Make your own Airbrush Cleaner! - Fast & Easy DIY airbrush hack - Miniature Painters Makers Wargame

MORE ▶ / kevdeo
Making your own DIY airbrush cleaner is fast and easy.
Skip the long, rambling tutorials, I'm cutting right to the chase on this one.
As someone who uses my airbrush a lot, this is a lifesaver. The cost of name-brand cleaners can add up fast. My blend is made from easily accessible products, many of which you probably have at home right now (This is why I don't use straight glycerin in my recipe).
I rolling with an iwata airbrush, and havent had any problems using this setup. For deep cleans and soaking, I'll use my good stuff. But that's only a couple times a year. For daily use, this airbrush cleaner hack is the way to go. Remember, this cleaner is primarily for acrylics!
0:00 - Intro
0:47 - Supplies
1:49 - Ratios
2:33 - Other tips
Other makers, cosplayers and painters have slightly varying blends. Tinker and see what works best for you! Share your airbrush cleaner tips in the comments.

[@pawpawstew]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Just a tip/thought here: Windshield washer fluid contains methanol, which is a poisonous alcohol that you're probably breathing in when your airbrush atomizes it. Bad juju for sure. If you substitute the fluid with additional 91% Isopropyl, it's less toxic and does the same thing. Add your own blue dye and use glycerine for a surfactant, and you've essentially got the same thing as windshield washer fluid, but safer. 👍

[@Tula-cs1ef]

HOLLY CRAP. I forgot about that BUYING simple green now thank you.

[@Dustin2112]

Close! Higher ratios of isopropyl alcohol to water have the exact opposite effect for which you are looking. You need approximate equal parts of water and alcohol and a surfactant. Alcohol itself breaks the polymer molecule chains but has no ability to bond with them. Water has the ability to bond with the polymer chain if you can keep some of the water molecules from attaching to one another. A surfactant in sufficient quantity will interrupt some of the water bonds allowing them to be attached to the polymers. If you have too little water in the mix, the alcohol breaks the polymer bonds and they reattach to themselves and act as a glue.

[@BennyCFD]

Try this.......... kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2STiKx4bbCmeJI&ab_channel=BloodShotAirbrushing

[@DiagolonRider]

i use just regular ole rubbing alcohol lol... cleans everything (acrylics) spotless... dollar store sells little 100ml/3.4oz spray bottles as well as the big jugs of alcohol. just spray it in the bowl, spray the nozzle a couple times in between colors and for a full clean

[@kerrynewell-wildlifeartist]

Wow thank you for making this video! This really is a gamechanger! I'll definitely be making up a batch of this, and as you suggested, I'll keep the expensive stuff for deep cleans 👍🏻 Stay safe and stay creative xXx

[@kevdeovideo]

Thats the best way to use it. Good luck!

[@dfcprops3849]

Wow, I had no idea. This is definitely a game changer. Of course it's good to keep the main brand stuff on hand, as you said, but this is a fantastic alternative. Thanks for always being so generous in sharing your knowledge and tips!

[@kevdeovideo]

For sure man. Using some of this stuff today!

[@dfcprops3849]

@@kevdeovideo awesome. Random question. Do you have a special spray booth for your airbrush, or do you just crack a window and turn on a fan? Just curious what you use.

[@kevdeovideo]

@@dfcprops3849 Hey man, I do not have a booth setup... yet. Planning to do a whole built-in ventilation thing in the next year or so. My shop is in the garage, so I tend to just open the door and throw on a fan. When I use an airbursh, its rarely for long periods of time. I still do the major coverage (larger base coats) with rattle can, typically outdoors. It would be nice to do those with a spray gun, but you need a major booth to accommodate a setup like that. I try to strike a balance there.

[@kevdeovideo]

​@@dfcprops3849 One more thought one this. The real key is using my respirator every time. Its easy to get lazy, but avoid the temptation!

