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Oil brush cleaning tips

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Alicia Tolhurst-Brown

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I'm sure thus has been asked many times before, and I know we covered it briefly on another thread but... I'm using turns and a natural bar of soap at the moment. I think it was Marjorie who said liquid soap makes the brushes thick, I've experienced the same. :) Is there a particular bar of soap? My brushes are clean, but I'm being quite vigorous and I'm not sure how long they'll last.  Thank you Alicia

Alan Bickley

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I’ll be very surprised if there’s any specific bar of soap Alicia, it’s something that I’m not familiar with anyway. I’ve used basic white spirit, followed by washing in warm water using liquid soap (usually Fairy Liquid) for donkeys years, never once had an issue. I’m painting with Rosemary&Co Ebony and Ivory brushes in the main, so not cheap stuff, I don’t understand why you’re having issues!
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Marjorie Firth

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Alicia, I have the same method as Alan for cleaning brushes. Wipe off the excess paint, work in some white spirit and wash in Fairy. I did say I'd once bought a pot of oil cleanser but it doesn't work well, it doesn't get all the paint out.

Alan Bickley

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Alicia, if you look on the Jackson’s website, they do two kinds of soaps for cleaning brushes. One is lavender & olive oil, the other is just an olive oil soap bar. Perhaps one of these may be what you require!

Fiona Phipps

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I also do the above.....clean off excess paint, a swish in white spirits then a quick wash with fairy liquid. I dry them, especially around the ferrule and lay them flat until dry before I stand them back in the jar. I use Rosemary & co brushes.

Alicia Tolhurst-Brown

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Thank you everyone I thought perhaps I was missing a trick as I find it quite difficult to clean them.  I shall persevere.  I definitely find a bar of soap easier so thanks for tip with Jacksons soap. Alicia
michael

Michael Edwards

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I asked a painter who was doing some decorating for us what he did with his brushes. He said If he's using them again within the next few days he simply puts them in water - this stops the paint hardening and keeps the brushes soft and ready for use. When he comes to use them he simply wipres them on a paper towel and the water is easily repelled.   I've tried it with oil paints and it's worked a treat for me but only if I'm using the same brushes the following day.  Am I alone in this or is it widely practised? 

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by Michael Edwards

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Paul (Dixie) Dean

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I had the decorators  in recently and the clean the excess paint of and cover with cling film, all three said they have left them for up to two weeks and there were as if they had just left them. Not tried  it as I don’t use oils.

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by Paul (Dixie) Dean

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Michael - I've done that; not often, because I don't have a brush pot, one of those that lets you suspend the brushes in liquid (water or solvent) without dipping the ferrule below the surface, or having the bristles splay out in contact with the bottom of a jar.   What I normally do nowadays is wipe the excess oil paint (or acrylic) on a sheet of heavy kitchen roll, flimsy stuff is no use, and then just using plain household soap, wash the brush under the cold tap (I've used Fairy Liquid as well, but it does seem to prolong the process).  Works just as well as solvent, provided the paint hasn't started to dry in the brush. I haven't bought any solvents for a long time now - I keep back a small quantity of genuine turpentine, which is the only solvent I'd ever mix with oil paint, for very occasional use; but I wouldn't waste that on brush cleaning.  
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Evangelina Hotalen

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I use paint thinner to clean my oil brushes. I put the brushes in the tank of thinner and swish it gently on the coil. I learned all these tricks from an online portal in the beginning and if you need a detailed article on it then you should visit https://drawingfan.com/how-to-clean-oil-paint-brushes. I hope you will get all your queries answered from this platform.

Tyson Wang

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I used oil brush cleaner that I bought from Ritecoupons. I found many best product there, Recently I bought oil brush cleaner by using saving shopping codes 2020. these brush cleaners are are very effective and best to use, I suggest you at least buy one from them I am sure you will love that .
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Tony Auffret

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Call me suspicious but I think Mr Wang's post is aimed more at getting you to click the link that to clean your brushes.  Besides Ritecoupons is a discount store in New York.  Given the current travel restrictions it could be a tad difficult, not to say expensive, to get some of this best product brush cleaner.
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