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Hey all,

Got a little question for you airbrush enthusiasts out there. I recently got myself a Badger Patriot 105 airbrush, and what I want to know is this: is it okay to use denatured alcohol as a cleaner? I checked the manual for the brush and couldn't find anything that said not to, but I also didn't find anything that said it was okay to use. I'm a bit worried that the alcohol might be hard on the rubber seals. If anyone has any tips to offer or experiences to share, I'd much appreciate it!

Thanks!

~Tim?

According to the CEO and Owner of Badger brushes when you mix alcohol and acrylic paints it creates a nasty gunk that is sticky and hard to remove and it goes everywhere it shouldnt.
Again these are the words of Badger Airbrush Company CEO and owner.

I've used Isopropyl Alcohol on my airbrush before. Usually to remove a really stubborn area of dried paint that I had missed before. I use it very sparingly (as in on a q-tip) and only on the area that needs it, followed by a good rinsing with water and cleaner.

Depends on the paint. Some acrylic paints are readily soluble in isopropyl alcohol. Others are not. I use alcohol, water and occasionally some windex to clean.

I've read that alcohol and acrylic mixed creates a nasty goop. I wouldn't do it if I were you, you could make the situation worse. I don't have any experience myself though, it's just what I've read.

Isopropyl Alcohol can be used but, you run the risk of ruining the O-rings and finish that coats the metal on your airbrush that protects it from corrosion. IMHO I would just use Airbrush cleaner it's a little bit more money wise but, it doesn't damage your airbrush.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Arschbombe wrote:
Depends on the paint. Some acrylic paints are readily soluble in isopropyl alcohol. Others are not. I use alcohol, water and occasionally some windex to clean.

Windex has ammonia base in it that eats the finish on your airbrush over time. It's not recommended as a cleaner.


http://wgconsortium.blogspot.com/2013/02/windexammonia-bad-for-airbrushes.html


https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/cleaning


However if you want a good was to clean your brush break it down and drop in a 1:1 ratio of Simply Green in a Ultra Sonic Cleaner.

I can agree that some alcohol I have seen react with some paints to form a nasty gunky mess.

(I just don't recall what paint ....).

However, I have a patriot 105 (and others) and I clean it with 91% alcohol I get at the store in the pharmacy section.

Works great. I use it with vallejo, minitaire, etc. paints.

 Sammoth wrote:


Windex has ammonia base in it that eats the finish on your airbrush over time. It's not recommended as a cleaner.

The rap against ammonia in Windex has been about damaging the seals. Any airbrush that has solvent resistant seals should be just fine. People do spray more than acrylics through airbrushes and use things like mineral spirits, lacquer thinner and turpentine to clean them afterwards. Windex is less damaging than those solvents. There are also variants of Windex that do not contain ammonia.

The first link you provided that includes the email from Badger even says "Ammonia is an excellent spray through cleaner...I have sprayed ammonia through Badger airbrushes for over 30 years and have never seen a damaged airbrush as a result..."

Just don't try to soak your airbrush in it.

Safe, but as already noted, can create a gummi bear Really, just use soap and water for acrylics. Dawn or some variant will do a nice job. Q-tips and wooden toothpicks are also handy. Never use metal objects to clean the airbrush.

 Arschbombe wrote:

 Sammoth wrote:


Windex has ammonia base in it that eats the finish on your airbrush over time. It's not recommended as a cleaner.

The rap against ammonia in Windex has been about damaging the seals. Any airbrush that has solvent resistant seals should be just fine. People do spray more than acrylics through airbrushes and use things like mineral spirits, lacquer thinner and turpentine to clean them afterwards. Windex is less damaging than those solvents. There are also variants of Windex that do not contain ammonia.

The first link you provided that includes the email from Badger even says "Ammonia is an excellent spray through cleaner...I have sprayed ammonia through Badger airbrushes for over 30 years and have never seen a damaged airbrush as a result..."

Just don't try to soak your airbrush in it.

Using Windex (straight from the bottle or 1:1 with warm water) in an ultrasonic cleaner is a great way to do a heavy cleaning, which I do about once a month or so depending on how much I use it. Just take out any gaskets (rubber or paper) and fully disassemble the airbrush, drop it in the ultrasonic cleaner, and run it for one or two 480 second cycles. Once that's done, remove all the parts and wash them off with warm water, let them dry, and reassemble the airbrush and make sure to lubricate where needed.

When I bought my airbrush, I asked the guy about cleaning and his recommendation was just use water between colours and denatured alcohol (rather than isopropyl, not all alcohols are the same, so I don't know whether isopropyl would be worse) when you're done for the day or when changing to a colour where any hint of the previous colour would taint it (like going from a dark colour to a light colour or going to white). I asked him specifically because he does sell airbrush cleaners, but based on his recommendation I didn't buy any of them, lol.

Since then I've bought Vallejo airbrush cleaner. It doesn't really have any huge benefit over denatured alcohol, it's probably cleans it slightly faster. Maybe it's SLIGHTLY less prone to going gummy, but they both go kind of gummy.

 Arschbombe wrote:

 Sammoth wrote:


Windex has ammonia base in it that eats the finish on your airbrush over time. It's not recommended as a cleaner.

The rap against ammonia in Windex has been about damaging the seals. Any airbrush that has solvent resistant seals should be just fine. People do spray more than acrylics through airbrushes and use things like mineral spirits, lacquer thinner and turpentine to clean them afterwards. Windex is less damaging than those solvents. There are also variants of Windex that do not contain ammonia.