[@dfcprops3849]

@@kevdeovideo Thanks. Good to know. I've been considering making one as I've currently hit a road block while working on a project. I don't have a garage and it's definitely too cold outside to paint. I do the same with rattle cans. They're typically a little better for larger applications, unless I can't find the color I'm looking for. Appreciate the response!

[@TheSmugglersRoom]

Super great tip! Love it!!!

[@edger54]

Giving it a try. Thanks

[@RelentlessHustle]

Thanks for sharing!

[@liaros1o3]

So handy.. As I need to do some airbrushing today!

[@kevdeovideo]

It's a win. I was giddy when I learned about this.

[@liaros1o3]

Thanks for the tutorial! And show us some awesome paint jobs! I wanna see that Boba black series repainted!

[@markoharoldoronearmedpoohb7816]

My ratio for cleaner is 2 part auto window cleaner to 1 part 91% alcohol and 1 part fantastic cleaner. Works great!

[@damianclarke5407]

This is a great video, and great information! From my personal experimentation I have found that adding a touch of 100% Vegetable Glycerin helps keep things lubricated a bit better so you don't get dry tips or reservoirs as easily.

[@nphrandom]

I have been using a few drops of glycerin as I do with a thinner to a similar cleaning recipe... question, do you think it is necessary in the cleaning solution, I get why for the thinner but can only speculate that for a cleaner it would be just about lubrication maybe.

[@Erosennin450]

Does it have to be summer windshield washer fluid? Can I use the winter one for -40 degree stuff ?

[@fadiyassine3483]

Hello is there any home made cleaner for airbrush using edible ink i work only wirh edible ink thank you

[@stephanpieterse6960]

Out of curiosity, what would be the difference between 91% and 70% Isopr. Alcohol? Could you use a 70% instead? If yes, I assume the mixture ratio of H2O would be less?

[@klairbaranek]

Can you please put down what you used for the airbrush cleaner so that anyone can write it down for reference.

[@robofatcat]

Don't forget to adjust the alcohol ratio for the type of alcohol you are using. Most dollar store isopropyl alcohol is only %50 to %75.

[@BennyCFD]

Nah............. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2STiKx4bbCmeJI&ab_channel=BloodShotAirbrushing

[@rochelled2298]

Yessssss

[@camy252camy3]

Dishsoap vs glycerine?

[@calybtroupe9684]

Can you use 92% Rubbing alcohol

[@kargandarr]

I bought a set of four lab grade eye wash bottles from Amazon that are designed to handle ammonia and liquids of the type.

[@Crom4President]

Good stuff. Curious what the windshield cleaner does?

[@nphrandom]

It is the actual cleaning part of the mix, how it cleans and dissolves crap on window basically that but you make it less harsh for the equipment. The dish soap is more of a soft cleaning addition some people use glycerin instead and it is more of a lubrication addition over harsh cleaning

[@harrygutierrez2004]

Thanks is work and worth it .

[@calumryan6328]

this might be a dumb question but is there anything wrong with using just 70% alcohol to clean out my brush? I know obviously its more expensive but I don't use my airbrush often. Ill just rinse with water then squirt in the alcohol and put it through the nozzle and backflow a bit

[@dave3805]

as a rookie, i had a similar question. apparently the 90% dries faster. While 70% is suggested for thinning.

[@nphrandom]

@@dave3805 you are correct the higher alcohol content will result in rapid evaporation, higher for cleaning so it can be cleaned off easy while the lower for thinning so it remains you could say workable for longer, the alcohol evaporates from the acrylic anyway when dried.

[@grahamwestwood4449]

Is the windshield washer fluid pre-mixed or concentrate.?

[@kevdeovideo]

Just pre-mixed. No need for the concentrated stuff.

[@roughcutthooligan5436]

Can you use deionised water instead of distilled water?

[@BennyCFD]

You don't need distilled water, it's a total KZbin myth. Just use tap water.

[@ericcampbell8881]

No glycerin?

