How to clean a paintball mask

Paintball is, by its very nature, a very vigorous game. It involves a myriad of activities from running, dodging, kicking up dust, crawling and shooting. All these moves are aimed at giving you the upper hand so that you can win against your opponent. It is a great teambuilding sport, and for the physical fitness enthusiasts, this is one of the most intense sports.

What is a Paintball Mask?

Although paintball is a fun game, it can also be very dangerous if played without proper protective gear. Of all the pieces of protective equipment necessary for a good game of paintball, the most important is the paintball mask. This piece of equipment helps protect your head from all the extremities of the game, including the high-velocity balls of paint that your opponent fires at you. Failing to maintain a clean paintball mask could result in poor visibility, thus giving your opponent the upper hand, or even worse, result in grievous injury.

Why wear a Clean Paintball Mask?

As with all sports equipment, there are many benefits of wearing a clean paintball mask every time you play. These include:

Your Personal Safety

The main reason for having a paintball mask on during a game is for your protection. As we saw earlier, paintball is a prey intense game that involves a lot of maneuvers. Attempting these moves without wearing a clean paintball mask leaves the most sensitive part of your body exposed to injury.

Enhanced Confidence

You will be able to enjoy your paintball game better, knowing that you are well protected when you wear a clean paintball mask. The increased confidence will give you the upper hand as you compete against your opponent.

Allows for Better Training

When you put on a clean paintball mask, you are guaranteed sufficient protection to your head and clear visibility. You will be able to train more effectively without having to fear for your safety.

It is More Professional

If you are a paintball enthusiast, you will want to look, feel, and play like a professional. One of the marks of professionalism is wearing a clean protective kit, and that includes your paintball mask.

What to Use When Cleaning a Paintball Mask

We have seen the benefits of wearing a paintball mask. To keep your paintball mask clean and in good condition, you need to know how to safely and effectively clean it. Knowing what to use and what to avoid while cleaning your paintball mask will save you a lot of time and money.

For you to effectively clean your paintball mask, you will need three items:

• Clean water.
• Microfiber cloth.
• Paintball lens cleaner.

One important point to note is that you should never use a regular glass cleaner to clean your paintball mask. These products have components that can easily strip the protective coating on your paintball mask lens. It is also important not to use any material other than a microfiber cloth for wiping the lens clean, as these other materials are too harsh and will ruin the visibility of your paintball mask lens. Once the lens is ruined, there is no option other than buying a new paintball mask lens.

How to Clean a Paintball Mask.

Once you have put together the required items for cleaning a paintball mask, you can now go ahead and get the job done. We will share our simple step by step guide for cleaning the paintball mask below.

Inspect the Lens Carefully.

The first step when cleaning your paintball mask should always be a thorough, but gentle inspection of the lens. The lens is a vital part of the mask since they protect the most sensitive part of your head; your eyes. Your inspection of the lens should be aimed at identifying areas that need cleaning and identifying any points of weakness, such as cracks and loose corners.
The best way to inspect your paintball mask lens it to hold them against the light. This helps identify any faults and cracks, especially around the edges. Once you notice a deformity, it is advisable to replace the lens at once, no matter how negligible you may think the defect to be.

Remove the Splattered Paint.

Once you ascertain there is no damage to the lens, the next step is to clean all the debris and excess paint splatters from the mask exterior. The best way to achieve this is by using running water. It is, however, important to make sure that the water pressure is not too high to avoid damaging the lens.

The materials used to make paintballs is water-soluble, and the splatters should not give you a hard time to remove. The stream of water should be perpendicular to the mask, and you should avoid all temptation to spray the mask with water at extreme angles. This point is particularly crucial, since water sprayed from extreme angles may find its way between the layers of a mask’s thermal lens, damaging the visibility. One secret of rinsing the paintball mask with water is to use hot water. Hot water, if gently applied on the mask, rinses off the water-soluble paint splatters easily, leaving the mask almost clean.

Once the water rinsing part is done, keep the mask in a well-ventilated place, and let it dry. When the mask is dry, it is now time to wipe off any remaining stubborn paint residue using your microfiber cloth and the paintball mask cleaner. This process should be undertaken gently to avoid damaging the lens. If you had used your microfiber cloth to clean a splatter of paint from another lens, it is advisable to use a fresh one, to avoid transferring the dirt from the mask to your lens.

Clean the Mask Interior

Cleaning the outer surfaces of the mask does not result in a wholly clean paintball mask, and you must always make sure you clean the interior as well. As we mentioned earlier, paintball is an intense game, and the moves will leave your clean paintball mask with sweat and dust. Cleaning this part of the mask should be simple, since not much, if any paint splatters find their way inside.

However, care should be taken to avoid damaging the interior of the thermal lenses, as these are extremely delicate. You will have no use for a clean mask with zero visibility, so you had better be careful with the lens. Some players opt to rinse the interiors of their paintball masks using running water, but you should be careful not to get it too wet. Spraying some approved paintball cleaner and wiping the interior clean using a microfiber cloth will suffice, and there is no need to overdo it.

Check the lens one last time

Once you have done everything right and you have a clean paintball mask, it is always advisable to recheck the lens. Remember, the lens is the most important part of the paintball mask since they offer visibility while protecting your eyes. Inspecting the lens on a clean paintball mask gives you an excellent chance to identify any defect that you could have missed the first time, and it is better always to be sure when it comes to personal protection. Once you are satisfied that the lens is in perfect condition, then you can comfortably store your clean paintball mask until the next game.

Summary and Recommendations

When it comes to maintaining a clean paintball mask, it is important to be methodical and gentle during the cleaning process. It is recommended that you always use approved paintball mask cleaners and microfiber cloths for cleaning. Any other material, as we mentioned earlier, maybe too harsh and end up damaging your mask.

A paintball player’s most important piece of protective gear is a clean paintball mask, and every paintball enthusiast should not find it hard to follow the cleaning guide. An improperly cleaned mask could lower your performance during the game, and could even result in injury, so t is always important to wear a clean mask before every game.

Since your safety is the priority, do not wait until your mas lens crack to replace them. If you sustain a close-range shot in the course of a game, and the paintball hits your lens directly, it is always good to replace your lens. A clean paintball mask works best with a faultless lens, and if a paintball has hit you to the lens at close range, there is definitely some considerable damage to the integrity of the lens.

It is also essential to properly keep and carry your paintball mask onto the playing field. Since the lens is extremely sensitive, it is advisable to avoid any rough handling of the mask and anything else that could scratch the lens and compromise its integrity.

With these tips, you can comfortably get into the field for an intense game of paintball wearing a clean mask, without the fear of poor visibility, fog and splintered lens ruining your day.