Cleaning an Airbrush Gun with Vodka
I know I did a post on “How to Clean an Airbrush Gun” already, but this one is different because I’m using a little vodka to clean it instead of just water. Once you clean your airbrush gun with water, is it really clean? I’ve been conducting a little experiment this week. I’ve been cleaning my airbrush gun with vodka after each time it is used because I wanted to see if it made a difference.
I want to show you what I’ve discovered.
Supplies for Cleaning an Airbrush Gun with Vodka:
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Vodka
Airbrush gun
We’re going to use Wendy (my airbrush gun) today to make some cookies and I’ve cleaned it with some water. You can see my tutorial here on how to wash it step by step. My airbrush is spraying a little bit differently than when I first bought it because I use it a lot. Keeping it in tip-top shape is a big deal to me so we need to clean it now because the mist has seemed to change slightly.
I purge it every time I use it and I have only curdled it once because a little sheen dried in it. Click here to learn about purging and curdling. I have not been using sheen colors so I know it is alright since it is spraying. It just seemed a little off so I decided to try an experiment.
I added some water to the cup with my airbrush stained hands.
Then, I sprayed it into a white bowl and all clear clean water came out. At this point, I would normally dry it off and pack it away.
Well, today I added some vodka and sprayed it into a different white bowl and I was amazed at what I saw.
Green tinted water which makes sense because I had just used green in my airbrush gun. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think this amount would destroy my machine. Any airbrush color isn’t good left in your machine and that may explain why it was spraying a bit funny. I’ve used my airbrush gun four times in the last week and cleaned it with water after each use. After the vodka was added and sprayed, colored water came out which means it needed to be cleaned a little deeper.
So my new policy is to purge with water after I use my machine. Then, use a little vodka to remove all the color I can’t see. Cleaning an airbrush with vodka is a simple way to maintain your machine and now it is the final step I take after each use.
Here are more tips on using and cleaning your airbrush gun:
Airbrush 101
How to Clean an Airbrush Gun
How to use and Airbrush Gun
Airbrush Gun Station for Mess-Free Decorating
Bear hugs,
Lisa, I don’t even own an airbrush gun, but find your ingenuity amazing! 007Lisa! You go girl!
Thanks Lisa. Because of you at cookiecon I bought an airbrush. I have noticed my spray isn’t working well, so I will try the vodka. Hope to see you at the next Cookiecon
Another great airbrush tip, Lisa! I’ll give vodka a shot and see if more color is comes out.
Great post! Thanks for the awesome tips, Lisa 🙂
I have a quick airbrush question for you. I have an airbrush very similiar to yours and I love it! The only issue I am having is what is the work surface like that you are airbrushing on? When I’m doing a lot of airbrushing I notice a couple of things. Everything in the house seems to get a light misting of color. Sometimes you don’t even find it until a week or so later and you are dusting, and now my dust has taken on whatever color I was airbrushing with. Let’s not even talk about what I find when I blow my nose 🙂
The very first time I used it I was airbrushing a giant Navy Blue Cake. The air conditioner was on that day and when my husband went to change the air filter later that month the entire thing was navy blue! So my question is what do you do to protect your workspace? Would you mind providing some details for those of us that are new to this technique?
Hi Eli! I can honestly say that I have never had this problem but, I get the question from time to time. I made a few adjustments to my airbrush gun station for those of you experiencing these problems. I added a link to the post and you can find it here: http://thebearfootbaker.com/2012/12/brighten-you-photos-with-an-airbrush-gun-station/
Hope it helps;)
Lisa, thank you, thank you!!! Turned mine on and nothing came out…eek!! Opened up your tutorials and followed your instructions…and wah-la I’m in business again after about a 3 hr soak!! Put vodka through it this time when I was done, too!! I’m just starting to airbrush and love it!! –Katy
HI Ms Lisa… I am Liza too here in the Philippines.. just want ti get info if i can add some vodka on my airbrush color so that it will dry fast?
Kindly message me in my Facebook account Clarissa Bay Alvarez Etruiste… thanks a lot
Hi Liza in the Philippines! So nice to meet you!
If you add vodka to your airbrush color it will thin your colors and could change the way the color sprays. Thats not a bad thing but it is something to consider. If you want to use the vodka, you can spray it on a few test cookies to see how much to use and to see if you like the results.
Bear hugs,
Lisa
After spraying the vodka, clear of color, do I spray again with water?
Lisa, to flush the airbrush gun of color, could I use vodka only or do you recommend water flush 1st? then voda, last thing.