I clean white china bristle brushes using paint thinner and one ofthose metal combs used for cleaning brushes. This appears to work butafter time the amount of "usable" bristles gets smaller. From themetal piece growning downward it turns into a rock.I purposely try to get this section by turning the brush upside downwith fresh paint thinner on it and working it with the comb.What am I doing wrong, or is this just life? Thanks.

"raymondj"A few thing I find helpful:Clean brush *immediately* after using it, and put in freezer between coats,rather than wrap it or stick it a thinner can.Work brush briskly in pint of thinner, bending bristles and sloshing well.Then hold brush, bristles up, and pour lots of clean thinner slowly downtowards the handle, squeezing dry periodically , freeing paint at the baseof bristles.. Once fairly clean, I dry thinner-soaked brush in large rag,then hand wash brush in warm water and dish detergent to get the thinnerout, squeeze till just damp, and wrap in paper towel tightly to settlesproinged hairs, and to set the brush shape. Put in dry place to thoroughlydry. Leave it in the paper, for next use. I know this is complicated, but Ihave good brushes that have been used for 15-20 years and are still usable.

All else being equal brushes with round shaped handles, like dowels,spin nicely between the hands.

Cleaning natural brushes, what am I doing wrong?

Aug 29, 2004 23 Replies

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KJS 21 years ago

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 18:43:21 -0700, raymondj wrote (in article ):

[snip]

The poster may have been referring to a brush and roller spinner. IMHO they're the secret to cleaning brushes. You can extract far more liquid than by shaking. It also makes it possible to reuse good roller covers pretty much indefinitely.

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Bob 21 years ago

spinner. IMHO

more liquid than

covers pretty

When using rollers on latex, I finish cleaning them by spinning them at high speed by grazing the surface with the jet from a blaster nozzle on the garden hose. Sweep the jet back and forth across the surface, spinning the roller fast, until the water coming off is clear.

Bob

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nospambob 21 years ago

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xrongor 21 years ago

thats great. dont use your good brush to do that unless you want to spend a half hour cleaning it.

randy

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