How to Clean Paint Brushes and Keep Them in Perfect Condition

If you keep them clean and well maintained, you shouldn’t have any need to buy new paint brushes before you embark on another project. A good clean helps to keep your paint brushes performing as they should. The aim is to stop the bristles from stiffening and getting crusty. There are different approaches you have to take, depending on whether you’re using oil-based or water-based paints. Here’s what you need to know.

Cleaning your paint brushes after using water-based paint

If you’re not sure what kind of paint you’re working with, have a look on the side of the tin – most cans carry a “clean up” section in the product information. Most paints these days are water-based. If that’s what you’re using, here’s what you need to do to clean each paint brush. Start by getting rid of the excess paint. Give it a good wipe with a rag, or brush across an unpainted wall until no more paint comes off the bristles. Then it’s just a case of giving it a good wash in warm, soapy water. Once that’s done, twirl it between your hands to ‘spin’ the excess water away, then dry with a clean cloth.

What to do when you’ve been using solvent-based paints

If you’re using solvent-based paints, you need to use special paint cleaning products, like white spirit (a strong, petroleum distillate-based solvent), “Clean Spirit” (a water-based alternative to white spirit) or dedicated brush cleaner (these are sometimes alcohol-based).

First, get rid of any excess paint, then soak the brush in the solvent (you will need a paint kettle and enough white spirit to cover the bristle/filament) for an hour then gently swish the brush around in the solvent. This should result in most, if not all, the paint breaking down into a cloudy solution with little paint left on the brush. You can brush out or squeeze the residual paint (scrap paper or kitchen roll is ideal for this) before soaking again if the first attempt doesn’t remove all the paint. A final rinse with warm water will remove any traces of paint and solvent before you put the brush away for next time (after drying it off of course!)

There’s no need to throw away the cleaning solution. Just cover it and leave it for a few days until the liquid becomes clear again. That’s when you know it’s ready to use once more.

How to store your paint brushes properly

Once you’ve got all the paint off your paint brushes make sure they’re thoroughly dried. It’s a good idea to reshape the brush as it’s drying and lay it on a flat surface to avoid bending the filaments/bristle. When it comes to storing brushes, always stand them up vertically, with the bristles pointing downwards. This helps to keep your paint brush set in good condition. If you use your paint brushes regularly, it’s probably worth investing in a paint brush wallet. But if not, simply wrap the brush heads in thick paper to help keep them dry and protected.

Whether you're dealing with dirty paint brushes, or you’ve got paint spatter to clean up, we’ve got you covered. You’ll find a range of professional paint brushes, paint brush cleaners, clean-up wipes and paint cleaning spirits online here. Or, pop down to your local Dulux Decorator Centre store.