Paint brushes come in handy when painting walls, refinishing furniture, or creating art. For better results, you want to use high-quality brushes and rollers. If you have an expensive set of painting tools, you want to keep them in good condition for longer. Here is how to clean them and properly take care of them.

When attempting to clean a paintbrush, it is important to pay attention to the type of paint you use with them. You will need to take different approaches when cleaning oil-based, water-based paint or lacquer. While water-based paint can be easily cleaned with water and soap, oil-based paints need to be cleaned with petroleum or citrus-based solvent.

No matter which type of brush or paint you have been using, you should clean your tools after each use. You will prevent paint buildup and maintain them in good condition for longer. If you are painting and you need a break for just a bit, you don’t need to clean everything, just wrap the bristles and metal part of the brush in plastic wrap and leave it like this. You will prevent the paint from drying and setting in the brush fibres.

To remove water-based paint from your brush:

Remove any excess paint. If you just finished painting, you will probably have a lot of paint still left on your brush. Squeeze and scrape off as much paint as possible. Do that gently and do not tug on the bristles of the brush since you may damage it. You can also paint the excess paint onto a newspaper. Keep doing that until no more comes out.
Mix a cleaning solution in a small bucket. Mix hot water and some dishwashing liquid detergent. The amount of solution you need depends on the size and number of brushes you are cleaning.
Saturate the brush in the solution. Wearing gloves, dip and swish the brush in the cleaning solution. Squeeze out the excess paint on the edge of the bucket. A paint brush comb will help you get rid of any extra paint and cleaning solution.
Rinse and dry the brush. When all of the visible paint has been removed from the brush, rinse the brush under running hot water. If there is still paint left between the bristles, mix a fresh cleaning solution and repeat the step above. Hang the brush and let it air dry

Extra tip: If the water-based paint has dried on the brush, allow it to soak in the cleaning solution for at least an hour or overnight if needed. Regularly check on the brush to see if the paint is loosening from the paintbrush bristles. When done with the soaking, continue with the cleaning steps from above.

To clean oil-based paint from paint brushes:

You may see oil-based paints also referred to as enamel paint. When cleaning such paint from your brush, you will need more than soap and water.

Remove excess paint, Just like with water-based paint, remove any excess paint by squeezing it out or brushing it off on a newspaper.
Choose a cleaning product. There are a few ways in which you can clean oil-based paint from any type of paint brush or roller.

• Paint thinner – A general term for any type of solution that contains turpentine or trimethyl benzene. Those products are highly flammable and produce toxic fumes.
• Mineral spirits – Those are 100% petroleum distillate products. They do not produce such toxic fumes, however, they are still highly flammable.
• Citrus-based solvent – Those are natural products that are also biodegradable. They work slowly but efficiently.

Work the solvent in the brush – Pour some of the product of choice into an old container and dip the brush in. Wearing gloves, allow it to soak up some of the solvents and work it in the bristles of the brush.
Finish with soap and water. Once all the paint is removed from the bristles of the brush, use warm water and regular dish soap in order to rinse and clean the excess paint and cleaning solvent. Soak up any excess water with an old cloth and let the brush dry on a flat surface.

Do not dispose of the cleaning solvent by pouring it down the sink or toilet. Leave the open container in a well-ventilated spot to allow the solvent to evaporate and the paint to dry. Follow the recommendations of your local municipality for the disposal of such products. Keep in mind that this process may take a few days and while evaporating, the fumes of the solvent are still highly flammable. Be careful when working with such and avoid doing that inside of your home. When leaving it outside, be careful that children and pets do not have contact with it. If you spilled some in your house, open all doors and windows and allow the product to evaporate completely before closing them again.