Strain the Paint and Line the Cup Before You Spray

The Problem

Two things break a spraying session's rhythm. A clog stops the job while the finish you've already laid down starts to set, and cleanup at the end means scrubbing dried paint out of a cup — a chore unpleasant enough that it discourages picking the sprayer up next time.

The Technique

Both are handled before you pull the trigger:

1. Strain the paint into the cup. A paper cone strainer catches the skinned bits, dried flecks off the can rim, and anything else that would find the tip at the worst moment. Straining takes a few seconds; a mid-project clog costs several minutes and a mark on the work.
2. Use a disposable cup liner. At the end of the session, pour the leftover paint straight back into the can and throw the liner away. There's nothing to scrub.

Neither one changes how the sprayer lays down paint. What they change is how much of the session gets spent not spraying.