How to free a sticky spray bottle trigger

[Ray K]

I'm talking about the common bottles with household cleaners in them
that spray when you squeeze the trigger. Well before the contents are
used, the trigger usually becomes sticky/sluggish and takes a long time
to fully return to the "relaxed" position, ready for the next squeeze.
I've tried soaking the head in water, squirting it with light oil,
applying liquid dish detergent as a lubricant. None really solves the
problem.

Tnanks,

Ray

 

[m Ransley]

What solves the problem? A new sprayer. they are made of crap,
Chinese.

 

[Roger]

I'm talking about the common bottles with household cleaners in them
that spray when you squeeze the trigger. Well before the contents are
used, the trigger usually becomes sticky/sluggish and takes a long time
to fully return to the "relaxed" position, ready for the next squeeze.
I've tried soaking the head in water, squirting it with light oil,
applying liquid dish detergent as a lubricant. None really solves the
problem.

Sounds like a blockage, so pump cannot suck. I had a sprayer pack up this
way, and was shocked to find I could take the head apart with no sweat, no
tools. Once the head is apart, cleaned orifice and innards, then ran
tapwater under pressure, thru the separated siphon tube. All works fine now,
but this was a bottle sold empty for several bucks, as a container for
garden spray, etc, so yours might be cheaper, with non-disassembly parts.
Some cleaners, like bleach and mildew sprays, are hell on return spring and
other parts, and may contribute to breakdown.

 

[TURTLE]

I'm talking about the common bottles with household cleaners in them
that spray when you squeeze the trigger. Well before the contents are
used, the trigger usually becomes sticky/sluggish and takes a long time
to fully return to the "relaxed" position, ready for the next squeeze.
I've tried soaking the head in water, squirting it with light oil,
applying liquid dish detergent as a lubricant. None really solves the
problem.

Tnanks,

Ray

This is Turtle.

I use these spray bottles in my HVAC / R business and I have found that
everytime they stick I go down to Walmarts and get a repair kit for them at 99
cents called a [ new one ]. I get 6 of them and that last me the whole year.

TURTLE

 

[Ray K]

Sounds like a blockage, so pump cannot suck. I had a sprayer pack up this
way, and was shocked to find I could take the head apart with no sweat, no
tools. Once the head is apart, cleaned orifice and innards, then ran
tapwater under pressure, thru the separated siphon tube. All works fine now,
but this was a bottle sold empty for several bucks, as a container for
garden spray, etc, so yours might be cheaper, with non-disassembly parts.
Some cleaners, like bleach and mildew sprays, are hell on return spring and
other parts, and may contribute to breakdown.

Seems like regardless of the contents (bleach, non-bleach cleaners,
etc.) it's the same problem: the spring doesn't have enough force to
return the trigger to the relaxed position, or spring is binding on
something like a rough edge or cleaners that become gummy between long
periods of disuse.

Thanks to all.

Ray

 

[MLindholm]

I feel so clever right now...wanted to share the solution I finally discovered .

First off, I realized most of my stuck spray bottle handles were on bottles I hadn't used in awhile. Secondly, most of these are being reused from cleaning product bottles. They weren't blocked. They didn't have holes or suction issues. It had to be something with the spring. The springs on these are usually not accessible, as this most recent was not. However, I could see through the plastic that it was not broken. It was sticking tho (in the pressed in position), so it occurred to me that it might need lubricated. I put the top of the tube in a bit of olive oil and sprayed. I wasn't sure if the oil would touch the spring, but I let that sit for just a few seconds, then I pumped it out...the handle worked! To clear out the pump, I then pumped some of my awesome homemade cleaner thru it (1/4 each of dawn, lemon juice or packet of lemon koolaid/water, white vinegar, water), then pumped water thru it to flush that out. It was still working. Fingers crossed, I put the pump back into the bottle of cleaner I actually wanted to use and it is fixed...viola! I concluded the spring had gotten kind of corroded from sitting/drying with the cleanser on it, which, in this case, was a bottle of peroxide. Anyway, I hope this helps .

 

[MLindholm]

Small correction (but could prove to be confusing)...should read:

I put the tip of the tube in a bit of olive oil and sprayed.

 

[Nakhadi]

Small correction (but could prove to be confusing)...should read:

I put the tip of the tube in a bit of olive oil and sprayed.

I feel so clever right now...wanted to share the solution I finally discovered .

First off, I realized most of my stuck spray bottle handles were on bottles I hadn't used in awhile. Secondly, most of these are being reused from cleaning product bottles. They weren't blocked. They didn't have holes or suction issues. It had to be something with the spring. The springs on these are usually not accessible, as this most recent was not. However, I could see through the plastic that it was not broken. It was sticking tho (in the pressed in position), so it occurred to me that it might need lubricated. I put the top of the tube in a bit of olive oil and sprayed. I wasn't sure if the oil would touch the spring, but I let that sit for just a few seconds, then I pumped it out...the handle worked! To clear out the pump, I then pumped some of my awesome homemade cleaner thru it (1/4 each of dawn, lemon juice or packet of lemon koolaid/water, white vinegar, water), then pumped water thru it to flush that out. It was still working. Fingers crossed, I put the pump back into the bottle of cleaner I actually wanted to use and it is fixed...viola! I concluded the spring had gotten kind of corroded from sitting/drying with the cleanser on it, which, in this case, was a bottle of peroxide. Anyway, I hope this helps .

My girl, you are a genius!!! Thank you