How to Recycle Old Paint Brushes and Rollers

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It seems that everyone who has ever painted anything has old brushes and even rollers laying around. We hate to get rid of them because they're expensive but what do you do with the ones that aren't in such hot condition? With a little time and imagination, you'd be surprised. Read on to learn how to recycle old paint brushes and rollers.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Revive a slightly hardened brush with a good long soak in mineral spirits (find these wherever paints are sold). Sometimes you can actually use the brush for painting things again if it isn't too bad. Follow the directions on the label.

Step2

Refurbish when your brush is all feathered out from too much use. Old brushes are terrific for lots of odd jobs. Use them to dust difficult places such as keyboards, typewriters or in small openings between items. If the tips are hardened just at the edges, trim them off with a sharp pair of scissors and then use. Use also for letting kids paint with them on newsprint or to wash between fancy spoked hubcaps on your car.

Step3

Paint with things beside paint with old brushes. Paint whitewash on fences where a perfect finish isn't as much of an issue. Use them to apply bleach to mildew stains. Let kids use them on paper mache projects. Use them to soak lawn furniture with soapy water or cleaning solution.

Step4

Clean rollers that are not up to par in a solution made for paintbrush rollers if they weren't put away as clean as they should have been. Follow the instructions. Commercial solutions are your best bet for trying to clean rollers up.

Step5

Cover old rollers with a towel or some other thick piece of cloth and use it to roll paint on for it's second life. This will make a kind of uneven faux finish. Try the looks out on a piece of cardboard or on a wall before you paint it.