A guide to cleaning brushes after painting

Knowing how to remove paint from paint brushes will keep brushes like new and longer, whether you are using oil, latex or acrylic paint. It is always best to clean paint brushes immediately after a painting project is complete. Paint brushes with dried paint on the bristles will take longer to clean and may need disposing of it, if the paint has dried in the bristles for more than a couple of days.This articles provides you with a guide to cleaning brushes after painting.

Removing oil paint from brushes

-Use newspaper to remove excess oil-based paint before beginning the cleaning process. -Wrap newspaper around the bristles using your thumb and index finger. -Gently pull the newspaper across the bristles two or three times, or until most of the paint is on the newspaper. -Pour a small amount of paint thinner and liquid soap into a resealable container. -Dip the paint brush into the mixture and rub the brush on the bottom of the container to loosen any remaining paint in the bristles. -Wipe the bristles with newspaper again to remove more paint from the brush. If paint remains in the bristles,use liquid soap. -Gently work the soap into the bristles, rinse and repeat if necessary. Remove excess water from the bristles with newspaper and store brushes laying flat.

Removing latex paint from brushes

-Remove excess latex paint from bristles by removing excess paint first -Drag the bristles across an open paint can, bucket or paint tray you are using. -Wash the bristles of the paint brush with warm water. -Run your fingers, back and forth, across the bristles starting at the metal heel and work your way to the end of the bristles. - Brushes with dried latex paint will need to be soaked in warm soapy water for a half an hour and combed with a paint brush comb to remove clumps of dried paint from the bristles. - The brush is clean when the water runs clear. Tap the brush on the edge of the sink several times to remove excess water from the bristles. Lay the paint brush flat to dry.

Removing acrylic paint from brushes

-Remove excess paint with a paper towel, pinching the brush between your thumb and index finger and wiping the brush from heel to tips of the bristles. -Rinse excess paint from the brushes with cold water and remove any noticeable chunks of drying paint. - Rub dish soap into the bristles with your fingers to remove excess acrylic paint. Never let acrylic paint dry in a brush as this will ruin the bristles. - Store paint brushes up right to dry.