You canโtย always use an airless paint sprayer for all of your paint jobs, soย if you donโt want toย have to buy a paintbrush every time you paint, then itโs important to learn about caring for andย cleaning paint brushes you purchase. Doing so will ensure long life andย repeated use for years to come. One thing most people donโt realize is that theย package your brush came in can be used to help the brush retain its shape. Consider this before throwing away that resealable plastic or paper wrapperย (ever wonder why it was resealable?). Choosing the right paintbrush is just the first step. Letโs make sure that great brush stays great and gives you years of use.
Cleaning Paint Brushes withย Water or Acrylic Paints
For water-based orย acrylic paints, clean the brush in warm, soapy water and rinse with a tap orย outdoor spigot. Do this until the water runs clear. Avoid leaving your brushย soaking or sitting as this will likely result in a permanent bend in theย bristles. Spin the brush in your hands (preferably outdoors) to remove excess water,ย and then comb the bristles with a brush comb or wire brush to remove anyย remaining built-up paint on the bristles or ferrule. Hang the brush up, or lay itย flat to dry, and then return the brush to its package.
If for some reasonย your paint brush isnโt coming completely clean, realize that some paintย additives provide special adhesion to different surfaces. As a result, you mayย actually need to use some solvents (like those recommended for oil-based paints)ย in order to free up any remaining paint on the brush.
Cleaning Oil-Based Paints off Paint Brushes
For oil-based paints,ย youโll want to use a similar method, but youโll need to work the brush in aย small bucket of solvent like mineral spirits or paint thinner. You may need to doย this a few times (each time with clean solvent) until the brush is completelyย clean or paint.
When done, shake outย the excess thinner and then wrap the brush in either wax paper or aluminum foil.ย Again, be sure to either hang it or lay it flat to allow it to retain itsย proper shape. Avoid rinsing out any oil tools in water since this can make theย bristles dry out over time and become brittle. If you want to keep yourย oil-based bristles soft, try applying some petroleum jelly before storing. Toย remove the Vaseline, just rinse the brush in paint thinner (and shake it dry) priorย to its next use.
What If Itโs Too Late?
Did you mess up andย forget to properly clean and store your favorite brushes? You can probably get itย back with a little elbow grease. Just soak it in the appropriate solvent (forย water or oil) and then loosen any stubborn paint with a wire brush. If itย doesnโt work immediately, you can switch to alcohol or lacquer thinner toย loosen up leftover shellac or lacquer from a prior job. If all else fails aย nice dose of TSP (trisodium phosphate) typically does the trick.
Conclusion
When youโreย done be sure to wrap the brush and hang it or lay it flat until its next use. Of course, you can avoid all that byย cleaning paint brushes quickly after each job.
