Download Article

Download Commodity

No thing what kind of pigment you lot're using, cleaning the pigment out of your brushes is of import for keeping them in good condition. Since latex paint is water-based, you can remove information technology from your brush before it hardens with a lilliputian soap and h2o.[ane] If you've immune the paint to dry out in your brush, a solvent-based brush cleaner tin practise the trick.

  1. i

    Scrape whatsoever backlog paint off of the castor. Before you launder your castor, wipe the bristles on the inner rim of the open paint tin a few times to scrape off as much paint as possible. Make sure you lot scrape both sides of the brush.[2]

    • Scraping off as much paint as possible will make the cleaning process faster and easier.

  2. 2

    Wipe the brush with a piece of newspaper. Once you've scraped off equally much paint as you lot can, wipe the brush off on some newspaper. This will help remove any remaining wet residue that didn't come off when you scraped the brush.[3]

    • Keep wiping the castor on the paper until information technology stops leaving marks.

    Advertisement

  3. three

    Fill a bucket with warm, soapy water. A mild dish detergent is platonic for this purpose. After filling a saucepan with warm water, add a few drops of the detergent and mix it in.[4]

    • Alternatively, you tin wash your brush in a sink nether warm, running water.[5]

  4. 4

    Work hardened paint out of the bristles with a paintbrush rummage. [half-dozen] Dip a paintbrush rummage in the bucket of soapy water and work the tines through the bristles of your brush. This will split up the bristles and loosen paint that is defenseless in between them.[7]

    • You lot can get a paintbrush comb at a hardware, home supply, or fine art supply store.
    • Some painters adopt to employ a wire brush rather than a paintbrush comb. However, the wires may harm your castor if y'all practice this frequently.

  5. v

    Bend the beard with your fingers under the water. After working through the bristles with the comb, dip the brush in the bucket and massage it with your hand to remove whatsoever remaining paint.[8] Bend the beard back and forth to assist loosen the paint as you rinse. Keep doing this until the brush looks clean.

    • If you're rinsing the brush under running h2o rather than in a bucket, add together a couple of drops of detergent to the base of operations of the beard. Keep working the beard with your fingers until the water runs clear.

  6. vi

    Spin the brush to remove water from the bristles. Attach your brush to a brush spinner and depress the plunger to spin it inside an empty saucepan. This will help remove the soapy water and any paint residue however remaining in the castor.[nine]

    • You can buy a brush spinner at a hardware, home, or fine art supply shop.
    • If you don't have a castor spinner, milkshake the brush at the top of a saucepan to get the excess h2o out.[11]

    Tip: If your brush has a round handle, you can spin it past chop-chop rolling it betwixt your palms with the beard facing down. You may need a mechanical spinner if the handle is flat.[x]

  7. seven

    Rinse the castor in clean water. After spinning out the brush, place it in some other bucket with clean h2o and give it a rinse. Piece of work the beard around with your fingers to exit whatever remaining paint and soap.[12]

    • You can also rinse the castor under running water. Watch to brand sure the water runs clear.

  8. 8

    Spin the castor over again. After rinsing the brush, give it another spin to dry it out. If you remember there may be whatsoever stubborn pigment remaining in the castor, repeat the rinse and spin procedure i more than time.[xiii]

    • Yous may need to reshape the brush a little with your fingers after spinning it.
    • If you don't have a spinner, milk shake the brush over a bucket and and so gently blot information technology dry with a clean rag or newspaper.

  9. ix

    Wrap the brush in heavy newspaper to retain its shape. When yous're set up to put the brush away, wrap it up neatly with some thick parcel paper. Necktie the newspaper in place with a bit of string. This will assist keep the bristles nice and straight.[14]

    • Many brushes come with a encompass over the bristles. If you have your brush'due south original comprehend, use that instead of the paper.[15]
    • In retaining its shape, y'all desire to continue all the bristles on your brush running in the same management as opposed to letting them fray or open up.[xvi]

    Advertisement

  1. 1

    Purchase a solvent-based brush cleaner. If the latex paint has hardened out and dried into your bristles, washing information technology in soapy water may not be plenty. Buy a solvent-based cleaner, such as Klean Strip Castor Cleaner or Crown Castor Cleaner.[17]

    • Solvent-based cleaners will work for both natural bristle and synthetic brushes, and tin can remove a wide variety of paint types.
    • At that place are as well solvent-free castor cleaners on the market, but some of these are not suitable for natural brushes. Read the label carefully to make up one's mind if the cleanser is safe to utilize on your castor.

