Painting Care & Cleanup – Painting Perth Tips

The low temperature of the refrigerator will slow the drying process, but it will also increase the chance of paint drying up inside the paint brush. Also, be careful, as most paints do have an odor that will release inside your refrigerator and get into your food. It’s best to clean your painting tools after each use, as proper maintenance and cleaning will extend the life of your painting tool, and ensure it functions at an optimal performance level.

Any mild bar soap or dishwashing detergent will work.

A mixture of warm water and mild soap suds is the best cleaning solution for water-based paints. Prepare soapy water and pour into a clean container. Dip the paint brush into the mixture, working the soap through the brush bristles. Follow with a clear water rinse. Repeat the process if necessary. Always use a clean container with clean soapy water and follow with a clear water rinse. For stubborn water-based paints, try mineral spirits or lacquer thinner, followed by warm soapy water and a clear water rinse.

We strongly recommend the use of a paint brush comb as one of the best ways to clean a paint brush. This tool is very useful in cleaning through the center of the brush and removing any residue near the ferrule’s edge. Paint residue left in the brush will harden and “set” the bristles, making them lose their bend recovery. Once clean, use the paint brush comb to straighten the bristles or filaments to prevent “fingering.” Reshape the paint brush to its original shape, replace in its keeper and lay flat to dry. (After hard use, it may be necessary to steam synthetic paint brushes or dip natural bristle paint brushes in boiling water to aid in reshaping). Whenever possible, store brushes by hanging them. Never store a paint brush on its tip, which can result in “curling.”

Do not use a wire brush on a paint brush. While it will help remove the dried paint from the tips of the bristle, it also knocks off the flag (splits) at the end of the bristles. Using a paint brush comb to clean the paint from the inside of the brush will increase the life of the brush. To get the outside of the brush clean, try using a stiff nylon-bristle paint brush. This will be less destructive on the ends of the filaments.

The paint brush is not ruined. You need to follow this procedure to bring the brush back to its original finish. First, be sure the paint brush is completely clean and totally dry. The water from the latex paint and from washing the paint brush will have leeched the natural oils out of the bristles of the brush.

To bring the paint brush back to its original softness, use raw linseed oil, which can be found at many paint dealers. Put a dime-size drop of the linseed oil in the palm of your hand and work it into the bristles. You may need to repeat the application of linseed oil several times to completely repair the paint brush. Once soft, comb out the brush, place it in its yellow Purdy brush keeper, and store it until next use.

Closely follow the manufacturer’s instructions to select the proper cleaning solvent (mineral spirits or paint thinner for paint and varnish, denatured alcohol for shellac, etc.). Pour the solvent into a container and dip the paint brush into the solvent. Work thinner through the brush bristles, dipping up and down in container several times. Spin the paint brush into a waste area to remove excess thinner and then repeat process with a clean container and clean thinner.

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