How Do I Clean My Brush After Painting?

Take the time to care for your paintbrushes. After the paint, a paintbrush is the next most important thing for painting. If you spend the money getting a quality brush, spend the time to take care of it. A few of the brushes pictured above are about 30 years old. Yeah, go back to the picture and check them out. No filters, gym, Botox or surgery needed for those brushes to look their best in photos, just a little TLC. Here are the steps to maximizing the life of your brush.

Step 1:

Remove as much of the paint from the brush as possible. Drag the brush along the inside lip of the can after painting to remove drips and excess paint. Wipe brush on a rag to remove as much of the remaining paint as possible. This step will help decrease the amount of solvent needed to clean the brush.

Step 2:

Rinse the brush off in the appropriate solvent. Work the brush around in the solvent by swirling or gently smooshing in an “X” pattern. **Paint thinner is a hazardous waste. Use only if needed and dispose of paint thinner properly. Check with your city for regulations on proper hazardous waste disposal. Solvent Info Sheet

Step 3:

Use a wire brush for the bristles. Use your fingers or a wire brush to loosen any bits of paint stuck in the bristles of the paint brush. Depending on how much paint is stuck on the bristles, this may need to be worked on and rinsed out repeatedly.

Step 4:

Wash bristles with soap and water to wash out solvent. This is where my stainless steel deep sink really comes in handy. If you don’t have a deep sink, use a designated bucket or washed out paint bucket for this step. I use either hand soap or dish soap.

Step 5:

Rinse with warm water. Continue to rinse out the bristles until the water runs clear. Pay attention to the heel (base) of the paintbrush. If you still feel like there are too many paint bits stuck in the bristles, repeat the above steps until the water runs clear. Never stop until all of the paint is rinsed out, otherwise, the little bit of paint left in the brush will harden and make your brush bristles stiff and difficult to work with.

Step 6:

Let paintbrush dry. Shake or tap brush to remove excess water. Smooth out bristles and lay flat or hang to dry. DO NOT PUT BRUSH IN A JAR WITH THE BRISTLES FACING DOWNWARD. Doing so will bend your bristles out of shape and cause irreversible damage.

Step 7:

Cover brush to store. Replace the cardboard cover on your brush to protect it when not in use.

How Do I Remove Dried Paint From My Brush?

Pour hot vinegar over your paintbrush that is laying flat in a disposable aluminum pan until the brush or brushes are completely covered in hot vinegar.
Soak for 10 minutes or more.
Use wire brush to remove softened paint.
Wash with warm water and soap.
Repeat steps as necessary.
Shake dry and reshape.
Dry flat or hang and use cardboard cover for storage.

Can I Soak My Brush For A Few Days?

Do not soak your brush in water or (even worse) oil thinner for too long. It will cause irreversible damage to the bristles and the construction of your brush. Both irreversible damage and every poor, starving artist out there will feel the pain of that brush’s death. Yikes. Totally not worth mistreating the brushes, right?

My Brush Bristles Are Kind Of Dry, What Can Be Done?

1/8 Cup fabric softener
4 Cups warm water
Bowl/bucket
Paper towel/ old rag

First, rinse and swirl your brush in the solution, really work it into the bristles. Next, rinse brush with water. Finally, dry, reshape and store the brush properly. Easy as that.

Well, you have what you need for the proper care of your brushes, now get out there and paint your little heart out. There is no easier and cheaper way to totally change the look of a space than with a fresh coat of paint. Transform your house into a home, I’ll be here to help you figure it all out. 💙