Sugar Soap -- good enough?

I'm sorry, but you are completely wrong. These products are completely liquid; no gel, no abrasive. They DO attack the surface, and it is wise to wear chemical proof gloves when using these products. "Sugar Soap" is a trade name for finely ground Sodium Carbonate (Washing Soda). I find that the best results are obtained if the solution is applied with the type of kitchen sponge that has the green "Scotchbrite" face; this increases the penetration of the solution. It is very important that the surface is thoroughly rinsed after using the solution.

Interesting tip, but I wouldn't like to throw my brushes away as I've had some of them for over twenty years, although I don't tend to mix household synthetic oil paints with vehicle coach enamels as the household paints tend to silt up the stock quite quickly.

I have other brushes reserved only for emulsions, cleaning is a pain but worth it on expensive brushes, but I do recycle white spirit etc for future use.

Stephen.

Go to a trade supplier e.g. Brewers, and buy a professional's brush store. It wont clean your brushes, but if you put a wet brush into one it will be ready for use the next time you need it, even if it's a year later. The only time I clean a brush is when I've been using a colour I know I'm not likely to use again.

Flatting gloss paint usually does soften the surface and there is a time scale that the prepared surface should be painted within, it is not unusual to paint within say six hours after flatting. Fresh paint applied over the top will have a better bond during this time scale (which differs with certain paints), the bonding will not be as strong if the area is painted after the time scale and the prepared paint has had time to fully harden again.

This is often called "breathing time" in the trade where a paint is allowed to breath or harden usually after a good wet flatting.

Stephen.

BW paint was brought out in the 60s for external use. It contains certain additives derived from titanium that are beneficially affected by ultra violet light, in that the UV keeps the paint from yellowing. The effect is reversible by subjecting the yellowed paint to a UV light source, E.G. a tanning lamp. In my own home I use only normal white paint such as Dulux Trade White Paint. I prefer customers who specify BW as I know that I'll be back to them to repaint a lot sooner!

I keep a 2 litre container of WS just for brush washing. The solids collect at the bottom so it can be reused almost indefinitely. Doesn't get them 100% clean, but washing up liquid and hot water does the rest.

Bought a pack of 7 brushes in the Pound Shop the other day. The 2" got me through half a litre of oil paint on to masonry without shedding its bristles

You're referring to liquid sanders now? Those I've used are gelled to stop them running off the surface. How else could you apply them to vertical surfaces?

They DO attack the surface, and it is

How do they attack the surface. If by alkali action, they would have no effect on acrylics.

"Sugar

Until recently it was mainly a trade name for trisodium phosphate. Finely ground soda wouldn't stay fine for long given its hygroscopic nature, which is why it isn't supplied in that form.

I find that the best results are obtained if the solution is

Leyland SDM do decorators versions of the 'Scotchbrite' scourers in 3 grades soft/normal/hard these are much bigger 12"x4" than the kitchen version. work very well with sugar soap.

Why gloss and Brilliant white, personally I prefer a flatter finish and a more natural rather than a fluorescent 'whiter than white' look.

Not quite:

Material Safety Data Sheet

SACHET & PACKAGING SERVICES LTD SAFETY PRODUCT DATA SHEET (in accordance with EEC Directive 91/155/EEC)

Some blends include sodium silicate as a mild abrasive.

You mean that they should always do the ironing whether they like it or not?

Do people still iron things? I see no benefit to ironing bed linen and, if Roman Abramovich doesn't iron his shirts, why should I?

Yes, but I'd always thought of you as having more class than Roman.

I think he has the edge. That vagrant look isn't easy

You know she really loves you when she uses a sleeve board on your shirts...

Owain

Only my mother ever did that

Beware....he may be a 'Greek' bearing/baring gifts! ;-)

Don.