How to Clean Your Spray Foam Gun in 6 Simple Steps

If you are a professional spray foam installer, your equipment is your livelihood. Few tools are as essential on a spray foam job as a properly functioning spray foam gun. If you are constantly dealing with clogged guns, excessive rebuilds, or challenges cleaning your equipment, it can add to downtime and result in project delays-and longer days on the job for you.

Clogged parts lead to uneven spray patterns, reduced output, and premature breakdown over time. Leaving foam residue in heated hoses and chambers also poses safety issues like increased flammability. The bottom line? A clean spray foam gun makes your job easier; your foam is higher quality, and your equipment lasts longer.

How to Clean Your Spray Foam Guns

Understanding how to clean spray foam guns should be part of your regular maintenance toolkit. While you should always consult your manufacturer’s guide for cleaning your particular model, here are the typical steps to keep your equipment running in top condition.

Step 1: Assemble Your Spray Foam Gun Cleaning Supplies

Before disassembling your gun, make sure you have the right cleaning supplies and safety gear on hand.

• Safety Gear: Cleaners and solvents used for removing dried foam can irritate the eyes and skin. Be sure to wear gloves, goggles, respirator, and protective coveralls whenever you handle these materials.
• Spray Foam Gun Cleaner: Use a cleaning agent specifically formulated for your equipment. Popular options like spray foam gun cleaner or acetone work well to dissolve uncured foam and resin from system components. Check your gun’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner type.
• Tools for Disassembly: Depending on your model, you may need a set of wrenches, hex keys, and pliers to fully take apart your gun for cleaning and to access every surface. Refer to your model’s instructions for the necessary tools. Avoid using power tools, sandpaper, or wire brushes that could damage parts.
• Cleaning Aids: Have an assortment of soft brushes in various sizes to scrub all gun areas as you disassemble them. Clean rags and a waste container filled with your cleaning agent round out your cleaning tools.

Step Two: Preparing and Disassembling Your Foam Gun

Next, it is time to break down your gun for cleaning. Turn off the proportioner pump and disconnect the hoses. Always cap hose ends during storage to avoid moisture contamination. Bleed pressure from the lines and flush the gun’s interior chamber following the manufacturer’s directions.

For extremely soiled guns, remove covers and filters to reach internal spaces that cannot be flushed. Carefully dismantle parts like the nozzle, mixing chamber, and gun block. If you are unfamiliar with the assembly, it’s a good idea to grab a snapshot with your phone to make sure you know how everything fits back together.

Step Three: Cleaning the Foam Gun Exterior and Nozzle

Spray foam residue tends to cake on exterior and crevice areas. Dip a soft brush into your spray foam gun cleaner and gently scrub the gun’s body, handle, triggers, and guards until the debris dissolves. Use a small brush soaked in solvent to meticulously clean the nozzle orifice.

When you’ve finished cleaning, rinse components with fresh foam cleaner.

Step Four: Flushing Interior Chambers and Hoses

Refer to your gun's manual for the best method to flush interior cavities. This usually involves filling a flush pot with spray foam gun cleaner, connecting it to the gun inlet, and repeatedly pumping the handle to circulate the solvent internally.

Step Five: Scrubbing and Rinsing Disassembled Parts
You should soak smaller parts like gaskets, filters, and seals in the solvent so foam residue saturates and loosens. Use brushes and pipe cleaners for stubborn build-up in crevices and threads. Rinse all pieces with foam cleaner and then air dry the components completely before reassembly.

Step Six: Rebuilding Your Spray Foam Gun

Once you have everything cleaned, carefully reassemble the unit by reversing your disassembly steps. Confirm all parts align and fasteners tighten properly. Before reconnecting the hoses, do an empty test spray into a waste container to make sure things flow smoothly. If output seems uneven, takes time to stabilize, or contains cleaner, do further flushing and repeat the spray test.

Maintaining Your Equipment Investment

You will get the longest service from your equipment by making spray foam gun cleaning part of your regular maintenance program after every job—and mid-job if you notice uneven spray. Investing a little time will keep your gun in reliable working order for years to come.

Contact Intech Equipment & Supply at 866-652-9975 or contact us online today to get expert advice on how to clean spray foam guns, spray foam gun cleaner, and other supplies to keep your equipment operating at peak performance.

About Kevin Malone
Kevin Malone is a leading expert in the spray foam insulation industry with 34 years of experience in spray foam fluid handling and a passion for innovation. He currently offers his extensive knowledge to Intech Equipment and Supply customers by supporting them in selecting quality spray foam equipment to optimize their business. Learn more about Kevin here.