Why can't I get my new Misto Olive Oil Sprayer to spray?

The soaking in hot water is typically to deal with oil that's congealed inside the mister after use. Soap shouldn't have the same problem unless you were using bar soap.

There are two main things that can go wrong :

• The vessel won't pressurize
• The pressurized vessel won't spray.

First, we need to figure out which one it is. To check pressurization:

1. Fill the container half-full with liquid (oil or water). There might be a 'max fill' line (I haven't used a misto in over a decade), but if there is, you'd likely need a flashlight to see it well.
2. Reassemble the mister.
3. Make sure the ring around the top is tightened down well. After it spins down freely, you want to try to get it another quarter turn or so.

4. Put the top on, and pump it up about 10 times.

   • After the first few pumps, you shouldn't hear any hissing. If it's hissing after 10 pumps, it's a sign that it's likely not holding sufficient pressure to spray well (or spray at all)

5. Pump it about 30 more times.

   • If things are working correctly, it should get harder to pump after a while.
   • Towards the end, you should hear a bit of hissing after each pump. You can stop when this happens. It's a sign that the pump is pressurized, and the safety valve is working.

6. Remove the top and slowly unscrew the ring.

   • You should hear a hiss once you've loosened it enough to let air escape.
   • If you do not hear a hiss, the vessel isn't holding air. Repeat the process, but try to crank down the ring a bit harder, and try to pump 60 times this time (and make sure they're complete strokes).
   • If it's still not pressurizing the second time, you can take a look at the gasket attaching the pump portion to the bottom. Check for any damage or bumpiness that would prevent a good seal.

7. If the vessel did hiss, re-tighten the ring and pump it back up to the same level as the last time.

8. Remove the top, point the nozzle towards something that you don't mind getting wet or oily, and press the button down.

   • The button should actually move some. If it doesn't, that's a problem. There might be something physically obstructing it that can be removed through scraping or cutting, but be careful.

   • If the button moves, but nothing comes out ... loosen the ring again. If there's hissing, it means that there's a blockage somewhere in the spray mechanism.

     • You could try taking a pin and making sure the business end of the nozzle is clear. If you can pull the nozzle from the stem (which I can't on mine), you can also make sure it looks okay inside where it attaches to the pump part, and there's nothing in the tube coming from the pump.
     • You can also try looking for blockages in the feed tube that gets inserted into the liquid to be sprayed. (which also can't be done on mine, as there's a filter at the bottom to reduce the chance of blockages)

If none of that works, you'll have to look into returning it as defective.

Aasuming the issue is a clog, here's from MISTO instructions:

We always recommend washing you MISTO® using directions included in the instructions booklet to keep the internal assembly clean and working properly. Usually MISTO® will need to be cleaned approximately every 6 to 8 weeks to keep it working smoothly.

Fill the MISTO® 1/2 full with hot tap water Add one drop liquid detergent and shake to mix. Pump 10-15 times Spray for ten seconds Allow the soapy water to remain in the sprayer for several hours or even overnight. This will allow it to break down any oil that has solidified in the sprayer. Rinse, repeat the sequence above with fresh hot water.

It's possible some soap got clogged in the sprayer when you cleaned it. If so, this should take care of it.

Put the silver top on and pump it up and down several times to prime the pump. Took me a while to figure it out!