Have you ever had this happen? Your mailbox is starting to look dull and weathered. It could use a fresh coat of paint. So you decide to paint it the same color as your window shutters. You purchase a can of custom matched aerosol spray paint and you paint the mailbox. It looks great, a perfect match with the window shutters. After using the aerosol spray paint, you replace the cap on the can and put it in your storage room.



A couple of months later, you want to paint an outdoor flower pot the same color as the mailbox. You get the can of aerosol spray paint that you used on the mailbox and you press the spray nozzle and nothing comes out. Even after digging at the opening of the spray nozzle with a paperclip, the can will still not spray. So you end up throwing away a half of can of spray paint and you still need your flower pot painted.

Or maybe it did spray, but now the color does not match the mailbox and shutters. It had changed colors or something. It might have even looked like the right color at first, but changed color as you used it. Again, you end up discarding the half-filled can of paint. What a waste of your time and money. What caused these problems? Is there something you were doing wrong?

At one time or another, everyone one has used an aerosol can of some type. It is simple and anyone can use them. You just point the can, press the spray nozzle and that's it. Even though it seems very simple, there are important instructions and safety precautions that need to be followed. These are printed on the labels of each aerosol spray paint can. They include instructions about shaking the can, when and where to use the product. Even how to properly clear the spray nozzle after each use. That will ensure that the next time you need to use the can, it will be ready. Certain steps should always be taken, every time you use an aerosol spray paint.

The first and the last things that you do, when using an aerosol spray paint are the most important. The first step is always to shake the can vigorously, and listen for the shaker ball to rattle. Then continue to shake the can for at least one to three minutes. This helps to assure that the paint is thoroughly mixed with the solvents and propellant that are also enclosed in the can.

When the color of the paint varies from the expected color, the most common solution to this problem is to vigorously shake the can. Since the propellant used in aerosols is a liquid gas, the propellant mixes with and actually becomes part of the paint. The pressure of the propellant as it escapes through the opening of the spray nozzle, allows the paint mixture to propel out of the aerosol can. Thus another important reason for shaking the can. During use, the can should be occasionally shaken to insure that the paint stays thoroughly mixed at all times. The pigments of the paint can settle to the bottom of the can, while spraying for a long period of time.

To insure that the aerosol spray paint works every time it is used and the contents of the container are completely emptied out. The last thing you must do, is to clear the spray nozzle. When you are finished using the aerosol spray paint, you must turn the can upside down and press the spray nozzle. This removes the paint that was left in the spray nozzle and the dip tube. Immediately after the paint has been cleared from the spray nozzle and dip tube, the color of the spray will become clear. At that point, the spray nozzle has been adequately cleared of paint. You can now replace the cap and store as recommended on the can label. The aerosol spray paint will be ready for the next time you need it. When using aerosol spray paint, these two very simple, but very important steps must be taken to achieve maximum results.

So if you follow these simple and important instructions, when using aerosol spray paints, you will help ensure that the color of the paint stays uniform with the original color. You will be able to completely empty the paint from the cans and get the maximum coverage that you deserve. Using aerosol spray paints are economical, easy to use and produce professional results.