Every had the disappointment of a failed spray bottle pump when you needed it most? It’s not strange to experience this kind of a failure and it shouldn’t surprise or worry you when it happens. There are several things you can try in order to have the spray bottle pump working again and replacing it should be the last option to consider. In many cases, people end up discarding their pumps simply because it has failed but the truth of the matter is that most of the disposed pumps would have only needed minimal attention in order to have them functioning again.
Spray bottles are a common part of our homes especially for cleaning purposes. In most cases, the spray bottle in your possession is intended to be reusable, which means there is always a remedy in case they break down. There are many ways to fix a spray bottle and this post will guide you on how to do this without stress.
Understanding the spray bottle pump mechanism
It’s important to understand the spray bottle features before embarking on the fixing process. When your spray bottle fails, it means that either the nozzle or the piston has an issue which could be very easy to fix. Basically, the pump mechanism is quite simple and features a piston that’s attached to a nozzle through which the liquid comes out whenever you pull the lever. The release of the trigger either pulls the nozzle up or down creating a vacuum that helps suck the liquid from the bottle and release the same.
With this understanding, the spray bottle pump mechanism will either fail if the nozzle is blocked, the tube is too short and not reaching the liquid or the piston seal is broken at the piston chamber. It’s good to know which part of the pump mechanism is faulty. For example, the seal would be the problem if you feel like the trigger is light and has no pressure. As such, focusing on this could help solve your problem.
However, always make sure the volume of the liquid in the bottle is at a point where the tube will reach as this could also be a problem. If at all the tube is immersed in the liquid and you can feel the pressure on the trigger but the spray isn’t coming out, then your spray mechanism may have been blocked.
Blocked nozzle? Here’s how to unblock it
In case the nozzle has blocked, the first thing you should do is check whether the adjustment cap is correctly positioned and open. It’s likely that someone closed it without you noticing. A simple adjustment will solve your problems but if this doesn’t help even after opening it, just detach the nozzle head and put some hot water in a bowl or sink and then pull the trigger into the hot water thus allowing the water into the bottle pump. Any cleaning liquids inside there will be cleared, thus helping unblock the pump mechanism. If this doesn’t work, consider the next move.
Immerse the spray mechanism in white vinegar (in a bottle) and then spray this vinegar as you would your cleaning liquid. Allow the vinegar to settle for 30 minutes approximately and then rinse it out. Any clogs inside there should be broken down by the acid vinegar. The other option to unclog the nozzle is to get a sharp pointed pin and poke through the nozzle holes thus clearing any blockage.
If any of these steps don’t work, the next option is to check whether the tune is long enough and reaching the liquid solution inside the bottle. You can buy a plastic tube and carefully replace the old one or attach to the existing one so it reaches the required length. You can wrap an elastic band around the joint and then add a metal nut so it’s secure.
Further possibilities
We hope your spray bottle pump mechanism is fixed already but if not, then we can look at the piston which could be the problem. Check if the spring is displaced and if at all it is, just reposition it. A missing or broken spring will case the piston not to retract. If this happens a replacement will be required. Check with your local stores for a piston replacement.