Clean paintball equipment is the key to a successful paintball game.
The more you take care of your equipment and clean it properly, it offers you better performance and even lasts longer.
Improperly maintained equipment will do nothing but cause malfunctions or mechanical failure.
I know that sometimes you don’t feel like cleaning immediately after a few hours of playing. Fortunately for you, cleaning paintball equipment is very easy.
Ready to see how? Let’s get started.
Contents
Paintball Gun – Maintenance & Cleaning
Paintball is fun, but to be able to enjoy it every time you have to clean your paintball equipment, especially the gun. How often do you have to clean your paintball gun? It is recommended to do this after each use.
A well-maintained and cleaned paintball gun ensures improved accuracy and consistency in your game. For this, you must pay attention to all the components of the paintball gun. It could seem a bit complicated at first, but believe me, this process is absolutely worth it! No misfires, no leakage, and a smooth shoot – all possible with clean paintball equipment.
For paintball gun maintenance you can purchase a paintball gun cleaning kit. There’s also possible to acquire all the necessary tools one by one.
If you choose the second option, you will need the following:
- Soft paper towel – these sheets made of paper are great for wiping delicate surfaces
- Paintball gun lube – it is a lubricant that can be used in paintball gun maintenance. Lube is a light, low-viscosity lubricant.
- Paintball gun oil – it is a special lubricant used to prolong the lifespan and improve the performance of the paintball gun. It lubricates the gun’s moving parts and prevents corrosion. Compared to lube, oil is a heavier fluid.
- Paintball gun grease – just like the oil, the grease is also a lubricant that is applied to the removable parts of the paintball gun. It enhances the paintball gun performance. Among all lubricants, grease is the thickness one.TIP: To know exactly which lubricant to use, read the instruction manual of the paintball gun.
- Paintball barrel swab or squeegee – this small tool is made of superior material that removes paint dirt and debris. With it, you can easily clean the inside of the paintball gun barrel.
- Paintball O-rings – O-rings are no longer cleaning tools, but actual components of paintball guns. They prevent leaks. But for a tight seal, they are sometimes replaced when they are more worn
How to clean a paintball gun
Try to avoid cleaning the paintball gun on the grass, on the ground, or on any other surface that can hinder the cleaning process.
For this, you must:
- detached the paintball gun from the air source
- de-gas your gun
- if your paintball gun has batteries, remove them all
The barrel must be very, very slowly disassembled from the gun. Prepare one or two barrel swabs or squeegees.
Start to clean the barrel by running the squeegee through the interior of the barrel and then pulling it out. Repeat the process until you feel that there is no more dirt inside the barrel.
It is not recommended to use water when cleaning the barrel because it can cause corrosion inside.
Do not use rough washcloths because you risk damaging the paintball gun.
Also, try not to use water. Although it can help, you have to dry the wet part very well after you finish. If not, your paintball gun will suffer.
So it’s best to clean it only with a soft paper towel. Clean the gun on all sides. Pay special attention to smaller areas or crannies. Take your time, don’t rush, and do be gentle.
Do not press or put pressure on the small areas because you can damage them.
Whether it is a motorized or a gravity one, take it out and clean it well. If not, the paint will stick to the gun, slowing down the performance.
If there is too much paint deposited, then you will be uncomfortable when using the gun.
Clean them all well with soft paper towels. When you clean them, be careful to place them in order in the workspace so that you don’t get confused when you have to assemble them back.
After cleaning these last components, you are done cleaning. Now your paintball gun shines, and its performance and accuracy are great again.
Do not apply a large amount of lubricant. Note that O-rings need a very small amount of lubricant.
FAQ
You can use water to wash your paintball gun. However, you can only use water to clean the outside of the body of the paintball gun. The amount of water must be moderate. Preferably the microfiber cloth or the paper towels should be soaked in a small amount of water. Water must not be used in combination with soaps or other products.
It is not recommended to clean the paintball gun with water inside. Water causes corrosion and other damage to the gun.
You can remove paint from a paintball gun with a cloth or paper towel soaked in some water. Gently scrub the paintball gun until the paint comes off. Try to not press too hard on the dirty area.
Paintball Mask Cleaning
A clean paintball mask will keep you looking cool on the paintball field. The paintball mask is very easy to clean, especially if you choose to do it immediately after the game.
The lenses must be cleaned separately from the rest of the mask in order not to come into contact with other substances when cleaning the mask. So, remove the lens from the goggles and place them separately.
Lenses are of two types. They are goggles equipped with single-paned lenses, but also with dual-paned lenses. The difference is that the dual-paned ones are made of two separate pieces of plastic linked by a rubber or foam.
Both lenses can be gently wiped with microfiber. If necessary, you can soften the microfiber with some water.
However, dual-paned lenses can be wiped with a cloth soaked in water only on the outer surface. If you clean them with a wet cloth inside, then the water will enter between the two pieces of plastic and will not get out. Your lenses will be ruined.
So, keep this in mind. The dual paned lenses should not be cleaned with water and under no circumstances should they be submerged under water.
For this step, you must also take out the other mask accessories. Some masks have, for example, a removable foam that would be damaged in contact with water. Now, you can take a DIY paintball mask cleaner, a disinfectant, or a professional paintball mask cleaner and spray it on the goggles. You can use a cloth or a toothbrush to clean all the spots.
After you have removed all the dirt, let the goggles dry very well.
After the goggles have dried, you can easily and smoothly attach the lenses back. Your mask is now clean and ready for the next adventure.
How To Wash Paintball Clothes
With the paintball gun and mask clean, all that’s left is the paintball clothes. Like the others, they don’t require much effort.
It is recommended, however, to try to pre-soak them for an hour or two as soon as you get home. If the paint is fresh, most of it will come out in two hours of pre-soak.
After the pre-soak, put the clothes in the washing machine. My advice is to wash paintball clothes separately from other clothes to prevent paint transfer. Use any regular detergent, but avoid using bleach or fabric softener.
Check the label for more instructions and set the washing machine on a gentle cycle.
Take them out and hang them to dry.
Final Thoughts
To sum it up, cleaning your paintball equipment is an easy task that requires only a little effort, but has a huge impact on your game.
Take care of your equipment properly and your performance will improve significantly.