Table of Contents
Parts of a Hot Glue Gun
The body of a hot glue gun contains the reservoir for melted adhesive and an electric heating element. The trigger mechanism is built into the handle or head of each model.
A plastic nozzle can be found at the end where you put in your sticks of glue to dispense it onto whatever project you are working on.
Do you own a hot glue gun and want to know how to clean it? If so, then this is the blog post for you! Cleaning your glue gun will help extend its life and keep it running smoothly. Experts will go over what tools are needed, the best way to disassemble the pieces of your hot glue gun, and finally how to deep clean the components.
Cleaning Nozzle
If you press the nozzle too hard and it pushes out melted glue, then clean away.
There is a small metal piece that can be used to unclog your hot glue gun if the tip of your nozzle becomes clogged with dried-up adhesive as well as help straighten any bent components inside the heating element chamber (usually found at the end opposite from where you put in sticks).
A few drops of rubbing alcohol should dissolve off the sticky residue on both sides of the firing mechanism. Use needle-nose pliers or tweezers to pull apart pieces until they are all cleaned and dry. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before putting it together again (with new petroleum jelly) and reassembling it into working order.
Cleaning Specific Areas
If you see any dried bits of glue along with the nozzle, use a toothpick or small piece of wire to dislodge and dissolve them.
The heating element chamber should be cleaned with rubbing alcohol as well.
Use an old cloth or paper towel that can be thrown away after each cleaning session if needed for additional sticky residue removal throughout the many different parts. Any reusable pieces such as tweezers or pliers should also be washed and dried thoroughly before reassembling and storing your hot glue gun back in its proper place (a safe location where it will not overheat).
Stuck Glue Sticks
If your hot glue sticks are stuck together, put them in the microwave for about 5 seconds. Then, remove the melted glue with a butter knife. If you do not have access to your microwave or are dealing with hot glue smears on surfaces other than sticks of glue, put them in boiling water for about ten minutes. The heat will soften up the pieces so that they can be removed easily and then cooled down into their original shape again.
Heat Gauge Problems
In some cases, the glue gun is already heated up when you attach it to a USB port. In this case, in order for solidified melted glue inside the hot melt glue gun to reach its maximum heat capacity and generate more heat in turn, leave it plugged in until all of the solidified bits have been liquefied again. If there is no sign of this happening at all after an hour or so has passed then that means that your device’s problem might be bigger than just sticking a new tip on could solve.
One of the most common problems with glue guns is that the heat gauge doesn’t work. If you are getting low on your hot glue sticks and still having this problem, then it might be time to replace your old tip or buy a new one for this device since replacing these parts usually fixes the issue. However, if none of these steps work then there could be bigger issues at hand that need someone who knows what he or she is doing to fix them (such as an electrical connection somewhere within the gun).
Disassembly Tips
- One thing to note is that the glue gun will be hot after you use it. Wait for it to cool before disassembling;
- Be sure not to touch any of the metal parts with your bare hands as this can cause burns;
- To make things easier you may want to remove all pieces from the main body and set them on either paper towels or napkins (for easy clean up);
- If possible, remove all pieces from the main body and dispose of them onto some form of absorbent material such as newspaper or paper towel; doing so will help keep your work surface cleaner during reassembly;
When disassembling your glue gun it is important to note that when separating the nozzles and heater unit; using some form of gripping hand tools such as vice grips or needle-nose pliers will be necessary in order to get a secure enough grasp on these components for removal.
Maintenance Issues You Might Face
The gun was left with the nozzle open
It is possible that you will find your glue gun clogged because it wasn’t closed properly after use. Make sure to clean this kind of mess by unscrewing all of its parts and then washing them in hot water before reassembling everything again. You can also try using a paper towel or cotton swab dipped into mineral spirits for cleaning purposes if the heat doesn’t work well enough on the hardened glue. Removing old residue from hot gluing guns regularly helps keep things working smoothly at home, hobby shop, etc.
The gun is clogged and the nozzle won’t open
In case this happens, you will need to heat up the tip of your glue gun before trying to fix it by using a paper towel or cotton swab dipped into mineral spirits for cleaning purposes. Also, make sure that all its parts are disassembled before washing them in hot water if needed.
You can also try using a plunger with a rubber seal that allows you to push down on it without spilling anything from inside while repeating several times until the most melted residual glue comes out of the nozzle. Cleaning old residue off hot melt gluing guns regularly helps keep things running smoothly at home, hobby shop, etc.
