I heard a guy in a YouTube video say that a good way to clean airbrush parts such as the nozzle is soaking it in acetone for a while.
But, I know that Acetone can be a crazy liquid, and can dissolve anything, especially acrylic, and even plastic.
So I want to ask, is it a good way to clean it? If I put a part with a rubber O Ring on it, and soak it in acetone, will the acetone eat the rubber ring?
And if it is not recommended, will soaking it in thinner work as well?
Yes I believe acetone will deteriorate rubber O-rings. There are less caustic chemicals for cleaning the airbrush. Each manufacture of paint has their own specific airbrush cleaner. For instance, are use Vallejo Model Air paints and they have their own airbrush cleaner. Tamiya has their own airbrush cleaner and thinner, Gunze has their own airbrush cleaner and thinner, etc… My advice would be to try and use each manufacturers specific airbrush cleaner and thinner.
I use hardware store Lacquer thinner for most cleaning,only about $8.00 a quart
Madea cleans Vallejo pretty good,not too expensive
I find that hardware store enamel is best for the few enamels I still use
I will spend bucks for the proprietary thinner,but not each manufacturers cleaner.
I been doing it for years with no effect on my Eclipse
I buy windex in a half gallon jug for cleaning my brush after a Vallejo session. (Hardware store item) Pour it into a ketchup squirt bottle with a spout to make it easier to hit the paint cup
Me too. Eclipse and a Harder & Steenbeck so far so good after 8 yrs.
I used to used most everything that has been mentioned in this thread, but like Tojo, prefer to use hardware store lacquer thinner for just about everything now. Installing a proper venting system was a big part of my change, though. Best not to mess with lacquer thinner fumes.
Not sure but don’t soak it in ‘Simple Green’. I figured it was a fairly mild cleaner but it dissolved the rubber seals in an old airbrush!!!
…and your brain, liver and do damage to your lungs. No.
It’s also really flammable.
I’m happy with using cheapo store bought lacquer thinner, which is more cleanup agent than actual thinner.
Bill
Ditto on what GM said above. As a former lab tech for a large chemical company, whenever we used Acetone, we were required to wear special duty masks and work in a hood with a fast air flow draw to the outside. It is considered a dangerous, hazardous chemical.
I use mainly Vallejo and Craft acrylic paints. I use windex to clean my airbrush and regular brushes. No problems.
Jim [cptn]
Stay Safe.
I use lacquer thinner also, but it will eat rubber and teflon. I always remove the teflon washer from the head of my badger, and do not dunk the part that has the airvalve, since that has rubber in it and is too much of a bother to remove each time.
I need to correct some things people are saying here. You need to check the type of O Rings installed on the airbrush. I suspect many use PTFE Teflon O rings, which is impervious to many types of solvents and acids including lacquer thinner, acetone, alcohols, acids. I don’t think a typical gun is going to use rubber O rings. I’m talking about just the parts that shoot the paint. the components in the back of the gun I’m not too sure about but they could also be Teflon as well so you’d have to check
The second misconception here is that lacquer thinner is safer than acetone. Lacquer thinner many times has acetone as a key ingredient. So to summarize if you can use lacquer thinner safely on your airbrush you should also be able to use acetone
Third misconception is that Windex is safe to use on the airbrush. Someone mentioned that using Windex to clean their airbrush dissolved the chrome plating on the cup. Windex has ammonia in it a small amount but still enough to remove chrome plating.