- 1). Insert the paint sprayer's siphon hose into a 5-gallon bucket of clean water, or mineral spirits. If the spray hose currently contains oil-based paint, use mineral spirits for cleaning. Clean the spray hose with water if latex paint was used.
- 2). Place the bucket containing the same paint currently inside the spray hose next to the sprayer. Turn the paint sprayer on.
- 3). Point the spray gun towards the bottom of the paint bucket and gently squeeze the trigger all the way back. Spray the remaining paint from the spray hose into the bucket until the water, or mineral spirits, begins flowing from the gun.
- 4). Replace the paint bucket with a different bucket. Spray the entire bucket of cleaning agent through the spray hose into the new bucket. Water and mineral spirits flush out old paint to prevent paint from hardening inside the hose.
- 5). Grip the siphon hose and insert it into a container of petroleum-based storage agent for paint sprayers. Position the bucket used to flush out the spray hose next to the sprayer.
- 6). Point the spray gun into the bucket and pull the trigger. Flush the mineral spirits, or water, from the spray hose only until the petroleum-based storage cleaner begins to flow from the spray gun.
- 7). Turn the sprayer off. Remove pressure from the spray hose by squeezing the trigger only after the sprayer's turned off.
- 8). Unscrew the spray tip, along with the tip guard, and drop both pieces into a separate container of mineral spirits.
- 9). Wrap up the spray hose neatly and rest it over the handles of the paint sprayer. Wheel the sprayer into a shed or garage.