Quality paintbrushes can last a long time, if you clean them properly after use. Here’s how to go about cleaning and storing paintbrushes.

Paintbrush Cleaning Steps:

  1. Clean brushes thoroughly in the proper solvent. For oil-based paint use mineral spirits followed by soap and warm water. For latex paint use soap and warm water.
  2. Use a garden hose with a spray nozzle to remove any remaining paint.
  3. Use a wire brush or brush comb to loosen any dried paint.
  4. Allow the paintbrush to dry, then return it to its original sheath or wrap it in paper and secure with masking tape.

Watch this video to find out more.

Further Information

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Danny Lipford: Renee asks, “What’s the best way to clean out my paintbrushes?”

Of course after you finish a paint project around your home, cleaning brushes is not the most favorite thing for anyone, but it’s fairly easy and very important. If you’re using an oil-based paint, of course you’ll use mineral spirits to clean it. But most people use latex—soap and water, like I have here, is just perfect.

Best just to put it in a bucket like this, work out as much of that paint as you can, and then blasting away a little bit more of it with a hose will get a lot of the particles out of it.

But to finish up the cleaning project, whether it’s oil or latex, use that wire brush to really work out all of the little particles and to kind of comb out all of the hairs on your brush. And then let it dry just a little bit.

And then use your original sheath to put it back in place, so that it’ll keep the bristles nice and straight. And if you don’t have this, you can use newspaper, fold it around it neatly, put a piece of masking tape on it, and it’ll work great.

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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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