"So, do you know how to clean your gun?"

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Jen Smith

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"So do you know how to clean your gun"

This is a question that is aimed at you spray tanning geeks but I am sure the majority of you know how to strip down your gun and thoroughly clean it as shown by your training provider ... however, after many people saying that they 'never' completely strip down their gun to clean it, then wonder why it stops spraying properly, I was asked to just go over the procedure for those that might be interested :) The machines which I am referring too are the Minimist (T100) and the Minimist Pro. But most guns will have a similar set up to these that I am describing. Check your manual if you are unsure.

Okidoki..

At the end of each day, you flush your gun and cup out with warm water, and spray the warm mist through the gun until the couch roll becomes clear. This shows you that there is not residue tanning liquids left inside the workings of the gun. Quick easy procedure, takes all of 5 mins and its done.

Ok.. once a month your gun needs to be stripped right down and thoroughly cleaned, including the needle. It is a very simple procedure that takes a little longer than the daily flush but necessary for your gun to work at optimum levels.


Have some hot soapy water in a wash basin to drop the parts that you take out of the mister gun to allow to soak for a while.

Over the draining unit of your sink unit, lay some couch roll or kitchen roll over the drainer and start by unscrewing the solution adjustment screw at the back until it is completely removed from the gun along with the coiled spring inside. Pop these together into the basin of hot soapy water and swish about a little.

At the front of the mister, unscrew the spray pattern adjuster and remove along with the plastic washer underneath and place in the hot water you have ready.

Now for the slightly tricky part. You will see the needle sticking out at the back of the gun where the solution adjustment screw was initially, it looks like a thin metal rod and there will be about one cm length to take hold of so have dry fingers at this stage so you can grip it. (you can make this is a little longer by pulling back the trigger on the gun and it will give you a further half cm to aid you in getting a good grip) You need to grip this metal rod and ever so gently pull it back out of the gun, taking extreme care not to bend or drop the rod/needle once its free of the gun. It is quite sturdy and there will be 'some' resistance'.. this is normal, just ease it out through the small holes it has to travel through behind the trigger handle.

Once free... you need to carefully place the needle into the hot water and using some kitchen roll, wipe the needle from the back to the front taking any stale solution with it. You must be careful with the pointed end of the needle as you don't want to damage this at all. An alternative to this is to place the needle into a container with some hot soapy water and soak it alone for around 15 mins to allow the solution to lift off on it own, but then it needs to be wiped as described above.. from the back towards the front. Place dry cleaned needle onto the kitchen roll on the draining board.

Now clean your beaker/tanning solution holder and the rest of the gun in the hot soapy water and rinse with clean fresh water. In the lid of the beaker you will see a white washer, this need to be taken out and swished about in the hot water and rinsed. Clean the underside of cup holder as a lot of residue tanning solution can lodge here. Replace the rinsed washer back into the rim of the cup holder. Press nice and firm so that it slips into place.

Take out the other parts that have been soaking and check that they are nice and clean from solution and rinse these through with fresh water. Dry all parts on some kitchen roll and start to re mantle your gun.

The needle is the only tricky part... just in reverse order start by very gently easing your needle back through the hole at the back of the gun where the needle came out of and easing it through the trigger hole and the hole at the front of the gun. Again there might be some resistance, be careful here that the needle has been lined up with all the holes ok before pushing forward against the resistance. Once the needle is in situ all other parts can be put back in order you took them off ending with placing the coil and solution adjustment screw fully back in situ.

At this stage I put some warm water back in the cup and place on the gun and spray through until you get the nice even flow again, adjusting your solution adjustment screw until you are happy with the spray output.

Hope this maybe of some help :hug:




 
Last edited:
Thanks Jen, I am one (of hopefully a small minority) that was never shown how to clean my machine when I was trained.

So now my machine can have a good clean & hopefully work as good as it once did!!

Thanks again!! :green:
 
Thanks alot Jen. This is just in time for me. I have been bracing myself to do a through strip & clean this weekend of my T100 but have been scared of taking it apart & not getting it back together again!!

I do have the manual but to have it in normal 'geek speak' rather than technical lingo is fab! Thank you thank you.
 
Glad to see its been useful to you both :)
 
excellent thread
 
Thanks Jen, I am one (of hopefully a small minority) that was never shown how to clean my machine when I was trained.

So now my machine can have a good clean & hopefully work as good as it once did!!

Thanks again!! :green:


No Helen you aren't the only one, i wasn't shown either.
 
or me! but i have been doing it as described as I used to do airbrushing and the principle is the same... As Jen said, DONT drop the needle.. like I did!!

I assume everyone knows to clean the filter in the actual machine??
 
I assume everyone knows to clean the filter in the actual machine??

Good point Sherrie.. the filters need cleaning once a week with the minimist (T100) and once a month with the Minimist Pro. Take the sponge filter out of the machine and wash it in hot soapy water then rinse in clean water. I squidge mine dry between kitchen roll until the kitchen roll no longer absorbs any more moisture then place back in machine. Or leave over night after squidging dry for a bit and leave air drying on kitchen roll. Make sure you remember to put back in your machine before using it again.. :)
 
great thread jen!!!
and im pleased to say EXACTLY how i do mine,

phew!!!!
 
love this thread flower, :) xx
 
This is a fab thread:hug:
I was so lucky when I did my training Alimac showed me how to clean the gun and the filter so I guess my training was pretty good:lol:
 
Great thread Jen and very useful for anyone out there with one of these machines. Guns need looking after and the longevity of it depends on how you look after it.

