When it comes to doing DIY, you might think that the clean up afterwards isn’t the most important job in the world. If you fail to do it properly, it could cost you a lot of money to replace tools that are no longer usable. With this in mind, here are some of the ways you can make sure your tools are ready to use again and again.
Make sure your spray gun doesn’t get clogged up
One of the quickest ways to paint any room, fence, or even a piece of furniture is to use a spray gun. This device allows you to cover a large surface area much more quickly than if you were to use a paintbrush or even a roller. The only thing that could slow you down with a spray gun is if the device gets clogged up or unwanted moisture gets into the device. Instead of waiting for this problem to occur and have to spend lots of time fixing your spray gun, install a device that can help prevent this problem from happening in the first place. For example, a desiccant air dryer from the company Super-Dry Systems can make sure only air passes through your spray painting system at all times. Not only will it save you time having to fix any broken devices, but it could also make sure you only have to complete the job once and not redo a coat due to moisture affecting the quality of the coverage. By removing any unwanted moisture from the system, you could also find that the paint dries much faster and much smoother.
Scrape it off before it hardens
After a hard day of work, it might be tempting to drop your tools and deal with them later. The only problem is that you will probably find they are much harder to clean when you come back to these tools after even the shortest of rests. Most substances that you use in DIY, whether it be paint, plaster, wallpaper paste, or even sealant, are designed to be applied wet but dry solid. The only problem with this is that it doesn’t just dry solid on whatever you’re decorating, but it also dries solid on whatever tools you are using to decorate. With this in mind, make sure that you clean all of your tools whilst they are still wet. Whilst water might help clean some materials off your tools; it might not be enough to get rid of every last bit of material. If you find your brush still has paint on it, try using something like a white spirit to help clean it fully, reducing the chance of the old paint mixing with the next colour you use.
Wrap up any tools you’ll need to use again soon
If you know you will be using the tools again soon, all you need to do is make sure that no air gets to them to prevent the material’s hardening. If you want to reuse your brush, simply wrap it in a clear wrap or sandwich bag. Ensure that all the lids on your paint are secured fully, as even the smallest gaps in the seal could make your paint unusable.
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