How to Clean a Brush

Properly cleaning dirty paintbrushes keeps their bristles soft and flexible.

Paintbrushes are investments that require proper cleaning to ensure their longevity. Forgetting to clean paint from paintbrushes after each use can ruin them, since paint causes bristles to stiffen and dry out. Properly cleaning and maintaining paintbrushes allows them to smoothly and evenly apply paint to surfaces. Promptly clean paintbrushes to preserve their functionality and lifespan. Constantly purchasing new paintbrushes for each project can become costly overtime. Fortunately, basic solutions and supplies can clean paintbrushes.

Things You'll Need

• Warm water
• Clean, empty paint bucket
• 2 tbsp. liquid dish soap
• Nylon scrub brush
• Brush comb
• Clean paper towels
• Protective cover

Instructions

1. Rinse the paintbrush's bristles under flowing warm water. Wash out as much paint from the bristles as possible.

2. Fill a clean, empty paint bucket with 1/2 gallon of warm water. Add 2 tbsp. of liquid dish soap to the water. Thoroughly mix the solution.

3. Submerge the paintbrush in the soapy water without allowing the bristles to touch the bottom of the paint bucket. Agitate the paintbrush in the soapy water for 20 seconds using rapid back-and-forth motions.

4. Refill the paint bucket with fresh warm water. Agitate the paintbrush's bristles in the warm water for 20 seconds to wash out any remaining paint and grime.

5. Continue rinsing the paintbrush in fresh warm water until the water no longer becomes cloudy. Use the same rinsing method as in the previous step.

6. Scrub the paintbrush handle near the top of the bristles with a nylon scrub brush to remove hardened paint. Rinse the paintbrush's handle under warm water to wash away the paint debris.

7. Rake the paintbrush's bristles with a brush comb to remove any remaining debris.

8. Lay the paintbrush on clean paper towels to thoroughly air-dry. Insert the paintbrush in its original protective cover once the bristles are completely dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute a plastic bucket for the empty paint bucket.

• Substitute mineral spirits for the soapy water when cleaning paintbrushes containing oil-based paint.

References

• Ask The Builder: Cleaning Paint Brushes
• This Old House: Cleaning Paintbrushes