The glue gun is clogged and the nozzle won’t close
This issue can be repaired by using a plunger with a rubber seal which allows you to push down on it without spilling anything from inside while repeating several times until most of the melted residual glue comes out of the nozzle. Make sure that all its parts are disassembled before washing them in hot water if needed.
You can also try heating up the tip of your glue gun before performing this task by using a paper towel or cotton swab dipped into mineral spirits for cleaning purposes. Cleaning old residue off hot melt gluing guns regularly helps keep things running smoothly at home, hobby shop, etc. It should be noted that allowing the melted plastic resin to build up too much inside your hot glue gun is a major cause of clogged nozzles.
FAQ
How do you take care of a hot glue gun after each use?
A hot glue gun can be one of the most useful materials for home and office projects. However, you need to take care of it as well! How do you clean a hot glue gun? Let’s find out more on how to properly maintain this tool:
- You need to make sure that the gun is turned off. Don’t burn yourself;
- Remove any bits and pieces left in your hot glue gun after use by inserting a small pin inside the nozzle until they are pushed out. This way it will be easier for further cleanings. If there were melted or dried-up bits which can’t be pulled out with the tool alone, soak them first in water so they would become more pliable. Afterward, just pull them off carefully using tweezers or tongs (depending on how well your fingers can take the heat);
- Wash both parts of your glue gun thoroughly with warm soapy water then dry them well before putting everything back together again properly – this should not take more than an hour;
- Once you are done, let the glue gun sit for another 15 minutes to make sure that all parts are dry before plugging it in again;
Now your hot glue gun is ready to be used once more!
How do you unblock a hot glue gun?
If the glue gun gets clogged, you can unclog it yourself. The first thing you should do is get a new plug. It might have melted and caused the problem. In case it’s not, try using tweezers to pull out any remaining hardened glue from the tip of the gun. You can also try using a needle to poke the hardened glue.
If all else fails, you should consider buying a new hot glue gun since it’s difficult to clean them on your own. However, if there are only little bits of dried-up glue left inside then you could give it another go with some tweezers and water or nail polish remover.
How do you use a glue gun without making a mess?
When you are finished using your glue gun, do not put it away immediately. Put some newspaper on the work surface and hold the end of the hot nozzle over a heatproof container filled with cold water for at least ten minutes to let any excess or solidified molten glue in it drip out into this container.
Another way is to use tweezers while wearing gloves if possible (you can also get rid of them) but make sure they are made from non-conductive materials like plastic only! Then pull off all remaining pieces that came out when holding the nozzle under cool running water after having cooled down completely. Even though most types of hot melt glues solidify quite quickly once deposited on surfaces, there may still be traces left that can leave a mess if not removed.
Soak the glue gun in warm, soapy water and pull out any other pieces with an old toothbrush (which you should never use for anything else afterward) or tweezers again. Rinse it thoroughly under cool running water to get rid of soap residue unless your hot melt adhesive is soluble in cold as well which means you are good to go without having rinsed at all!
Once clean, dry off both parts of the glue gun including its nozzle tip inside-out using paper towels before storing away safely where no children or pets can reach them accidentally. By doing this regularly each time after using your glue gun instead of leaving it around dirty, there will be less work to do when it comes to cleaning.
How do you remove a glue stick from a glue gun?
Glue sticks are meant to be melted by the hot gun. Usually, you push them up out of the nozzle with your fingers or a toothpick if they are stuck inside. After use, wipe off any glue left on the outside and put it away for next time!
A hot glue gun can’t dry out because there is always some amount of heat energy still present in the system that keeps things melting – even once no electricity flows through it anymore (just like how rocks remain warm long after sunset).
To clean one, simply run cold water over its tip until hardened materials dislodge from it. The best way to avoid having this problem at all is not leaving your glue guns plugged in unattended while waiting between uses! If you do have to leave one plugged in, turn the power off when not using it.
If you are facing an extreme case of dried-on glue coming out of your hot glue gun nozzle when melted by electricity, try running a bead or two of vegetable oil along its length before plugging it in and allowing things to heat up – just be careful that no open flames are within reach!
This should prevent any material from adhering solidly to the inside walls long enough for you to wipe them clean with paper towels after use without damaging anything. Just don’t forget about this step afterward because if left unattended at high temperatures for too long, even oil will begin burning away into toxic fumes.