best way to clean paint brushes

Tea_Hee_23

After decorating a 3 bedroom house bottom to top I can honestly say that it is worthwhile investing in a decent quality paintbrush. Using a budget brush I was literally replacing them after each job, the bristles were damaging easily and the smoothness of the finish was rather poor.

My Grandad bought me a Purdy brush for around £20 and this made such a difference, the main benefit being the pick-up of paint it was able to handle. I was able to get through the remaining rooms with a lot less hassle. I would recommend taking the time after each use to give the brush a clean, before wrapping it in a jacket of some sort to keep the bristles in shape. This guide has some useful paintbrush cleaning tips but ultimately it is not rocket science. Look after your brush and it will look after you

Kemmy

This worked like a charm! Thanks!

sarah1 wrote: »

The deffinately best way to clean brushes with gloss paint on is:-
Wipe off as much as you can on old newspaper then find a small container (i use n empty oxo granules pot) put a small amount of WHITE SPIRIT in the bottom , just enough to cover the bristles. Keep pushing your brush into it working the white spirirt into the bristles. Then put some fairy liquid onto the bristles and work in well with your fingers , i wear latex gloves for this . and then just rinse with running water. I know this may sound tedious but it really does the trick and saves you a fortune in brushes.
Also STORING this is the best yet, shake the brushes dry after you have cleaned them and then work in HAIR CONDITIONER ( like you did with the fairy liquid) fold cling film around them loosley keeping the bristles together and fold the top of the cling film over or use a sandwich bag. Then when you ned to use them again just rinse off the hair conditioner a shake to dry. Dead easy and your brushes will last for years. :T