Thumbs up me dear!!!!!:hug:
 
I didn't know you even had to do this - I certainly wasn't shown:irked:
 
OMG I cannot believe that any trainer would not show you how to strip a spar tan machine and clean it. Also info clients that it should be cleaned after use.

this is a good thread
 
Brilliant tread, i wasnt shown how to completly strip in down and in my had book i says i shouldnt ever fully unscrew the screw adjustment. If i do my machine is not longer under guarantee. i have truespray HVPL and just wash it out with soapy water untill it runs clear then undo cup to let it dry out. not sure if this is ok now!!
 
I've been using minimist for over 2 years but am too scared to strip it down! I'd do it wrong and blow the whole thing up or something!
 
I gave my filter a clean last night, another place I find gets yucky is the bottom of the machine (T100) not underneath but around the front. There are small slits there that get fluff etc in. Mine were a bit clogged and when I wiped them I did get some solution colour off and a few clumps of fluff came out! hopefully it was just fur from my dog! :eek:
 
I've been using minimist for over 2 years but am too scared to strip it down! I'd do it wrong and blow the whole thing up or something!

probably got more chance of it blowing up if it's never been thoroughly cleaned in 2 years :Scared:mine gets grotty in a week!
 
funny you should say that, believe it or about 10 minutes ago i was and was looking at my gun and remember what you tought me but then thought have i missed a bit so now i will read this thread, lol. thanks jen:green:
"So do you know how to clean your gun"

This is a question that is aimed at you spray tanning geeks but I am sure the majority of you know how to strip down your gun and thoroughly clean it as shown by your training provider ... however, after many people saying that they 'never' completely strip down their gun to clean it, then wonder why it stops spraying properly, I was asked to just go over the procedure for those that might be interested :) The machines which I am referring too are the Minimist (T100) and the Minimist Pro. But most guns will have a similar set up to these that I am describing. Check your manual if you are unsure.

Okidoki..

At the end of each day, you flush your gun and cup out with warm water, and spray the warm mist through the gun until the couch roll becomes clear. This shows you that there is not residue tanning liquids left inside the workings of the gun. Quick easy procedure, takes all of 5 mins and its done.

Ok.. once a month your gun needs to be stripped right down and thoroughly cleaned, including the needle. It is a very simple procedure that takes a little longer than the daily flush but necessary for your gun to work at optimum levels.


Have some hot soapy water in a wash basin to drop the parts that you take out of the mister gun to allow to soak for a while.

Over the draining unit of your sink unit, lay some couch roll or kitchen roll over the drainer and start by unscrewing the solution adjustment screw at the back until it is completely removed from the gun along with the coiled spring inside. Pop these together into the basin of hot soapy water and swish about a little.

At the front of the mister, unscrew the spray pattern adjuster and remove along with the plastic washer underneath and place in the hot water you have ready.

Now for the slightly tricky part. You will see the needle sticking out at the back of the gun where the solution adjustment screw was initially, it looks like a thin metal rod and there will be about one cm length to take hold of so have dry fingers at this stage so you can grip it. (you can make this is a little longer by pulling back the trigger on the gun and it will give you a further half cm to aid you in getting a good grip) You need to grip this metal rod and ever so gently pull it back out of the gun, taking extreme care not to bend or drop the rod/needle once its free of the gun. It is quite sturdy and there will be 'some' resistance'.. this is normal, just ease it out through the small holes it has to travel through behind the trigger handle.

Once free... you need to carefully place the needle into the hot water and using some kitchen roll, wipe the needle from the back to the front taking any stale solution with it. You must be careful with the pointed end of the needle as you don't want to damage this at all. An alternative to this is to place the needle into a container with some hot soapy water and soak it alone for around 15 mins to allow the solution to lift off on it own, but then it needs to be wiped as described above.. from the back towards the front. Place dry cleaned needle onto the kitchen roll on the draining board.

Now clean your beaker/tanning solution holder and the rest of the gun in the hot soapy water and rinse with clean fresh water. In the lid of the beaker you will see a white washer, this need to be taken out and swished about in the hot water and rinsed. Clean the underside of cup holder as a lot of residue tanning solution can lodge here. Replace the rinsed washer back into the rim of the cup holder. Press nice and firm so that it slips into place.

Take out the other parts that have been soaking and check that they are nice and clean from solution and rinse these through with fresh water. Dry all parts on some kitchen roll and start to re mantle your gun.

The needle is the only tricky part... just in reverse order start by very gently easing your needle back through the hole at the back of the gun where the needle came out of and easing it through the trigger hole and the hole at the front of the gun. Again there might be some resistance, be careful here that the needle has been lined up with all the holes ok before pushing forward against the resistance. Once the needle is in situ all other parts can be put back in order you took them off ending with placing the coil and solution adjustment screw fully back in situ.

At this stage I put some warm water back in the cup and place on the gun and spray through until you get the nice even flow again, adjusting your solution adjustment screw until you are happy with the spray output.

Hope this maybe of some help :hug:
 
funny you should say that, believe it or about 10 minutes ago i was and was looking at my gun and remember what you tought me but then thought have i missed a bit so now i will read this thread, lol. thanks jen:green:


Well often on training days, there is so much to take in...that maintenance can sometimes get forgotten about and unless there becomes a problem, never gets any service at all. It is an easy proceedure and relatively quick and very worthwhile doing as described.
 

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