by Dorothy Sander

Created on: August 11, 2007

Would you like your paint brush to last for a long time and to be able to use your roller covers more than once? If so it is extremely important to carefully clean them after each use. Even if you are a homeowner that only paints on occasion it is highly recommended that you purchase a quality brush such as a Purde or Wooster. These brushes will last a homeowner years and is well worth the extra money spent. They also paint like a dream and give you a much nicer finished product.

Cleaning methods differ depending on the type of paint used. Latex paint is a water-born product and can be cleaned with water. When painting with oil based paint you will need to purchase paint thinner to clean your bruises and roller covers.

To clean a brush after using latex paint,run the bristles under water working the paint out of the bristles by bending the bristles gently back and forth in the palm of your hand. Some professional painters use wire brushes to scrub the dried paint out of the base of the brush but this is not recommended as it is very hard on the bristles. Rinse your brush under clean running water until the water runs clean. If you still have a significant amount of paint dried in the bristles and/or on the handle you can soak it in a product called Krude Kutter which can be purchased at Lowes, Home Depot or your local paint store. Soak your brush in Krude Kutter over night and you will be amazed at how the paint loosens up and falls off the bristles and even the handle. After cleaning your brush in Krude Kutter rinse thoroughly with water. Next take your brush outside and hit the metal part(ferrule)of the brush against the toe of your shoe to get out as much excess water out as possible. Store your brush in it's original wrapper or shuck as it is called in the trade. This will keep the bristles straight and in the original shape and your brush will work like new the next time around.

If you have painted with oil paints, you will need several disposable containers. Pour a few inches of thinner into one of the disposable containers. Place your brush in the thinner and work it back and forth numerous times working out as much paint as possible. Do this again in another container with fresh thinner. Keep doing this until no more paint comes out of the brush. You do not need a whole lot of thinner to do this. When the brush is clean shake out the thinner by taping it against your toe as above, wrap it in the shuck and store. You can combine all the thinner into one

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