How to Clean Painting Tools and Supplies
Cleanup is often the worst part of the painting process. Still, if you know how to do it the fastest and easiest way, it takes some of the pain out of the process. Read on for some of the painting pros' suggestions for a perfect clean up. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2 buckets (those with lids are best)
- 5-in-1 Painter's tool (available at paint stores)
Instructions
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1
Pour the paint left in trays and buckets back into the paint can. Wrap your paint brushes in newspaper and press them tightly. Let the paint fall into the paint can.
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2
Take the extra paint out of your rollers by using the scraper on a 5-in-1 tool. Draw it down the roller, pressing the paint out and into the can.
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3
Wipe the rollers and brushes down, taking as much of the leftover paint off of them as you can with newspaper or rags. Don't use anything good for this because whatever you use will have to be thrown out after this.
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4
Fill one bucket with warm water with just a dash of liquid dish detergent in it. Fill the other with plain warm water. Wash the brushes and rollers up in the first bucket; rinse them off in the second.
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5
After several hours, you can pour off the water and clean up the paint that settled at the bottom and clean it. It is OK to leave it for the next day.
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6
Use turpentine or paint thinner in the first and second bucket if you're using an oil based paint. Clean up the brush the same way until this step.
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Put a several inches of solvent into each bucket. Wash rollers and brushes thoroughly and then rinse in the clean bucket's solvent. You can also wash your hands off in the first bucket. Cover both of the buckets with lids when you're through.
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8
Pour off the solvent into the container it came in the next day and you can reuse it. Clean up the paint in the bottom of the bucket. Add your solvent back and you'll be good to go again.
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Tips & Warnings
You can wrap paint brushes that have been squeezed in aluminum foil and put them in the freezer. Just take them out in the morning. You can use them again.
