Clean Oil Paint Brushes

Even though oil paints dry at a slower rate than other varieties, they can still warp the shape of your brush and clog between the bristles if not dealt with right away. Setting up your cleaning supplies before you paint minimizes the chance of this happening. After that, cleaning your brush is a straightforward practice of gradually removing paint, first with dry materials like paper towels or newspaper, and then with paint thinner or soap. Once your done, proper clean-up and storage will help extend your brush’s life.

Steps

Ensuring a Quick and Thorough Cleaning

1. Don’t wait. Plan to clean your oil brush as soon as you are done using it. Do so even if you intend on coming back to your painting project in the near future. Always clean your brush promptly to ensure a thorough job with minimum damage to the bristles.
   • If you are going to resume painting shortly, don’t soak your brush in paint thinner in the meantime as a substitute for cleaning. Over time, paint thinner will eat away at the glue that binds the bristles to the handle.
   • Although oil paints dry at a slower rate than other types, it is still easier to clean your brush before they have a chance to dry at all.
2. Protect yourself and your surroundings. Set up your cleaning station before you begin painting. Have a pair of cleaning gloves and protective eyewear ready to protect yourself from chemicals. Lay out newspaper, old towels, or drop cloths to keep surfaces clean.
3. Set up your cleaning supplies. Assemble them before you begin your project. Make sure you have what is needed before you really need it. Guarantee a quick and easy clean-up without having to search for this or that while the paint dries in your brush. At the very least, you will need:
   • Cleaning rags, newspaper sheets, paper towels, or similar materials
   • One sealable container with a lid.
   • Paint thinner or safflower oil
   • Soap (preferably designed specifically for paint brushes; if not, dish-washing soap or shampoo is acceptable)

Cleaning Your Brush

1. Remove excess paint. Use your cleaning rags or similar material. Wrap it around the metal where the bristles connect with the brush (known as a “ferrule”). Point the tip of the brush over your dropcloth (or whatever you’re using to protect your surfaces) to catch the paint as you remove it. Then:
   • Pinch the base of the brush’s bristles through your cleaning rag.
   • Drag your fingers over the bristles from their base to the tip while maintaining pressure.
   • Repeat as needed with clean sections of your rag until no more paint drips off the tip.
2. Thin the remaining paint. First, pour either paint thinner or safflower oil into your container. Fill the bottom until it is deep enough to submerge the brush’s head. Dunk the bristles into the liquid. Then:
   • Brush the bottom of the container to dislodge paint.
   • Remove the bristles from the liquid.
   • Squeeze out more excess paint as before.
   • Be cautious as you clean, since excess paint will now be runnier.
3. Repeat if desired. To be as thorough as can be, set up two more containers. Fill their bottoms with more thinning agent. Thin your brush’s paint in the second container and squeeze it clean as before. Then repeat with the third container. Note that the liquid in each container should appear less clouded by paint than the one before, with the third appearing relatively clear.
   • Be aware that your brush will still appear stained by the paint afterward. This is normal.
4. Wash the brush with soap. First, squirt some liquid soap into one palm. Hold the brush by your other hand. Dip the bristles into the soap and brush them back and forth across your palm. Then:
   • Continue brushing until a lather forms.
   • Stop once the lather turns the same color as your paint.
   • Rinse the brush and your hand under warm water.
   • Repeat until the lather no longer turns color.

Finishing Up

1. Squeeze the bristles again. As before, use a clean rag or similar materials. Wrap it around the ferrule and push out any remaining soap or paint. If the bristles still seem to hold a lot of soap, rinse them more thoroughly and repeat. If they hold any paint, wash and rinse again.
   • The bristles may still appear stained, even after cleaning. This is to be expected and does not mean they’re still dirty.
2. Dry your brush. Continue pressing and blotting the bristles with clean rags or similar material as before to remove all moisture. Use new sections of rag or new rags each time so you can tell how wet they are afterward. Continue until the rag remains dry after use.
   • Drying your brush thoroughly will prevent mildew from growing.
3. Reshape your brush. Use your fingers to gently press the bristles at their base. Sculpt back into their original shape. Always work from the base to the tip to avoid squashing your bristles.
4. Condition the bristles if necessary. If your brush is old, gauge how dry and coarse the bristles have become as you reshape them. If they feel brittle, wet them again. Then use your fingers to rub in a tiny dab of hair conditioner. Rinse, dry, and reshape your brush afterward.
   • Apply this technique sparingly, only when necessary. Applying hair condition each and every time you wash your brush will cause the bristles to grow misshapen.
5. Store your brush properly. If possible, use a container with a lid to keep moths out. Stand the brush upright with the bristles on top to preserve their shape. When storing several brushes in one container, be sure that you can reach the handle of each one without disturbing the bristles of any surrounding brushes. Use more than one container to ensure this if necessary.
6. Save your used thinning agent. Seal the container and let the liquid rest overnight. Wait for the paint to settle to the bottom. Then pour the clear liquid on top into a second container. Seal and label both containers. Store them in a safe place out of reach of children or pets. Be aware that paint thinner is flammable, so keep it away from flames, heat sources, and excessive heat.
   • For future projects, dump your dirty thinner into the container with the paint remnants.
   • Allow them separate and then transfer the clean liquid back into your thinner’s container.
   • Repeat until the container holding the separated paint is full.
7. Dispose of materials properly. Contact your local government. Find out if and when they collect hazardous materials such as solvents and paint with curbside pickup. If they will not pick it up, ask where drop-offs are accepted. Do not dispose of such chemicals down a house drain, sewer, or into the ground, since they are toxic.
   • Safflower oil (a cooking oil that is safe to dispose down the sink) makes a great substitute for paint thinner if disposing of hazardous chemicals correctly is too burdensome.

Things You’ll Need

• Cleaning gloves
• Protective eyewear
• Newspaper, old towels, dropcloth, or similar materials (for surfaces)
• Paper towels, cleaning rags, newspaper, or similar materials (for brush)
• Paint thinner or safflower oil
• At least one sealable container
• Soap (paint brush cleaner, dish soap, or shampoo)
• Warm water for rinsing
• Hair conditioner (optional)

Related Articles

• Oil Paint
• Save Money on Oil Paint Supplies
• Make Your Own Glazing Medium for Oil Painting
• Know when to Use Oil Based Paint Instead of Latex

Sources and Citations

• Videos provided by Lena Danya

See also

• Oil Paint on Canvas
• Blend Oil Pastels
• Frame an Oil Painting
• Make Your Own Glazing Medium for Oil Painting
• Save Money on Oil Paint Supplies
• Oil Paint
• Blend Acrylic Paint
• Clean Oil Paint off a Paint Brush With Dish Soap
• Clean an Oil Painting
• Clean Oil Paintings to Preserve It for Years

Read more ...

What links here

• Clean Oil Paint off a Paint Brush With Dish Soap
• Paint a Landscape in Oils
• Paint over Existing Oil Paint in Your Home
• Save Money on Oil Paint Supplies
• Be a Painter