Doing your own spray tan at home comes with many benefits, such as the money you save compared to a salon, but it also comes with some responsibilities, including cleaning your spray tan gun. If you want to find out how to properly clean a spray tan gun, here’s everything you need to know.
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How do you clean a spray tan gun?
Spray tan guns can be expensive, and you don’t want to be wasting money on re-purchasing a new one more often than you need to. Cleaning it (and your other spray tanning equipment) can help it last longer and also make the whole process much more hygienic, preventing build-up of excess product and residue. Below are 3 cleaning methods you can incorporate into your spray tanning routine.
Read also: Best Spray Tan Machine For Home (4 Favorite Options With Tips)
Method #1: Spray tan gun solution
Arguably, the best and most effective method for cleaning your spray tan gun is with the use of a spray tan gun cleaning solution. You can find products specifically designed for cleaning your machine from some brands, and any of these should work.
All you need to start by doing is emptying any remaining solution from the gun into a suitable container for storage, making sure it’s airtight so the product is well-preserved. Then, fill the spray gun cup ¼ full of water. Put your spray gun onto the highest, most powerful setting and spray this water in a safe area, such as on the floor outside, until the cup has been emptied.
Follow this by filling the cup ¼ full again, but with the cleaning solution instead this time. When spraying this time, do so on a white paper towel or something similar which enables you to see if any pigment is coming out. Continue spraying until the solution comes through completely clear and finish by emptying the cup (either by spraying it all out or taking off the cup and pouring the solution away).
Make sure there is no more solution left in the gun and leave it out to dry before storing it for next time you use it.
Method #2: DIY cleaning solution
If you’re not interested in buying a spray tan gun cleaning solution online, or you can’t get hold of one, you can always make one yourself!
All you need to make your own solution is 3 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, mixed with warm water. Follow the steps in the method above (for using spray tan gun cleaning solution) but replace the cleaning solution with this DIY one. It’s super easy and cheap.
Method #3: Deep cleaning the parts
Unlike the other methods, which are suitable for use on a regular basis, up to every day, this method can be more time consuming and isn’t required as often; it’s a deep clean of all your parts.
If you haven’t yet cleaned your gun of any residue or excess solution since using it, you should do so, following either method #1 or #2 above. Once your gun has been rinsed through, you can move onto these steps.
Take apart your spray tanning gun as much as you can, making sure not to lose any of the parts in the meantime. If you’re not sure how to take apart your specific gun, you can check that in the instructions that came with it or online, on the website.
Now, take a toothbrush (preferably a softer one) dipped in some hot water and use this to gently scrub the individual pieces, removing any stubborn residue or old, caked up solution as you go. Let the parts dry and put your gun back together ready to use again!
How do you maintain the spray tan gun properly?
Maintenance of your spray tanning gun is very important to keeping it for a long time and ensuring that it doesn’t break down or become clogged after a short time. Of course, spray tans will last longer if they are used less often, and you can’t make it last forever, but following the necessary steps and caring well for your equipment can make it last much longer than if not. If you run your own tanning salon or business, proper maintenance is also crucial as you spray different customers.
- Clean it regularly: cleaning your spray tanning gun regularly is obvious, but it is still something which a lot of people either skip or don’t take as seriously as they should. The best thing to do is follow one of the rinsing methods at the end of every day if you work at a salon or after every use if you only use it for your own tanning needs) and then do a deep clean at the end of every week (or after a few uses if it’s for at-home use). Following these cleaning instructions will keep your gun sanitary and prevent clogs.
- Don’t leave it too long: the best time to clean your spray tan gun, if you use it at home, is straight after your tanning application, as this leaves minimal time for the solution to dry and stick to the various parts, making it easier to clean.
- Have a yearly service: every year, invest in a service for your spray tan gun, to make sure all the parts are working the best they can, and it won’t just break down during a session. Sometimes, you’ll find that there are some small, very inexpensive parts which need to be replaced, and this is much more affordable than a new machine itself.
- Know how the different parts work: your spray tan gun is quite a sophisticated machine, and knowing what all the parts do, as well as where they fit in the gun, is valuable information for when you need to take it apart to clean or when something stops working. You can easily find this information out for your specific machine online.
Should different types or brands be maintained differently?
There are so many different options for spray tan guns, and they can come in different styles, different types and also from different brands, which leaves lots of room for variation. If you’re wondering whether you should treat different machines in different ways, it can be confusing, so here are the facts you need to know.
For the most part, all spray tanning guns and machines can be maintained in the same way, and the same ‘rules’ listed above apply. All of the cleaning methods are gentle, and can be adapted to suit your machine, lifestyle and how often you use it, as long as you make sensible decisions about what to do and what to use, etc.
Of course, the different types of machines have their various things which set them apart, but they all work in a similar way, and the cleaning methods simply utilise their purpose – spraying solution – in order the clean the gun. For the regular rinse, this just works by distributing the product through the same route as the tanning solution takes when it is sprayed, so it doesn’t matter what machine you’re using.
The only difference between different machines is the arrangement of parts inside them, which is something that you can find out about in your product’s instructions, on the company’s website or even just online.
So, in short, no – you don’t need to maintain different spray tan guns differently.
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Final thoughts
With appropriate cleaning and maintenance, you can make your spray tan gun last for a very long time, making it more cost efficient in the long term. Now that you know everything you need about cleaning it; you can take care of your spray tan gun so it’s always ready and fully functioning for the next time you wish to use it!
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