How to Wash an Oil Paint Brush without Turpentine

Turpentine is stinky and toxic. There is a better way to wash oil paint out of your fine art brushes!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dirty Paint Brushes
• Linseed Oil
• A Brush Cleaning Tank
• Old Newspapers
• Bar Soap
• Sink

1. Wipe off as much excess paint onto old newspapers as you can.

2. Fill your washing tank full of linseed oil. Putting a wire screen or coil in the bottom of the jar to rub the bristles against will help get the brush cleaner.

3. Swish the brush around in the tank, just as you would in turpentine. Be gentle but thorough. Get as much pigment out of the brush as possible.

4. Wipe the brush on another piece of old newspaper to remove as much oil as possible.

5. Wash the brush in the sink with soap. I use a bar of Ivory. You can also buy more expensive brush cleaning soaps at your art store. Build up a lather, swish the brush back and forth on your palm, rinse, repeat. Keep washing until you see no more color coming out of the bristles, then wash it two more times for good measure.

6. Squeeze excess water out of your brush, and shape the bristles into a point. I use a little spit to keep them in shape. (ya, gross I know, but it works.)

7. Lay your brush on it's side to dry. Once it's dry you can set it up on it's end in a can.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean the lip of your jar well before closing it. You may never get it open again if the linseed oil dries it shut.
• If you have trouble with the oil drying out, try mixing half safflower oil and half linseed. Almost any thin painters oil will work. I use linseed because it's cheapest.
• I use a Silicoil Brush Cleaning Tank. It works great! (see links).
• Never put a paint brush in your mouth. There is toxic stuff in oil paints. If you shape your bristles with spit, spit into your palm, then dip the brush in the spit.

Resources

• Silicoil Brush Cleaning Tank

[eemie]

on 6/14/2009 THANK YOU!!! I have a very curious kid and turpentine seems too dangerous to keep around the house. thanks for the tips, very useful! 5*s!