A good brush lasts for years if you clean it straight after use. Paint left to dry at the base of the bristles splays the brush, which then streaks and sheds hairs.
Water-based emulsion and acrylic wash out with water, while oil, alkyd and nitro paints need a solvent first. Below are both methods, plus protecting the ferrule and rescuing dried brushes.
What you will need
- a solvent to suit the paint (white spirit or nitro thinner)
- liquid soap and warm water
- a scraper or an old comb
- soft paper towels
- rubber bands, cling film or foil
- linseed oil (for dried brushes)
- WD-40 Multi-Use or WD-40 Smart Straw
Important: Use solvents in a well-ventilated room, away from naked flames, wearing gloves and safety glasses. Never pour used solvent down the drain or onto the ground; take it to a hazardous waste collection point together with leftover paint.
Step 1
Wash out water-based paint
After emulsion, acrylic or interior paint, rinse the brush under running water with the bristles pointing upwards: the flow pushes paint out from deep inside, from the ferrule to the tips. Work the bristles with your fingers until the water runs clear.
Step 2
Dissolve oil or nitro paint
After oil, alkyd or nitro paints, dip the brush in the matching solvent and swirl it. If the paint will not shift, leave it to soak longer, suspended so the bristles do not bend on the bottom.
Then rinse under water with the bristles upwards to carry away the thinned paint.
Step 3
Finish with soap and remove dried bits
Whisk liquid soap into warm water, dip the brush in and slowly work the bristles against your palm or the bottom of the bowl. Carefully remove dried lumps near the ferrule with a scraper or comb. Rinse again under running water, bristles upwards.
Step 4
Dry and protect the ferrule from rust
Squeeze the bristles out with a paper towel. If the metal ferrule is not chrome-plated, moisture under it soon causes rust: the brush starts shedding, and rusty flecks can end up on the wall.
Spray a few drops of WD-40 Multi-Use onto the ferrule, or apply it precisely through the WD-40 Smart Straw, then wipe with a tissue to remove paint and rust residue along with the product. Keep it off the bristles of any brush you will paint with.
Step 5
Reshape the bristles
While the brush dries, flatten a flat brush and bring a round one to a point. A loose rubber band or folded paper stops the bristles splaying. Dry brushes hanging or lying flat, never on the bristles.
Step 6
Revive a dried brush or keep it for tomorrow
If the bristles have hardened, mix oil paint solvent, nitro thinner and linseed oil in a jar in a 40:40:20 ratio and leave the brush in it for a few days. Once the bristles soften, wash it as described above.
If you will carry on painting in a few hours or the next day, you need not wash the brush: wrap the bristles tightly in cling film or foil and put it in a sealed bag somewhere cool. It will stay wet for several days.
Tip: Before painting, wipe the metal parts of the roller frame and the brush handle with a cloth sprayed with
WD-40 Multi-Use: paint drips will wipe off easily. Keep it off the bristles and roller sleeve.
What next
Clean brushes straight after work, before the paint sets, and before long-term storage protect the ferrules from rust and keep the brushes somewhere dry. The same product also protects scrapers, scissors and metal paint trays.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».