How to Clean a Really Dirty Paintbrush So You Don’t Have to Throw It Away
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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ended up with a gunky paintbrush. It’s as if I wake up in the morning deciding that today will be the day that not cleaning my brush will keep my brush clean.
Epic Logic Fail.
Many, many days of living in denial has provided me with the means to remedy this situation. Not by learning to wash my brush right away like a normal, conscientious diyer, but by figuring out how to miraculously clean my brushes. I guess if you can’t beat ’em, find a way around ’em right?
Here’s how I clean my gross paintbrushes so I don’t have to throw them away.
What you need along with Amazon affiliate links to the products:
Here’s how to clean a paintbrush:
First, rinse your brush well to get any non-gunky paint off of it.
Then, set your paintbrush in your drip pan. These are actually the little drip pans from our grill. They’re the perfect size for soaking brushes.
Then pour the isopropyl alcohol over it.
You can see it immediately start to dissolve the paint.
Let it soak in the alcohol bath for several hours. I actually let mine sit overnight.
Once it has had a chance to really soak, take your wire brush and scrub the handle and metal parts.
When you’ve cleaned that part well, clean the bristles of the brush by brushing the wire brush in the same direction as the bristles. Don’t go backwards or the bristles will be brushed badly.
How’s that for some smokin’ hot alliteration?
At this point, you can move over to the sink and run water as you brush it. That will help get the bits of paint off and wash them away.
Spread the bristles apart so you can get down in the base of the brush.
Just keep working it until you’re satisfied that you can, once again, put this brush to use.
One more paintbrush saved from it’s ill fate! I love the Wooster ShortCut. {<= amazon affiliate link} It’s small handle fits right in the palm of my hand and it makes it so much easier to paint!
You can read this post to see all of my favorite painting tips. They’ll open your mind to all kinds of new possibilities – or at least give you a few tips to make painting more enjoyable. Win/win.
For more painting tips, check out this post on how to prep a room like a pro. Cuz we’re all about being professional on this blog.
What kind of brushes do you use?
Let me know down in the comments below!
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