Cleaning gloss from brushes- detergent is reqd on tin

[anon]

I am having a devil of a job cleaning crown gloss off my brushes. The tin says use hot detergent, washing up liquid has removed most but doesn't seem to be doing the job.

Any ideas?

K

[Christian McArdle]

What does white spirit do?

Christian.

[chris French]

In message , anon writes

Have you cleaned in white spirit first?

White spirit doesn't wash out so well. If I have a problem I dunk the brush in a bit of 'brush cleaner' and wiggle it about a bit. Then wash out. This stuff does seem to wash out a bit easier

[Christian McArdle]

P.S. It may be too late...

Christian.

[Rob Morley]

Soaking in brush cleaner for a few days will rescue all but the most fossilised brushes.

[Mike Mitchell]

That's because it doesn't work! They say that so as to make you believe that their oil-based paint (Dulux is no different) suddenly somehow kinda magically stops being oil-based once you've finished painting.

Oil-based paint needs white spirit to clean the brushes. End of.

MM

[kipper]

Wash them out with white spirit or brush cleaner then soak in Jeyes fluid

[Paul Mc Cann]

But a bottle of paint brush cleaner. It will last for years .

I never heard of hot detergent being recommended before. Certainly washing-up liquid will do the job but it is best to remove excess paint first and swill brush in appropriate thinners

[stuart noble]

Some of the "one-coat" oil paints appear to be water borne, if that makes sense. The solids with a small amount of solvent are emulsified in water so, providing the solvent hasn't started to evaporate, brushes will wash in hot water and detergent. You need to work it into the bristles neat.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Cleaning brushes is simple.

Wash the piant out wih appropaiate thinners

Emulsify thinners with detergent and wash THAT out with water.

Blow dry to stop hairs stiking together.

If old and hard, buy new brush, cos its cheaper than Nitromors!

[Pete C]

Hi,

Squeezing the excess paint out with some newspaper or magazine is a good way to do it.

cheers, Pete.

[Peter Parry]

a hollow plastic tube with two springs at the end which you poke the paintbrush handle in. Work raw washing up liquid into bristles, fit it in an electric drill, hold in a bucket or old box (really important if you don't want magnolia legs) and spin dry. Rinse in clean water and repeat. The brush comes out looking seriously frightened with its hair on end but it does work.

[Paul Mc Cann]

Lay the brush on some old newspaper and use the back edge of a table knife to squeeze out the excess. (Clean knife and return to drawer before trouble starts)

[Andy Dingley]

Get one of these and stop cleaning them

've had one of these (TRADE 4+) for over two years. It really does work fantastically well.