Cleaning paintbrushes

[Sombrero]

i've been doing a lot of decorating of late.

Is there an easy way to clean brushes?

For gloss i work in white spirit until the paint has gone, then hot water and washing up liquid until it runs clear.

For emulsion warm water and washing up liquid until it runs clear.

Rollers are horrible.

Of late i've started buying brushes from poundland and binning them after !!!

 

[JohnD]

hang the brushes from oil paint in a pickle-jar or tin of paraffin, jiggle them, the paint just falls out, much more effective than white spirit or blue cleaner.

Afterwards, scrape the brush on the edge of the jar till fairly dry, then wipe it all off on newspaper or a rag, them you can wash out the paraffin in warm water and WUL, or white spirit if you are in a hurry to use them again.

Decant the paraffin after the paint has settled to the bottom and you can use it again.

To hang brushes over a jar with the bristles suspended in fluid but not touching the bottom, drill a hole in the handle and put a long nail or piece of coat-hanger through it.

 

[Sombrero]

Where does one buy paraffin these days?

 

[JohnD]

paraffin shops.

it is still used in some greenhouse heaters, and hurricane lamps. My local garage used to sell it, and boat diesel, which smells more. I could probably get it in a Yottie shop.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wc...ay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=424808

http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garde...emium-Paraffin-4-Litres-9415188?skuId=9705893

 

[stevewestern]

If you are doing a lot of oil based decorating then a brushmate is worth looking into - it is a container that you store your brushes in with a chemical that prevents the paint from drying out so no cleaning needed.

For water based a short length of 6" draining pipe and a roller/brush spinner will do the job easily and quickly (I use the pipe to spin the roller or brush in thus keeping the mess contained)
However, both can be wrapped in clingfilm or a plastic bag and left overnight is you have more work to do the following day.

Decent brushes are worth every penny so rather than use and chuck the cheap rubbish get something like a Purdy or even better a Corona brush as see how it improves your work - there is a reason why a professional painter uses them !

 

[opps]

If you are doing a lot of oil based decorating then a brushmate is worth looking into - it is a container that you store your brushes in with a chemical that prevents the paint from drying out so no cleaning needed.

For water based a short length of 6" draining pipe and a roller/brush spinner will do the job easily and quickly (I use the pipe to spin the roller or brush in thus keeping the mess contained)
However, both can be wrapped in clingfilm or a plastic bag and left overnight is you have more work to do the following day.

Decent brushes are worth every penny so rather than use and chuck the cheap rubbish get something like a Purdy or even better a Corona brush as see how it improves your work - there is a reason why a professional painter uses them !

I agree but I love my brushes too much to spin them, I do flick them however to remove the water. I don't have any coronas but do have Wooster and the Purdy sprigs, are your synthetics happy to be spun?

 

[opps]

If you are doing a lot of oil based decorating then a brushmate is worth looking into - it is a container that you store your brushes in with a chemical that prevents the paint from drying out so no cleaning needed.

For water based a short length of 6" draining pipe and a roller/brush spinner will do the job easily and quickly (I use the pipe to spin the roller or brush in thus keeping the mess contained)
However, both can be wrapped in clingfilm or a plastic bag and left overnight is you have more work to do the following day.

Decent brushes are worth every penny so rather than use and chuck the cheap rubbish get something like a Purdy or even better a Corona brush as see how it improves your work - there is a reason why a professional painter uses them !

I agree but I love my brushes too much to spin them, I do flick them however to remove the water. I don't have any coronas but do have Wooster and the Purdy sprigs, are your synthetics happy to be spun?

 

[stevewestern]

Hmm - my reply wasn't very clear - sorry about that..!
I spin my rollers - I have never spun a brush, preferring to wash them then just give them a good shake or whatever to get rid of the worst of the water.

If you can find Coronas then do try them - Brewers are meant to be getting them soon if you have one near you..

 

[opps]

Hmm - my reply wasn't very clear - sorry about that..!
I spin my rollers - I have never spun a brush, preferring to wash them then just give them a good shake or whatever to get rid of the worst of the water.

If you can find Coronas then do try them - Brewers are meant to be getting them soon if you have one near you..

Have heard good things about Corona so will try them out, btw did they fit the brushmate 4 properly? Many of my purdys and woosters are too tall, fine in the 20 though.