discussion Cleaning Brushes

[Guest]

I would like to ask if anyone could tell me a clean, cheap and easy way to get paint out of brushes, especially the ones that paint just won't come out of.

 

[Guest]

Cellulose thinners - works every time!

 

[Guest]

Thanks!

 

[PaulTRose]

brake fluid works well, just remember to really clean with water afterwards

i try not to let them get into a state anyway.....clean with water (or white spirit if using enamels) squirt of airbrush cleaner and wipe, clean with water again forming the bristles whilst damp

 

[Guest]

Thats great, at least I can get the pesky red paint out of my brushes now

 

[Guest]

Even though acrylics can be thinned with water you will struggle once it has dried. I always use the manufacturers own brand of thinners/brush cleaner as it is more effective at removing every last scrap of paint.

Don't ever leave brushes to 'soak'in a jar either, you will bend the bristles.

 

[Guest]

I use acrylics and mostly Vallejo. Found their airbrush cleaner is superb .

If the paint is hard then just gently rock the bristles while manipulating the bristles. This gives free areas for the airbrush cleaner to work.

Found a nice set up. This is a base to hold the cleaner. It has a scaffold which holds the brush above this container with at the top a coil. The coil holds the brush which can be manipulated up or down so that the bristles are hanging just above the bottom of the airbrush cleaner. leave as long as you like and as Richard warns will not bend the bristles and ruin the paint brush for ever.

Found it which would have saved me all the writing of the above..

http://www.artsupplies.co.uk/item-aluminium-brush-washer.htm

I actually put a small bottle (used mustard jar) to save on the amount of airbrush cleaner used.

Works well and has saved me flinging my best and favourite brushes in the bin. Plus it only costs a fiver.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

I always used to infuriate my students with my brush-cleaning regime! Thinners, by all means to get the majority of the dried paint out, but then I like to "condition" the brush by thoroughly cleaning with soap and cold water, (for this, I recommend a large bar of white simple soap, just wet the brush and gently brush the soap bad back and forth for a bit, then roll it around in the palm of your hand. Using white soap helps you see any traces of pigments coming out. Then rinse thoroughly, followed by the essential (!) final drawing of the brush through slightly moistend lips (I can hear the sniggers from here), but this last part pulls the bristles to a beautiful point and fixes them there, making the replacement of the protective plastic tubing sleeve much easier...

I'll get my coat...

 

[stona]

I clean my brushes in cellulose thinners, a few quick swishes being careful not to push the bristles into the bottom of the jar (a big Marmite jar) suffices. This means drawing the bristles through the lips to make the point is ill advised, but you can do the same thing through fingers.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Guest]

Yeah, that would sting a bit

 

[Neil]

I just use acrylic thinners, then water (or sometimes just water), then when the brushes get understandably beaten up, chuck 'em and buy some more. I am not very careful with brushes, brushes are the cannon fodder of my modelling setup. I feel so bad now (well a tiny bit anyway).

I guess I'll just leave my modelling stash at the door as I leave then?

 

[Guest]

I just use acrylic thinners, then water (or sometimes just water), then when the brushes get understandably beaten up, chuck 'em and buy some more. I am not very careful with brushes, brushes are the cannon fodder of my modelling setup. I feel so bad now (well a tiny bit anyway). I guess I'll just leave my modelling stash at the door as I leave then?

Well there is a bright side to most things Neil. Your dealer will be a happy man.

Laurie

 

[colin m]

Cellulose thinners must be brilliant. When I've used Alclad in my airbrush I clean it with cellulose thinners, and the amount of 'old' stuff which appears from apparently no where is amazing. And I thought my AB was clean !

 

[Peter]

...I like to "condition" the brush by thoroughly cleaning with soap and cold water, (for this, I recommend a large bar of white simple soap, just wet the brush and gently brush the soap bad back and forth for a bit, then roll it around in the palm of your hand. ...

Hi John. I do exactly the same as you. However I use 'Sard Wonder Soap'. It contains turpentine, which helps to dissolves oil-based paints, deep at the root where the ferrule is.

Also, as you mentioned, in cold water. Warm or hot water expands the bristles, and after awhile the bristles flare out - even after they have dried.

 

[Ian M]

All of the above but a good, for me, get out off jail free card is xylene. Forgotten brushes go from rock hard junk, to crisp clean brushes in no time.
Follow this with a good rinse in water, and you're good to go.
Oh wear gloves and open a window, it is not the most healthy of things to play with.

 

[zuludog]

OK, I've decided to have a mammoth cleaning session and I've bought some cellulose thinners Until now I've only used white spirit, with a two stage jam jar technique

I've just dipped a brush into some cellulose thinners, about as deep as the ferrule, then worked it against the inside of the jar lid. Sure enough, some old colour is oozing out

My question is this - how long do I leave the brushes soaking in the thinners to achieve the maximum cleaning effect but not bend the bristles by leaving them standing too long?
And afterwards I was thinking of washing them by rubbing on plain white toilet soap with warm water then kneading gently with my fingers, followed by a good rinse - is that OK?

 

[Guest]

Never leave a brush standing in anything! Use a clothes peg, or some other bit of ingenuity to suspend the bristles in the solvent!

 

[zuludog]

OK, thanks. I have plenty of clothes pegs!

Several of the brushes have splayed out, rather like miniature shaving brushes. Is there any way of restoring their original shape?

 

[Guest]

OK, thanks. I have plenty of clothes pegs!

Several of the brushes have splayed out, rather like miniature shaving brushes. Is there any way of restoring their original shape?

No.
Just to clarify this, the only way you can reshape them is by using hot water, and that will permanently kill the "Spring" in them. I'd say even warm water is a total no no - especially with sable

 

[Guest]

For rough use, Boldmere are your friend, cheap as chips and not too shabby either, perfect for jobs that will ruin your quality sable or prolene brushes. So cheap they can be regarded as disposable