep as possible, partially disassembling the gun for this. To do this, hold the tool with your left hand at the place where the cylinders are fixed. Carefully unscrew the adapter, remove the valves and set them aside. Pour the solvent into the barrel and the place where the cylinders are attached and set the gun aside for half an hour. After that, start pressing on the ball, gradually removing adhering foam particles from it. If you followed the described algorithm, then dissolved material will begin to flow from the nozzle of the gun.

At the end, it remains to assemble the tool in reverse order and attach a cleaner bottle to it in order to completely get rid of the foam in the device.

All these measures will help to remove the remnants of the foam that has remained in the device at the outlet, has already hardened, but has not yet fully gained its characteristic strength.

Cleaning the tool in advanced cases

You can clean the gun from completely hardened polyurethane foam using various ways and funds. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that in the end you will not be able to return the tool to an acceptable state for work. However, you still need to try.

To begin with, take a rigid metal wire, the diameter of which will be a couple of millimeters smaller than the diameter of the barrel. You will also need acetone to work, so do not forget to wear gloves and a respirator.

Completely disassemble the working tool without tearing the thread. Large pieces of hardened material must be scraped off with a construction knife. Next, start picking out the foam, trying not to make the hand with the wire very sudden movements. First, remove any dry material from the trigger lever and valve. After that, proceed to cleaning the starting barrel of the gun. To do this, drip acetone inside the part and wait about 15 minutes. As a result, the foam will soften, and you can stick the wire inside it, so that you can then pull it out along with the frozen material. As soon as you finish cleaning the barrel, attach a can of cleaner to the tool and start flushing it.