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Lost in a world of dirty brushes

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Al Toutounji

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Posted
Hi all,  I have definitely come across the wrong website but after looking through all of your great comments I feel you may be able to assist.  I am in no way an artisit, I am a house painter.  I am looking for any advice anyone has on best products to clean brushes. I am hoping for a less toxic solution that works well on different paint types.  Any help is much appreciated.  Al

Sylvia Evans

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Posted
So funny...sorry ..  I have done both .  I'm sure you know really.  White spirit for oil based paint . Hot soapy water ,patience  and time,  I'm sure there are many proprietary ones 
big hat

Collette Hughes

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Posted
You could look at an ultrasonic cleaner. You need the sort that mechanics use to clean engine bits, expect to pay £250 - £500 from somewhere like toolstation, the little ones they sell on Amazon are much too small.  Suspend brushes so just bristles in solution. You can use big bulldog clips or clamps to hold the brushes.  You just leave the lid off. 

Sylvia Evans

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Posted
Oh Collette ....last of the big spenders.

Tessa Gwynne

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Posted
Goodness, we do get some strange requests on here, or maybe not so strange! How about contacting the paint makers and ask them what they suggest as we are now all aiming at saving the planet. It might be a good selling point for them to suggest or produce a safe and non toxic brush cleaner.
big hat

Collette Hughes

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Posted
I wouldn't buy one for myself Sylvia. I'm ashamed to say we buy cheap brushes for decorating and chuck them. He's a professional house painter it's a different ball game. They use them to clean air brushes on paint sprayers too. That's something that is really difficult to clean properly and can easily cost a couple of hundred to replace. 

Sylvia Evans

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Posted
So do I Collette...you can buy a lot for 250 quid.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Posted
How do, Al - now and then, I use housepainting brushes with arty oil paint, so I don't think your request is strange.  If you have the chance to get the brush to a cleaner before the paint hardens in it, I'd say squeeze excess paint out onto a rag, and wash the rest out of it under a warm stream of water with a supply of dish soap/fairy liquid.  It works better than just about anything else.   I think Turpentine and White Spirit/mineral spirits in time leaches all the life out of a brush, and so wouldn't use them.  But if you're a housepainter, you'll know the tricks of the trade, from Turpentine to Petrol - just remember not to inhale the vapours, and use whatever you can in the time available to you.  But even a bit of shampoo and lukewarm water is better for your brushes than harsh solvents, and much better for your lungs.