Painters Online Logo

Login/register

Studio

Brush cleaning...

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall
Author
Message

Ellen Mitchell

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 56
Posted
This has probably been discussed before, if so I apologise ahead. I've just purchased some new brushes, squirrel quill like. They have a beautiful point on them and are great to work with. I'm eager to keep them that way. Would it be ok to clean them in a weak washing up liquid solution? Or just stick to plain water? Ellen

Ellen Mitchell

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 56
Posted
Sorry forgot to mention they are watercolour brushes. Ellen

Peter Davison

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 533
Posted
As Sylvia says, mild detergent is fine. I've had my watercolour brushes for years and although they get less use these days they are in good condition after regular cleaning with mild green (and other coloured) fairy liquid.

Adele Elgood

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 886
Posted
Yes washing up liquid or mild shampoo and conditioner because, as Rosemary Brushes explain, they are real hair and can be treated like human hair. And Ellen, you would be hard pushed to spot any dandruff on my brushes!!

Alan Owen

  • Forum Member +
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 255
Posted
I only ever rinse my brushes in clean water ,, talking of shampoos ..I was just watching the tele and they were selling this expensive special shampoo that would do the devil and all. I said to the wife ,my hair is ok and I have never used out only soap ..what a racket ,they never bothered about shampoo in the old days .it is only now people have trouble with their hair it is all these shampoo.s ..they are using . ,and another thing that special shampoo our Neil bought to stop dandruff ,when I looked at the reviews it says some people had a reaction to it and it burned their scalp. ..indians in the amazon only use a vegetable oil and they have beautifull hair .its all bull.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 20527
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 7205
Posted
Agree with everyone else, and especially with Alan - I stopped using shampoo on my own hair a good many years ago: it left it limp, lank, and my dears, I couldn't do a THING with it! So I switched to a plain, white, non-perfumed soap (Dove, to be precise) and I use the same on my brushes - in watercolour, I don't always or even often even do that: I just swirl them in clean water until the last trace of paint comes out, gently shape them, and leave them to dry on their sides so water doesn't creep up the ferrule. And by the way - in my 67th year, I still have a full head of hair: now this MAY be, as a barber tactlessly suggested, due to low testosterone - but I like to think it's because my lustrous locks are a stranger to Vosene (or any other shampoo). To be serious, in case you thought I was't being, I don't think a drop of conditioner is bad for brushes now and then, and it may even do them good. But when you look at the list of ingredients in shampoo - well I don't know that I want to tip that stuff over my best squirrels and sables. If you do use it, the one thing I think everyone would agree on is to rinse very thoroughly: I forgot to do that once and only once - my paint bubbled and smeared: I think I must have forgotten to rinse it at all, never mind not properly. Soap does nothing to improve any paint.....
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

  • Prestige User
  • Reputation: 3427
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 1463
Posted
The Chinese have a wonderful way of drying their brushes, which leaves them all with fine points. They have loops on the hard end and hang them with the hairy bit at the bottom. works a treat after rinsing them in water.

Michael Robinson

  • New Member
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 2904
Posted
I just use water to wash my watercolour brushes, but I was interested in Roberts comment to dry them on their side to stop water running up into the ferrules - I'd never thought of that! Robert I will dry them this way from now on. This forum is so good, I learn something all the time!

Adele Elgood

  • Forum Expert
  • Last active:
  • Posts: 886
Posted
I wonder what people washed their hair in before shampoo was invented - mayhap soap? I do tend to look at the extensive lists of ingredients nowadays and think that life used to be so much easier without a lot of these "must haves"! As Robert and I are of the same age, perhaps it is an age thing!!