Extend Backpack Sprayer Life by Cleaning After Each Use
By: Caroline Silverman
Your spray job is complete and the last thing you feel like doing is taking the extra time to rinse out your sprayer. We get it. But did you know that chemicals can easily coagulate and clog the system if not rinsed out prior to storage? Properly cleaning your sprayer after each use ensures that the sprayer will remain in good operating condition for seasons to come. Keep reading for our best tips to ensure your sprayer gets the correct post-spray care.
What happens when you don’t clean your sprayer?
Failing to care for your backpack sprayer can lead to several issues. Chemicals will thicken inside your tank, inlet filter, pump, gun, hose, and nozzles which will lead to reduced pressure and spray performance. Allowing chemicals and debris to build up will lead to pump damage and failure. Not just the clogging, leaving any leftover solution in the tank can cause the Viton™ seals to enlarge, break, or disintegrate, which can immediately lead to leaking while spraying. Also, the absence of seals and filters will allow debris to enter your sprayer’s internal components which will cause problems in the future.How often should you clean your sprayer?
It’s crucial to clean your sprayer between uses, preventing chemical buildup and keeping the tank clean. If you are using the sprayer every day professionally, we recommend to clean out the sprayer at the very minimum of once per week. Taking the five minutes or less at the end of the day to give your sprayer a good, thorough cleaning will ensure that it stays in the best condition for the spray jobs tomorrow.
Cleaning and drying the sprayer thoroughly is especially important before storing the sprayer for an extended period like winter.
How long do sprayers last if you take care of them?
FlowZone’s backpack sprayers are an investment that should last multiple seasons without significant issues. Regular maintenance can prevent sprayer problems. Covered under a One Year Limited Warranty, assuming proper maintenance, the backpack sprayers will last multiple seasons if properly cleaned and stored.
Keeping your sprayer clean will extend it's lifetime significantly. FlowZone backpack sprayers can last up to 4-5 years under every day commercial use when consistently kept clean and stored safely. In fact, we still have operators using sprayers from our first launch several years ago!
How do you clean your sprayer?
Cleaning your sprayer can be done in 4 easy steps with some fresh water and a few drops of dish soap. Take care to remove the battery and avoid spilling any fluids on the battery compartment during this process.- Discard any leftover chemical according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Fill the tank halfway with water, shake it around to remove chemicals from the side of the tank, and dump it out to remove any excess product in the tank.
- Fill the tank halfway again with fresh water and add 2 tablespoons of dish soap to the tank. Then, shake the mixture around in the tank, and spray the soapy solution into a bucket to flush and clean the entire system.
- Finally, fill the tank one last time all of the way with fresh water, shake the tank, and spray the clean water to flush the pump system one final time.
