I have had several spray foam cans and I've noticed that after they are used once and not emptied, the straw in the spray foam can obviously gets full of spray foam. How do you clean it properly to have no spray foam in it after use ? I tried tilting the can upside down to blow air into the straw but that didn't work. Is there a recommended way to clean that straw ? I checked the can and NOTHING was provided for that. Thanks.
clean stray in spray foam
Feb 09, 2007
5 Replies
It's a single use product, so forget using multible times. What you have left over does look real when sprayed out in a swirl pile and staimed dark brown though!!
Tom J who put one on thje neighbor's porch and heard the scream
imho:
I was told for polyurethane expanding foam, and this was re-affirmed after reading fire blocking foam can, that you leave the straw alone filled with foam. When you want to use the can again, you snip off an inch of the straw and then start again. It seems the tip will harden and protect the rest of the straws contents. Check the the can out, it might have a different set of instructions.
tom @
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What I have done is put a steel coat hanger into the straw. When you're ready for reuse, pull the steel out, the foam will dry around it, and you're good to go!
Although, I do like the spray in a swirl and stain it brown option!
Now you know why they come in regular size and tiny little 12-oz cans...
I've used the same stuff, as well as the larger canisters sold by tigerfoam.com. To keep the gun clean on the larger system, it is recommended to put petroleum jelly on the place where the tube (or tip) goes, and then it will both seal tight and also come off when the job is done. But, I found that even with the big pressure canisters, it's really best to set yourself up for a one time application, and then junk the empty canister. Incidentally, when the yellow foam turns brown, that's because UV light is breaking it down. The yellow color is ideal, and should be painted or otherwise covered from exposure to sunlight.
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