Cleaning a Brush
Properly cleaning a paint brush will prolong the life of the brush. A professional paint brush used occasionally will last for years if properly cleaned and stored. The cardboard cover that comes with the brush must be kept in tact to properly store the professional paint brush. It will keep the bristles in shape and keep dust off, if stored for long periods. It is best to store the brush hanging on a nail or peg board using the hole at the end of the handle.
Cleaning water based paint out of the brush - A utility or laundry sink is preferred, but any sink can work if you clean up all surrounding surfaces afterwards. Hold the bristles up in warm to hot water and work the paint out with your hands. We also place the brush under the running water and fan out the bristles at the bottom of the sink. Repeat until all paint is out of the bristles. To get off the dried paint on the outside of the bristles try using a 3M or similar scrub pad. We try to avoid using a metal brush as it can weaken the bristles, but sometimes nothing else will work.
Once clean - spin the brush to remove the excess water or some professional painters hit the brush against their shoe After spinning the brush dry, comb the bristles with a brush comb (a hair brush can work in a pinch), place in the cardboard cover and hang the brush.
Cleaning Oil Based Paint out of a Brush –
Oil based paints have a strong odor and require solvents to clean, but there are many situations that either call for or require oil based paints. Cleaning a brush requires small bucket, a container and mineral spirits.
Pour a small amount of spirits into a clean bucket and start working the paint brush in the spirits fanning out the bristles. Pour the dirty spirits into the empty container and pour some more clean spirits into the bucket. Repeat process until brush is clean and no more paint colors the mineral spirits. Then spin the brush (make sure you are wearing painting clothes still and that drops of mineral spirits don’t get on anything it can ruin). The dirty mineral spirits can be kept for future use. The paint sediments will drop to the bottom of the container leaving usable spirits on top. It can be used for working out the paint initially, but always finish cleaning an oil paint brush with clean spirits.
Call your local sanitation to ask about proper disposal of used mineral spirits. Same thing goes for unused or old paint.