The first link you provided that includes the email from Badger even says "Ammonia is an excellent spray through cleaner...I have sprayed ammonia through Badger airbrushes for over 30 years and have never seen a damaged airbrush as a result..."

Just don't try to soak your airbrush in it.

Ammonia based products have always been a iffy subject on using it to clean your airbrush. The thing is it has happened before to people. The OP asked for a SAFE use alcohol for cleaning. I gave my honest opinion about alternatives and a few links on the subject. Ammonia has had a history of ruining O-rings(seals) and eating the finish off the brush. Keep in mind it doesn't happen to everyone.

I agree don; soak anything in Ammonia based liquids.

I think it might be mildly important WHAT alcohol we're talking about. The OP said denatured alcohol, which is mostly ethanol which has been poisoned to make it undrinkable because "the man" likes to put huge taxes on drinkable alcohol.

Isopropyl alcohol is an isomer of propanol.

I don't know in practical terms what the difference is, but surely there is a difference, one has 2 carbon atoms and the other has 3, lol.

The guy I bought my airbrush off recommended denatured alcohol (ethanol), which I assume is different to isopropyl.

Before we go on about this. Here is a link


http://www.ehow.com/about_5519636_denatured-alcohol-vs-isopropyl-alcohol.html

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
When I bought my airbrush, I asked the guy about cleaning and his recommendation was just use water between colours and denatured alcohol (rather than isopropyl, not all alcohols are the same, so I don't know whether isopropyl would be worse) when you're done for the day or when changing to a colour where any hint of the previous colour would taint it (like going from a dark colour to a light colour or going to white). I asked him specifically because he does sell airbrush cleaners, but based on his recommendation I didn't buy any of them, lol.

Since then I've bought Vallejo airbrush cleaner. It doesn't really have any huge benefit over denatured alcohol, it's probably cleans it slightly faster. Maybe it's SLIGHTLY less prone to going gummy, but they both go kind of gummy.

Denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) = Ethanol (the booze kind) but 'poisoned' with methanol, and isopropanol so its unsafe to consume.

Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol or IPA) = is a 'secondary alcohol' with an extra carbon in the molecule. Its used for cleaning mostly. Is unsafe to drink)

Both should remove acrylics really. But as others have said IPA leaves the paint as a sticky gummy mess, it does a good job on stripping paint from mini's mind you. I've not actually tried denatured for this job yet. Might get a bottle some time and try it out.

 Sammoth wrote:
Before we go on about this. Here is a link


http://www.ehow.com/about_5519636_denatured-alcohol-vs-isopropyl-alcohol.html

That site says:

"The basic form of alcohol is ethanol, which is used in alcoholic drinks. It is clear, colorless and flammable. It is from this pure alcohol which subsequent types of alcohol are made."

I think that website themselves are confusing the term alcohol. The basic form of alcohol isn't ethanol. Alcohol is a family of substances, ethanol is one TYPE of alcohol, it gets called "alcohol" because it's the type that the general public is familiar with. Isopropyl does not come from ethanol and is not the same as what is in alcoholic beverages (denatured alcohol is the same, but it's been poisoned to make it undrinkable).


Automatically Appended Next Post:

HairySticks wrote:
Denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) = Ethanol (the booze kind) but 'poisoned' with methanol, and isopropanol so its unsafe to consume.

Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol or IPA) = is a 'secondary alcohol' with an extra carbon in the molecule. Its used for cleaning mostly. Is unsafe to drink)

Both should remove acrylics really. But as others have said IPA leaves the paint as a sticky gummy mess, it does a good job on stripping paint from mini's mind you. I've not actually tried denatured for this job yet. Might get a bottle some time and try it out.

Yep, you just said what I meant to say but much clearer, lol. I have been using denatured alcohol to clean my airbrush, it does create a somewhat gummy substance if left to sit on thick layers of acrylics for some time, however it's an easy to remove gum the same way vallejo airbrush cleaner creates an easy to remove gummy substance.

It was explaining the difference between them. I just provided the link so he would understand the difference between Denatured Alcohol & Isopropyl Alcohol.

The Website is correct the other forms of alcohol are added impurities. This website explains it a bit better.

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/brainstuff/good-question-what-is-the-difference-between-alcohol-ethanol-denatured-alcohol-rubbing-alcohol-methanol-and-isopropyl-alcohol/

Cheers

Oh I didn't mean to say it WAS confusing and the link you gave was useful in pointing out that they are different. I'm saying they have confused what the term "alcohol" means, as they said "The basic form of alcohol is ethanol", which is not true. Ethanol is a type of alcohol, not the basic form of alcohol. Isopropyl has no ethanol in it and doesn't come from ethanol.

Anywhere you use denatured alcohol, technically you could use some decently strong booze in its place The methanol and other added extras are purely to make it unsafe to drink and avoid the alcoholic beverage taxes.

I'm sure I've read that using plain vodka is somewhat common in countries that are known for vodka; (read Russia, Poland )

I suppose well made moonshine could be the best choice? if anyone happens to know any shiners lol!

edit; actualy lab quality denatured is going to be 100% alcohol with a small amount of that being other types, so 95%+ ethanol content its always going to work better than booze as booze isnt that strong
but in a pinch you could probably clean an airbrush with a shot of vodka.