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Author Topic: Paint Brush Cleaning  (Read 4941 times)

Martin13

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Paint Brush Cleaning
« on: January 13, 2008, 10:58:37 pm »

Hi All,

How do you chaps clean a paint brush so that next time you wish to use it - its just like the day you purchased it :embarrassed:

So far, when I have finished the job, I have cleaned the brush in water or mineral turps and then left the brush in a container of clean thinning material and forgot about it. Next time I wanted the brush, the liquid has evaporated and brush hairs become a solid block >:( >:(

Martin
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Stavros

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2008, 11:24:37 pm »

Wash with paint cleaner or thinners,wash with soap and water hang out to dry


Stavros
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2008, 01:22:19 am »

As per Stavros but always clean it immediately after you have used it and never leave it in a jar of anything to 'soak'.

I also always use the manufacturers cleaners or thinners rather than white spirit.  A bit more expensive but usually a better solvent.

Don't forget brushes are always a lot easier to clean if they haven't been overloaded so the painting technique and brush choice also plays a part.
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Roger in France

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2008, 06:17:34 am »

I agree, clean immediately.

If you have used water soluble paint then soap and water is the cleanser. For oil based paint (as others have said) I use a proprietary brush cleaner even though it is unavailable in my part of France (everyone seems to use turps. substitute). I buy a bulk lot when in the UK. I use it as I find it superior. However, I do suspend my brushes for a day or two in the cleaner, using one of the "pots" supplied free with the cleaning solution, these usually have a lid which is made of flexible material with a slit which grips the brush handle and ensures that the bristles are not resting on the bottom of the container thereby distorting them. With very fine/slim handled brushes I double/quadruple an elastic band around the handle to stop it descending too far.

Then a couple of days later, rinse with copious quantities of soap and water, finally clean, soapless water. Afterwards wrap the bristles in a strip of newspaper and secure with a twist um or elastic band, this will ensure the bristles finally dry straight.

An old tradesman I knew recommended applying the thinnest smear of linseed oil to the clean dry brush before storage.

This may sound like an elaborate process but I only buy very good quality brushes and so they deserve looking after. I just find there to be a world of difference between a good brush and a "use it and throw it" brush. Some of my brushes are 50 years old!

Roger in France.
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Martin13

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2008, 11:54:05 am »

Thanks Gents.

I have been using my fathers old brushes and are of the highest quality. I'm sure he would appreciate me, in keeping them that way.

Simple but very effective method..

Thanks again

Martin from Doon Under
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2008, 09:52:09 pm »

My method it pretty much the same as above, but I use liquid laundry detergent then rinse thoroughly. I have used this method for many years and my brushes are in "as new" condition.
Peter.
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Seaspray

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2008, 07:29:39 am »

Same as above turps for oil based paints, soak over night then clean with fairy soap liquid under the tap in luke warm water.
vinyl paints straight under the tap luke warm water only.

Shake them to dry, run them up and down your palm of your hand till they stop spraying water out.

Put them in a clean plastic carrier bag.

Don't put them down wet as they will pick up dirt.

Have had a paint brush for twenty years but it is now u/s as its no bristles.

Another tip is to take some paint out of the tin put in another container and paint from that. That way your original paint is not contaminated.
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jinks8

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2008, 01:38:42 am »

At one time i would by cheep but in the long run cost me more  >>:-( have got a set now all tough not cheep should last a long time they are very good not had to pick one bristles off my paint work since i started to use them one tip use kitchen towel to get rid of exes paint before you put them in your thinners in between coats. O0 make ITALERI they all have blue handles
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portside II

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2008, 09:56:42 am »

Same as said ,clean them imediately. i have an old oxyclean tub with turps in the bottom which i clean my brushes then dry them on an old towel (keep the wife happy) and then stand it upright in my rack .
My next thing is to get some fine mesh and make a filter to put in the bottom of my cleaning tub (there must be on available somewhere) so i can rub the brushes clean on that,then dry as normal.
I have han my small brushes for two years now and they still look good .
daz
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I like to build my boats to play with, not to just look pretty, so they dont !

bigH

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2008, 02:56:50 pm »

  Just to add another small point to cleaning tips, heres my way to give your brush that final shake.     Get some car repair mesh and a nice wide sized  container, place the container on the mesh and use a marker pen to run a rough circle on the mesh round the bottom of it, (About half inch wider than the container) and another circle tight against the container.   You should now have two circles on the mesh, cut out on the outer circle then make cuts every inch or half inch from the outer to the inner circle, bend these cut pieces upwards and it should now drop down in your container, you can now place your wet brush in the container and scrub it against the grill.   If you wish you can part fill the container with whatever cleaner you wish or make another so you can use one for wet and one for dry.    Harry
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Seaspray

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2008, 03:05:32 pm »

To add to my reply.

Suspend the brush in the container.

That way the bristles don't become bent and  the brush isn't sitting in the old silt paint at the bottom.

Martin
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portside II

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2008, 06:23:28 pm »

thank you big H that is exactly what i am after ,i just could not picture how to do it .
On the subject of drying ,one thing that makes me smile is when watching 'simply painting' on the discovery channel where Bob Ross would after washing his brush "beat the heck out of it " on his easle  {-) .
daz
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Seaspray

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2008, 07:12:47 am »

Thats the same kind of action I was trying to describe on my reply but with your hand.

Fantastic painter was amazed and watched his programmes with great interest  O0

Martin
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portside II

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2008, 01:58:22 pm »

An American Rolf Harris  ;) .
daz
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bigH

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2008, 02:22:37 pm »

  One piece of instruction in my above lesson on a cleaning grill has dissapeard,    When you drop your grill into the container make sure that the bent over pieces are  FACE DOWN  this will raise the grill up from the bottom so that any muck will drop out of the way of the brush    Harry
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portside II

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #15 on: January 26, 2008, 04:40:05 pm »

after reading this posting and gathering ideas i have made a brush cleaning tub/grill

first things first ,i aquired a splatter mesh thingy from the pound shop and cut it to size

then i cut it to fit inside the tub where the cleaning stuff would be

popped it in the tub and then filled it just above the mesh and hey presto a brush cleaning tub  {-)
daz


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bigH

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #16 on: January 27, 2008, 04:33:47 pm »

 Well done Daz, a picture paints a thousand words 'eh'   O0
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IainM

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #17 on: January 28, 2008, 12:10:05 am »

Nice one Daz ....... thanks  O0
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Bryan Young

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #18 on: January 28, 2008, 07:51:53 pm »

Reading the posts on this subject I really think I am doing something wrong. I use 4 brushes. 2 pointy ones and 2 flatties. When I had access to (tons of) diesel oil I used to clean the brushes in that (or avcat). A quick dry-off and use the brush again. Same applies now, except I use "brush cleaner". 20 seconds and use another colour. Perhaps you (we) are all getting a bit paranoid on "purity"?  May I suggest you just clean the damn brush and get on with the job.
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barriew

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #19 on: January 28, 2008, 08:03:56 pm »

Bryan, Thats exactly what I do ;)

Barrie
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DickyD

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #20 on: January 28, 2008, 08:39:43 pm »

20 postings on how to clean a paint brush ? You wouldn't think it would be so complicated.  ::)
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bigH

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Re: Paint Brush Cleaning
« Reply #21 on: January 29, 2008, 02:45:25 pm »

   I suppose Richard that it is like getting the exact shade of paint, we all have our own ideas of the best way to do it and, if it works for us, are only too keen to pass it on,      O0
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