Mineral spirits or turpentine to remove oil-based paint Hot water and mild liquid dish soap to clean paint brushes that have been used to apply latex paint Immerse the paint brush in the solvent. Use water to remove water based paints. Use mineral spirits or paint thinner to remove oil based paints. Use denatured alcohol for shellacs. Use mineral spirits for varnishes. For oil-based paints, stains and varnishes, soak the bristles in a cup of mineral spirits or paint thinner in a well-ventilated space for a few minutes. Swirl the bristles through the solution and then remove and lay the brush flat on a rag. Comb the bristles and periodically stir them in the solution to rinse the loosening bits of product. For oil paints and stains you can clean your paint brushes with mineral spirits or paint thinner.I like using 2 glass canning jars. The lids seal very well a.

Cleaning Oil Brushes

For anyone that has picked up an oil painting brush and used oil paint the worst thing is cleaning the brushes afterward. You can never seem to get all the crud out of the brush that will harden in the ferrules of the brush. Oh sure you can try to use mineral spirits and then try forever to get the oil out of the brush and then go to the sink and try to get the rest out with soap. I have done all that with the right special art soaps and the mineral spirits and still had oil still hiding in the brush.

The best that I method that I have found to clean your brushes and get all the paint out is the following. After you are done painting for the day or week or whatever.

First I saturate the brush with oil usually vegetable oil and then pull out all the paint I can. If there is some paint still left I wash it in vegetable oil again and pull out the remaining oil in a cloth or tissue paper.

Second I wash the brush out with dish soap. After using the oil the soap breaks down the paint and oil very quickly. That is not the case if you still have mineral spirits in the brushes.

Third After the soap and water wash I pull out as much of the water that I can into a cloth or tissue paper. The I use petroleum jelly and saturate the brush with the jelly and pull out the excess. This allows you to reshape your brush if needed and won’t dry.

This is the best way I have found to clean up oil brushes thoroughly, help them keep their shape and not dry out.

Give it a try and Have fun painting.

Proper care extends the life of painting tools. Modern coatings are designed to dry quickly, making cleanup problematic. The paint resins bind to brush filaments and set up within a very short period of time. If you invest time in cleaning your applicators, here are some helpful tips.

Paintbrushes

Water-Based Paints (Synthetic Brushes)

STEP 1 Rinse the brush with warm water while combing it from base to end with both sides of our Painter’s Comb™. This should loosen all partially dried paint from inside the brush.

STEP 2 Add a liberal amount of hand cleaner with pumice to the brush and work it in completely. Many hand cleaner brands will do the job—some are liquid, while others are a thick paste. Hand cleaner that is petroleum or lanolin based will help condition the brush, too. Again, use the comb to get paint out of the interior of the brush.

STEP 3 Rinse the brush until the water runs clear of all paint and hand cleaner. You may need to add some regular hand soap during this final process for very hard-to-clean primers, paints, and stains. After the final rinse, do one last comb-through with both sides of the Painter’s Comb to make sure the paint is completely removed from the center of the brush. Then spin, comb, and hang to dry. Never place a brush back into its keeper wet—always allow it to dry completely.

Oil-Based Paints (Bristle or Synthetic Brushes)

Oil-based coatings are more difficult to clean. Due to the cost and disposal problems of solvents and the time involved for the process, it may not make sense economically to clean the brushes. Instead, allow them to dry and throw them away.

However, if you do want to try to reuse them, here’s our suggestion for proper cleaning. Work excess coating out of the brush. Always read the manufacturer’s recommendations on the can label to know if mineral spirits, paint thinners, or lacquer cleaners should be used for cleaning.

Massage the proper solvent into the bristles. Change the solvent as it gets cloudy or dirty. If you think the brush is clean, do it again. For synthetic brushes, wash with solvent and then follow with the 3-step process. Natural bristle brushes should not be cleaned in soap and water. Use only the solvent recommended for thinning the coating to keep the bristles from flaring. Then spin, comb, and hang to dry. Never place a brush back into its keeper wet—always allow it to dry completely.

Roller Covers

Similar to our brushes instructions above, if you don’t wish to invest the time and effort in cleaning a roller simply let the cover dry and put it in the trash. Here are the instructions if you do wish to clean and reuse your rollers.

Water-Based Paints

STEP 1 Scrape out excess paint with a 5-in-1 tool.

STEP 2 Rinse the roller cover thoroughly with running water.

STEP 3 Wash with soap and warm water, then rinse. Repeat wash and rinse steps until water runs clear.

How To Use Mineral Spirits To Clean Paint Brushes

STEP 4 Spin until damp. To avoid matting of the fabric, stand on end to dry. Never place a roller back into its package wet—always allow it to dry completely.

Oil-Based Paints

STEP 1 Scrape out excess paint with a 5-in-1 tool.

STEP 2 Rinse the roller cover with the proper solvent (check the paint can label).

STEP 3 Repeat the wash and rinse steps until the solvent runs clear.

Paint Brush Cleaner Recipe

STEP 4 Spin until damp. To avoid matting of the fabric, stand on end to dry. Never place a roller back into its package wet—always allow it to dry completely.

Can You Clean Latex Paint Brushes With Mineral Spirits

General Advice

Cleaning Paint Brushes With Mineral Spirits

• Every coating is different. Read the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions on the paint can label.
• Always clean immediately after use; doing so requires less time and is more effective.
• If you can’t clean your brush or roller immediately following a job, wet it with paint; seal it in plastic wrap, or a plastic bag. This keeps the brush or roller from hardening until it can be cleaned properly.
• Keep one set of brushes for latex or acrylics and another set for oils.
• The Wooster Painter’s Comb™ is a valuable tool that speeds up cleaning. The comb separates the filaments, allowing soap and water into the brush heel during cleaning, and straightens the filaments before storing.
• Fast-drying coatings or dry, hot, windy conditions require cleaning your brushes more frequently (perhaps every two to four hours). Keeping an extra set of brushes on hand will allow you to remain productive while the used brushes dry.
• Never hit a brush on a pail or the top of your shoe to get water out. It can permanently damage the brush.