What to do with our brushes after painting?

gunner_chris

I have stuff called "Pink Soap" for a brush cleaner.  Works well for bringing back to life those brushes that were let dry from time to time.

GC,

     Is that "pink soap" something that is made particularly for brushes, or is it an "industrial" or "institutional" type of soap?  How do you use it?  Do you use it to remove all types of paint from a brush or a particular type?

The thinner that the clerk sold you could be an acrylic thinner so don't get riled up with him.

If you can find an artist's supply store, they should have a soap for cleaning paint brushes.  Just clean your brush as you would normally clean it with your cleaner (thinner or water) and then clean it using the soap as directed.  When done, stand the brush with the bristles up (an empty, wiped out, small Pringles can will hold a lot of brushes !)  You will be amazed at the amount of crap left in the brush even after washing it out with clean thinner/water.  And the brush cleaner seems to last for years!

Yeah, what they all said  . I only have one thing to add. No matter what I've used my brush for and properly cleaned afterward (enamels use thinner ....... acrylics use water)  once I've got my bristles clean, I brush a bar of ordinary bath soap (any kind) with the wet brush. Don't know what it does or why it works but all I know is if I DON'T do this, my brushes stay stiff and gummy. When I brush it on soap, the bristles will dry stiff but fluff right up as good as new with a little flicking. Try it. Just uhhhh .... don't let your wife / girlfriend catch ya doin this 

I have stuff called "Pink Soap" for a brush cleaner.  Works well for bringing back to life those brushes that were let dry from time to time.

I use "The Master" Brush Cleaner and Preserver I got at Hobby Lobbby.

Ah, the clerk at the hobby shop make me buy thinner but I will only use acrilyc paint.

So it's great that I only need to use water for cleening my brush.  I also heard about using soap for cleaning brush.  What do you think?

     What about using linseed oil?  For enamels that is.  I want to say that I remember reading somewhere that after the thinner that it was recommended?  Or with the final water washing what about using dish soap like Dawn?

     How should one clean their brushes if they've used Future, or similar clear coats?

It bears to mention that one should never let paint dry in the brush.   You might save it, or you might have to junk it.   My main spotting brush is going on 30 years now due to diligent upkeep and cleaning.

Only use thinner on enamels! Water for acrylics.

For acrylic paints, Windex is a good brush cleaner, too.

For enamel paint i have 3 jars. 2 have thinner and one water. The first thinner gets rid of most of the paint, the second one anything thats left. Then i dip it in the water and wipe it with tissue. For acrylic paints i just use 2 jars of water.

You swish the brush in the thinner, take it out, wipe it on a rag or paper towel, rinse it in the thinner again, wipe. Repeat this until the brush is clean and then reform the bristles to their origial shape and let it dry.

Or, if you have lots of money and brushes, throw the brush away and use a new one.