Cleaning paint trays using wallpaper paste

One day I had a paint tray that had some dried eggshell on it. I had a bit of papering to do so I decided to mix some wallpaper paste in it and because I'm lazy I didnt bother washing it after.

The next day I went to clean the tray and found that the paste had dried - I started peeling it and it came right off in one go taking all the old paint with it as well. I was left with a shiny, clean as new paint tray

I'm wondering - have I just found a brilliant way of making old paint trays new?

Will anyone else give it a try and see if it works for them too

Its nothing to do with the paste..all trays will do that if you pull the paint off carefully.

Zampa said:

Its nothing to do with the paste..all trays will do that if you pull the paint off carefully.

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Great! I can have nice clean trays again!

I'm on a mission to clean up my tools and sundries and regain my pride in them again. My brushes are looking great

Heres a tip then..

Give your trays a couple of coats of oil based gloss first..when you are ready to peel the paint out of them it will come off easy

As for brushes..leave em soaking in celulose paste for a few days after you have cleaned them out, then go through them with a wire brush or comb..it softens up all the hard paint at the top of the bristles

Then leave em upright in a mix of linseed oil and white spirit (if they are the ones you use in oil paint)