If you give your paintbrushes the proper care, they will last through years and years of use. It’s not difficult but you have to do it every time!
1. dip-the-tip
First of all, don’t soak your entire paintbrush in paint. Only dip the tip. Sometimes it’s a good idea to dip your brush in water before you start painting. The bristles soak up the paint and often the paint works up to the top even when you only dip-the-tip. However, depending on the application you are working on that is not always a good idea. Sometimes I like a dry brush. You just have to play with it find what works for the situation your are working with.
2. Wash paintbrush after every use
I wash my paintbrushes with dishsoap and water. I first run the paintbrush under clear water to wash off most of the paint but that is not enough. I then use an old plastic container filled with enough dish-soapy water to cover the bristles and swirl the brush around letting the bristles drag on the bottom of the container. If the brush is a real mess, I put soap on my hand and swirl the brush around directly in the soap. The bristles draw the soap up to the core and then I rinse.
Once you think the brush is clean. Fill the container with clean water again and repeat. Inevitably your water will turn slightly colored again showing you that you did indeed still have a little more paint in there that needed leaned off.
Repeat until your water runs clear.
3. Use a paintbrush cleaning tool
This tool is a metal comb. I use it to coax out stubborn paint especially when the paint has started to dry on your brush. Use it under water or out. Comb and rinse, comb and rinse…
4. Reshape and lay flat or hang to dry
After thoroughly cleaning, reshape your paintbrush. Then either lay it flat or hang it up to dry. Some people put their brushes wet into the original covers to let them dry, I don’t like to do this as it traps in too much moisture into the cardboard cover and takes longer to dry often resulting in a moldy cover that has to get thrown away. I let the brush dry before replacing the cover.
5. Store in original container
As I mentioned above, I let my brush dry and then put it back in the original cover to keep the bristles in their original shape and protect them.
I hang my brushes for convenience but this also protects them getting smooshed out of shape in a drawer with something laying on them.
These are 5 easy steps to preserving your paintbrushes for years of use.
Where to get it:
Wooster paintbrush with ergonomic rubber handle
Did you find this information useful? You might be interested in my other painting tips as well!
Chantelle - ThousandSquareFeet says
Oh, I just got one of those shorties and I will be sure to follow all your tips so the brush stays nice for a long time. I do some of the tips, some of the time and my paintbrushes pay for it. Mostly, I need a place to hang them once they are dry!
Abby says
I had no idea a paint brush cleaner comb even existed! This is excellent information, and I’m for sure getting one! I always give mine a soak in brush cleaner every few months and that helps clean out whatever I missed washing them.
Beuna says
Great tips! I use the brush comb at the beginning of the cleaning to push paint from the brush back into the paint can. Less waisted paint and easier to wash out the brush. If there is concern about contaminating your paint you could push it into a separate container for another project.