We have previously taught you how to clean your paintball mask when you’re back home and done playing for the day. But today, we want to walk you through how to quickly clean paint off your mask between games or when you just got hit with some paint and need to hurry up and get it ready for the next game.
Let’s say you just got hit with some paint, and it’s covering up a good part of your lens. What exactly do you need to do to get it cleaned (quickly) so you can get back on the field when the next game starts?
There’s really only one area of the mask you need to get clean again when you’re still in the middle of a round of games for the day: the lens. You can worry about getting all the other paint off the mask later. Focus on the lens because your goal is to get it nice and clean again so your view won’t be obstructed when playing.
How to Quickly Clean Paint Off Your Mask Between Games
Cleaning the paint off your mask between games is a quick and simple process that can maintain its performance. It is an essential step in ensuring the best paintball mask experience. Paint residue on the lens can obstruct your vision and compromise your gameplay experience. By promptly removing the paint, you not only ensure clear visibility but also prevent potential damage to the lens.
So if you get hit on the mask with some paint during a game but are not quite done playing for the day, remember: carefully clean the lens without scratching it, and you’ll be back on the field in no time. Leave all the other cleaning for later.
1. Use a microfiber cloth as a squeegee
The first thing you want to do is wipe off as much of the paint as you can by simply using the palm of your hand. Imagine your hand is a squeegee like you use to wash your car’s windshield at the gas station and make 1 or 2 passes across the lens to remove as much paint as possible. A microfiber cloth works well too, but your hand is a surprisingly good squeegee to wipe off excess paint on the lens.
Please don’t use anything like paper towels, your shirt sleeve, a gym towel or anything else besides the palm of your hand or a microfiber cloth. It would be best if you didn’t use any of those products because they are quite a bit more abrasive, so there’s a much higher chance of accidentally scratching the lens. The palm of your hand and microfiber cloths are soft and smooth, so neither should leave any scratches if you’re careful.
Remember, all you are trying to do at this point is remove as much of the excess paint as you can without scratching the lens. You’re not trying to clean everything off or make it look like a new lens. After you squeegee with your hand, there will still be some paint on the lens, and that’s fine because you’re not done yet.
2. Wipe the lens clean using lens cleaner
Now it is time to get that lens nice and clean and put the finishing touches on it.
Take out the lens cleaner spray you keep in your equipment bag and spray a few squirts of it directly on the lens. Then carefully wipe the lens clean with a fresh microfiber cloth. If you did a decent job using your hand as a squeegee in step 1, you might be able to get everything off and have a clean lens after your first round of spray. But if not, just re-apply a little more lens cleaner and wipe it down again with another clean microfiber cloth.
If you used a microfiber towel for step 1, it’s okay to use the same cloth again. However, it needs to be large enough so that none of the paint you just wiped off will get back on the lens. If it’s too small to use a separate and clean area on it, use another cloth.
You can buy a pack of 8 microfiber cloths for around $10, so we recommend keeping a pack in your paintball gear bag. They are washable, reusable, and the only thing you should use when wiping down your lens, so they are well worth the small investment.
Also, don’t use any lens cleaner or anti-fog sprays that are not made specifically for paintball mask lenses. Some paintball fields will have things like Windex, glass cleaner or some other general all-purpose spray available for use. However, these all contain more abrasive chemicals that could damage and deteriorate your lens, so do not use them.
3. Inspect the lens for any damage
Once your lens is nice and clean, you need to inspect it again to make sure it’s still safe to use. If at any time you notice a crack or fracture in the lens, you can stop cleaning it because it needs to be discarded and replaced.
However, sometimes paint will cover up any damage on the lens, so we wait until the end to give it a really good inspection. And as a reminder, if you take a direct hit to the lens from within about 30 or 40 feet, just go ahead and replace the lens even if there’s no visible damage.
A direct hit from that close can seriously weaken the lens, and there’s no need to take any chances. Yeah, it sucks throwing a lens and replacing it, but it’s better than the lens not holding up to another direct hit and subsequently getting injured.
Prioritize carefully cleaning the lens — and leave the rest for later
Don’t get distracted with other things when cleaning your paintball mask between games. Remember your goal: to get the lens completely clean so you can get back on the field for the next game. You can worry about cleaning the rest of the mask later when you do your routine maintenance cleaning at the end of the day.
We are big advocates for completely cleaning your paintball mask at the end of each day. But there are better times to do it than between games. Plus, there’s a chance your helmet gets hit by more paint later in the day, so there’s no point in getting everything perfectly clean only to have to clean it all off again later.
Conclusion
When you need to quickly clean your paintball mask during a game, focus on cleaning the lens first. Use a microfiber cloth to remove excess paint by wiping it like a squeegee. Then, apply a lens cleaner spray and wipe the lens clean with a fresh microfiber cloth. Inspect the lens for damage, and if necessary, replace it. Remember to prioritize lens cleaning during gameplay and leave the rest of the mask for later. By following these steps, you can get back on the field with a clear view.
