Which sprayer for which chemical
Short answer: the seals decide what a sprayer can handle. Every pump up sprayer has rubber seals and O rings inside the pump, valve and trigger. Put the wrong chemical through them and they swell, go soft or crack. Then the sprayer leaks, loses pressure or stops spraying. Some chemicals also need acid resistant valves and nozzles.
So before you buy a spray bottle, start with the chemical. Find its family below, then choose a sprayer built for it.
Match your chemical to a sprayer
| Chemical family | Common examples | Choose | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum solvents and oils | Brake cleaner, degreaser, diesel, kerosene, turps, tyre shine, formwork oil, sealers, xylene | A solvent resistant sprayer with VITON or FKM seals | Alkaline (EPDM) sprayers |
| Diluted acids | Aluminium brightener, descaler, brick, tile and concrete acid wash, bathroom cleaner | An acid resistant sprayer | Alkaline sprayers |
| Bleach | Bleach, hypochlorite cleaners | A bleach resistant sprayer | Standard solvent sprayers |
| Alkaline chemicals and aggressive solvents | Caustic soda, glycol brake fluid, methanol, ethanol, acetone, graffiti removers, fibreglass and car painting agents | An alkaline resistant sprayer with EPDM seals. For acetone, alcohols and MEK, a sprayer made for those solvents | Solvent sprayers |
| Food contact | Food oils, fats, cake release, kitchen sanitising | A sprayer that is food safe to EC 1935/2004 | Any sprayer that is not food grade |
Not on the list? Check with us before use. We'd rather answer a quick question than have you ruin a sprayer, or something worse.
Four mistakes we see often
Brake cleaner in a garden sprayer. Brake cleaner and degreaser need solvent resistant seals. Check a garden sprayer has them before you use it for this. See our guide to choosing a spray bottle for brake cleaner and degreaser.
Mixing up brake cleaner and brake fluid. They sound alike but sit in different families. Most brake cleaners are petroleum solvents and need a solvent resistant sprayer. Glycol brake fluid needs an alkaline (EPDM) sprayer. If your brake cleaner's safety data sheet lists acetone, check with us before use.
One sprayer for everything. A solvent sprayer is not made for acids or alkaline chemicals, and an alkaline sprayer is not made for oils or petroleum solvents. If you use more than one chemical family, use one sprayer for each and label them. Colour coding collars make this easy.
Swapping seal kits. Acid and alkaline seal kits are different. Always fit the kit made for your sprayer model. Our guide to VITON, EPDM and NBR seals explains why.
How to read a chemical label for this
- Look at the safety data sheet (SDS) for the product. Section 3 lists the ingredients.
- Find the main ingredient family: petroleum solvent, acid, bleach, caustic or alkaline, or an alcohol or ketone such as acetone.
- Match it to the table above.
- If the SDS lists ingredients from more than one family, or you aren't sure, ask us before you buy.
Look after it and it will last
Release the pressure after each job, rinse the sprayer and keep it out of the sun. Replace the seals when it starts to weep or lose pressure. Our guide on how to use and look after a pump up sprayer covers the details.
Safety first
Always read the chemical label and safety data sheet. Wear the protective gear they call for, such as gloves and eye protection. Never mix chemicals in a sprayer, and never put a chemical in a sprayer that isn't made for it.
Questions
Can one sprayer handle every chemical?
No. Seals that resist solvents don't suit alkaline chemicals, and the other way round. Use one sprayer per chemical family.
Why did the seals in my sprayer swell?
Swollen or soft seals usually mean the chemical doesn't suit the seal material. Switch to a sprayer made for that chemical and fit a new seal kit.
Is brake cleaner a solvent?
Most are. Petroleum based brake cleaner needs a solvent resistant sprayer with VITON or FKM seals. Check the safety data sheet, and if it lists acetone, check with us before use.
Can I use a food safe sprayer for cleaning chemicals?
Keep a food safe sprayer for food contact only, so it stays clean and safe for food.
My chemical isn't listed. What now?
Ask us before you use it. Send the product name or the safety data sheet and we'll tell you what suits.