[@freshlubejc152]

Thanks so much for the ingredients.

[@kevdeovideo]

No prob. This doesn't replace the good stuff, but it's great for burning through on acrylic color changes.

[@RMwashere]

Windex FTW

[@Dustin2112]

If you are going to use WINDSHIELD WIPER CLEANER, which is really not very safe at all, adding isopropyl alcohol and water is pointless and redundant. Methanol's action far exceeds that of the isopropyl for why you are trying to use it. Isopropanol is a secondary alcohol, essentially it is already a portion of the methanol in the wiper cleaner. Its chemically more complicated than that but suffice it to say, you are thinning the methanol's action by introducing isopropyl alcohol as well as the water. If you want to be a little safer from the toxic effects of methyl alcohol, you could just use a 50/50 mix of isopropyl/water with a little quality detergent and/or glycerin. The approximate equal part mixture is important, read below. BUT contrary to popular belief isopropyl alcohol is NOT THE SAME as ethyl alcohol. It does have similar action for why you are trying to use it but it is not the same chemically. All alcohol is toxic to one degree or another and is also naturally occurring in the environment and within our bodies. However, in the order of the level of toxicity from worst to least: Methanol (really do not use this), Isopropanol and then Ethanol (consumable alcohol). Incidentally, do not use "denatured alcohol" as a substitute for any of these as it is simply a solution of ethanol and methanol. ***** If you want to get down to the nitty gritty and still use alcohol which is understandable, given its action against the polymer binder in acrylic paints, the safest concoction is to get the cheapest pure grain alcohol or vodka from the liquor store, thin it with distilled water to an approximately level of 50% alcohol concentration, add some quality liquid detergent (acts as a surfactant). There is no real need for glycerin as it too would be acting as a basic surfactant. Again, use 50% alcohol in final solution, increasing the percentage of alcohol will have the exact opposite effect for which you are looking. You need the alcohol to break the polymer bonds of the binders of the acrylic paint. The water molecules are being held from bonding with one another as easily by the surfactant (detergent or glycerin), when the polymer molecule chains break they attach themselves to water molecules and are able to be swept away in solution. When there is no longer a bonding agent the pigment is also swept away as a non-soluble. If you increase the alcohol ratio to water, the polymer binder molecules do not have enough water molecules acted on by surfactant to attach themselves. This causes the polymer binder to become like a glue and are not swept away in solution. Its a little more complicated than that but that is the basic gist. Whatever you do, DO NOT USE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID.

[@paulpardee]

If you can't find 91% alcohol, you can just use the 70% alcohol and use less water. If you use 100 ml of 91% alcohol, you have 91ml of alcohol in the mix. If you use 70% alcohol, and you use 130 ml of it, you have 91 ml of alcohol in the mix and you just add 30 ml less water. 130 ml 70% alcohol, 70 ml water, 100 ml of wiper fluid - bob's your auntie. Or if you're not into science, 1 1/3 cups of 70% alcohol, 2/3 cups of water, 1 cup of wiper fluid.

[@darrenjones658]

don't mean to piss on the bonfire boys but be careful as the majority of windshield wash is made from isopropyl !

[@kevdeovideo]

Washer fluid is primarily for filler and blue dye.

[@BigAndTall666]

Buy original, the paint manufacurer knows the formulation better than anybody!!!

[@kevdeovideo]

For sure, but this has been very handy as a filler option

[@jester65jn]

why even post that

[@evilmenudo]

The paint manufacturer wants you to buy their product and not make your own. So they can make more money...

[@nphrandom]

The many manufacturers all produce a basic version consisting of what they compiled to do the job of thinning specific paints... reality is though, if you were to combine these ingredients under licence and get regulated, slap it in a nice compliant bottle with a label.. you are now a manufacturer of thinners. Bit like making perfume.

[@usernamedkjahstill5003]

Nope. No, thanks. The homemade stuff is perfectly fine.