Residential painting in Horsham, PA: Tips for Cleaning Paintbrushes

Residential painting in Horsham, PA_ Tips for Cleaning Paintbrushes

Residential painting in Horsham, PA: Tips for Cleaning Paintbrushes

One of the most used painting tools during renovation work is probably a good old paintbrush.
Since you have probably invested in the purchase and the choice of your brush, you will love for it to serve you more than once.
And for that, you have to maintain it well and take care of it.

In this article, we will be sharing some tips on how to correctly clean your paintbrushes after a painting project in Horsham, PA.

A brush is cleaned immediately after using it.
Dried or hardened paint on paint tools is difficult to remove, especially when it comes to the bristles of a brush.
You should, therefore, clean it when the paint is still fresh.
First, during your work, avoid soaking your brush to the point that it is dripping.

To remove the excess paint, pass a wooden spatula over the flat bristle. Then brush the brush on old newspapers or old cardboard and wipe it with a dry cloth.
This first step will facilitate cleaning and avoid unnecessary waste of water when you go to the rinsing step.

Latex Paint

For latex paints, the ideal is to use a base of soapy water, which will dissolve the little paint that remains on the bristles of your brush.
This soapy water can then be disposed of safely down the sink.
For a new brush, you can even let it soak overnight in clear water for synthetic bristles, or in linseed oil for natural bristles.
If you opt for this trick, simply rinse your brush well with water the next day to remove all traces of paint.

Alkyd Paint (Oil)

Even though oil paints are becoming uncommon, you may use leftovers of this type of paint for touch-ups or use a varnish or stain, being often oil-based.
In this case, cleaning your brush will require the use of an appropriate thinner.
First, think of a natural citrus solvent that has much fewer chemicals.
Otherwise, you can opt for a traditional solvent, such as turpentine.
Pour a small amount of the chosen thinner into a glass container and dip the bristles of your brush in it.
Finally, rinse it off with soapy water.

The paint residues that will be mixed with the rest of the is considered to be dangerous household residues, and it should not be recyclable.
Close your glass container tightly and dispose of it safely

Storage

Once well washed, wring out the bristles of your brush without twisting them using a clean cloth.
Shake it, then straighten the bristles with a comb. Then carefully wrap it in paper and put it back in its original packaging.
A brush hangs or stores flat, never resting on the tips of the bristles.

If you paint more often, whether DIY or at a professional, the maintenance of your painting tools will reduce expenses during your future work and avoid unnecessary waste.

The paintbrush might be relatively cheap, but if you end up buying new paintbrushes on each day of your extensive painting project, the costs can easily add up.
As always, never store your paintbrushes when they still have paint on them, at least wash them generally with soapy water.

Do you have any other ideas? Share them in the comment section below.

The Bottom Line

Many things can shorten the durability of your paintbrushes, but keeping the above cleaning tips in mind should help your tools go a long way.

As you may already tell, the best way to get high quality, durable and flawless paint results is by hiring a professional painting contractor like Aspen Painting.

If you need professional help with your home painting project, our team at Aspen Painting can help.

Our residential painting services are currently available in Ambler, Dresher, Ft. Washington, and Blue Bell.
Call us today on 215-773-8422 for a FREE estimate to get started.

Book an Estimate!

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