    Warning: Solvent-based cleansers are flammable and can create noxious fumes. Always work in a well-ventilated area and away from heaters, stoves, open up flames, or anything that can create electrical sparks.[eighteen]

  2. two

    Place enough cleaner in a drinking glass jar to encompass the bristles. Take a little of your cleanser and pour it into a pocket-size jar, such as an empty jelly or pickle jar. Use enough and then that the beard of your castor volition be fully submerged.[19]

    • Y'all tin can also use a metal coffee tin can, just it won't be as easy to run across what's happening within the container if you lot practice this.[xx]

  3. three

    Append the brush upright in the cleaner. Submerge the beard in the cleaning solution, but don't let them rest on the lesser of the jar. This will crusade the bristles to become misshapen as they soften. You may demand to use a clip or a piece of wire across the superlative of the jar to suspend your brush.[21]

    • If you're using a coffee can, cutting a slit in the lid and pull the brush handle through. This will keep your brush upright and suspended.
    • If you're using a coffee tin without a lid, you can suspend the castor in the can using a piece of glaze hanger wire. Drill a hole through the handle of the brush above the ferule and slide the wire through it, then lay the wire across the top of the can with the castor suspended from it.[22]

  4. 4

    Cover the jar opening with aluminum foil. Once the brush is in the jar, put foil over the opening and around the base of the brush handle. This will go on the cleanser from evaporating while the brush soaks.[23]

    • If you're soaking the brush in a coffee can with the hat on, yous won't need to cover the tin with foil.

  5. five

    Let the brush soak overnight or until the bristles soften. The brush volition need to soak for several hours in lodge to soften the stale-on paint. Leave the jar or can in a well-ventilated area overnight, then check to see if the beard have get soft. If not, permit them continue to soak for a full 24 hours.[24]

    • Depending on how much paint is dried into the brush, information technology may need to soak for a couple of days.

  6. 6

    Apply a paintbrush comb to remove excess pigment. Once the bristles go soft and pliable, run a paintbrush comb through them. This volition separate them and help remove the softened paint buildup.[25]

    • Since the solvent contains harsh chemicals, apply gloves while you're treatment the brush. Durable gloves fabricated of nitrile are the best option for treatment most types of brush cleaning solvents.[26]

  7. 7

    Soak the brush for another hour in fresh cleaner. Later combing out the softened pigment, fill up the jar with a fresh batch of castor cleaner. Suspend the brush in the cleaner and cover the container, so let information technology sit for an hr.[27]

    Warning: Always dispose of your paint cleaning solution and paint waste properly. You tin permit the paint solids settle, pour off the unused solvent, and reuse information technology. Allow the jar with the paint waste matter in it to dry exterior, and then throw information technology away.

  8. 8

    Work the brush with your hands while rinsing it in brush cleaner. Once your brush has soaked for an hr, rinse it in the cleaning solution. Massage the bristles with your fingers and bend them back and forth to loosen any remaining paint.[28]

    • Make sure to vesture gloves while rinsing your brush in the brush cleaner!

  9. ix

    Wash the castor with warm, soapy water. Take your make clean brush and rinse information technology in a solution of warm water and a few drops of a gentle lather. Plain dish detergent volition work well. Gently work the bristles with your fingers to get out any remaining pigment and solvent.[29]

    • Give the brush a quick rinse in fresh water when you're done.

  10. 10

    Spin the brush to remove excess water. Put the brush in a brush spinner and spin it once or twice. This will apace remove any h2o from the bristles and ferule so that your brush tin can dry out.[30]

    • If yous need to, gently reshape the castor with your fingers afterward spinning it.
    • If you lot don't take a spinner, milk shake the castor over a bucket to get the excess water out. You lot can dry it more by gently blotting it with a clean rag or a slice of paper.[31]

  11. 11

    Put heavy paper around the bristles to preserve their shape. Once your brush is all make clean, wrap information technology neatly in some parcel paper and necktie it loosely with a string. This will assist your brush hold its shape and stay in expert working order.[32]

    • Alternatively, you can put the brush'southward original cover back on if y'all still have it.

    Advert

Add New Question

  • Question

    What tools can I use to remove latex paint from my paintbrushes?

    Patrick Coye

    Patrick Coye is the owner and operator of Patrick's Painting & Home Improvement in Alexandria, Virginia. With over xv years of experience in residential construction, Patrick specializes in painting, wallpaper removal/installation, drywall, staining decks and fences, and kitchen cabinetry painting. To date, Patrick and his team have painted over two,000 houses and stained over 800 decks. Patrick'south Company won a "Peak Job" award from the American Painting contractor mag in 2020.

    Patrick Coye

    Painting Specialist

    Expert Respond

    Yous can use a paintbrush comb or a wire brush. If you lot have a lot of pigment caked up onto your brush, those tin be very skilful ways of removing any excess paint.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertising

Things You'll Need

  • Newspaper
  • Bucket
  • Mild lather or detergent
  • Paintbrush comb
  • Brush spinner
  • Heavy chocolate-brown paper
  • Solvent-based castor cleaner
  • Glass jar or coffee can
  • Clip or strong wire
  • Aluminum foil
  • Paintbrush comb
  • Mild soap or detergent
  • Brush spinner
  • Bucket
  • Heavy brownish paper

References

Almost This Article

Thanks to all authors for creating a folio that has been read xv,645 times.

Did this commodity help you lot?