Sprayer Depot Blog

As the summer season draws to a close and we start to think about preparing our equipment for the winter season, our to-do list grows long. Thank you notes to clients, winterizing all equipment, and finding storage for supplies and back up supplies, are all on the agenda for fall. The tasks can easily begin to seem overwhelming.

One of the top priority items on your checklist should be to properly clean and store your sprayer, especially the nozzles. What does that really entail? Where do you begin? You can not simply let them soak and then store them away. In order to have your nozzles in tip-top shape for next season you’ll want to be sure to follow these 5 easy steps:

1. Remove all the nozzles, gaskets and tips from your sprayer and place into a large pail of warm water. (You’ll want to wear gloves for this to avoid any chemical residue).
2. Let them soak in the warm water.
3. Fill a second pail with the same cleaner you use to clean your sprayer. As you transfer nozzle pieces from one bucket to another you should scrub them with a soft toothbrush, getting into all the crevices between attachments to remove any remaining residue. Some nozzles with have detachable pieces, gaskets and seals. Make sure to clean ALL parts.
4. Let all the parts and pieces soak for a bit.
5. Rinse the parts with clean water and reassemble the nozzle. (Use caution when draining your buckets as both will contain trace amounts of chemicals and pesticides.) You will want to give the pieces a chance to dry before you reassemble to reduce the chance that mold and mildew will form while they are stored for the season.

Make sure that cleaning solution is free of debris and is appropriate to use on plastic materials (if nozzles are plastic). Use only a soft bristled brush, especially on the more delicate pieces and never use a metal object, which can damage the nozzle. 

Good luck with your winterizing! Feel free to contact us with any questions about your spray equipment or look here for additional information about your spray nozzles.