How to Clean Your Brushes After Using Acrylic Paints

Whether you are painting on a canvas or decorating a flower pot, acrylic paints are fun, cheap and easy to clean. To keep your brushes in tip-top shape, you'll want to make sure you clean them properly after every use.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Cup, jar or glass
• Water
• Castile soap and/or brush cleaner
• Towel

1. The first step to cleaning your brushes is to make sure that paint doesn't dry on the bristles while you are painting. Acrylic paint can dry very quickly, within just a few minutes. This can be a boon if you are hurrying to finish a project, but it can also spell disaster if you neglect your brushes. To keep your brushes soft and supple, submerge them in a cup of water when not in use. You can also use the cup of water to rinse your brushes between color changes.
2. When you are finished painting, use a rag to wipe any excess paint off your brush and refill your rinse cup with clean water.
3. Swirl your brushes around in the water vigorously to rinse your brushes. If the pigment is being stubborn, you can gently press the brush against the inside of the glass, but be careful not to damage the bristles.
4. Suds up your brushes using castile soap or specially designed brush cleaner, available at art supply stores. Agitate the bristles with your fingertips to loosen any pigment hiding in the recesses of your brushes. Wash and rinse your brushes as often as needed until they are clean.
5. Make sure to thoroughly rinse all soap residue from your brushes. However, commercially made brush cleaner can also be used to shape and condition your brushes. Using clean suds, sculpt the bristles into shape with your finger tips, and allow the brush cleaner suds to dry on the brush.
6. Don't forget to wash your hands, too. You might want to use a special "painting only" towel to dry off afterwards, just in case there's still a smudge of wet paint under your fingernails or on your elbow.
7. Dump out your rinse water, and allow your brushes to dry bristle end up. If you used brush cleaner to condition the bristles, you'll want to brush off the residue before you paint next time.