Comments on: TIP: Restoring paintbrushes

By: TIP: Restoring paintbrushes | Art Studio Secrets | Produkcja drewna

TIP: Restoring paintbrushes | Art Studio Secrets | Produkcja drewna — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:51:09 +0000

[...] original post here: TIP: Restoring paintbrushes | Art Studio Secrets This entry was posted on 31/10/2009 (Saturday) at 5:05 pm and is filed under General. You can [...]

By: Carol Lambert

Carol Lambert — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:50:28 +0000

I have found that Goop, a hand cleaning product sold in automotive stores (or in the automotive section of the big box stores like Walmart) is ideal for cleaning brushes and keeping them soft. I try to minimize water on my brushes. When it’s time to clean them, I dip in solvent, wipe, then dip in olive oil, wipe (lots of paint comes out in the oil!), and then work some goop into each one, wiping and squeezing all the remaining pigment out of the bristles. It is quick, easy, effective, and conditions the brushes nicely. I end with a quick rinse with water. At that point, no toxins are left to go down the drain. Finally, I wipe them dry, and lay out flat so that no water will get into the ferrule. I got the idea of using Goop from Steven Assael. Goop is very cheap too. In the case of a badly soiled brush, a soak in Goop overnight works well.

By: Cindy Procious

Cindy Procious — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:32:43 +0000

All good tips.

The best solution, of course, is to not be lazy and wash your brushes after every use, right? We all do this, right?

Riiiight.

By: lauren Arno

lauren Arno — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:52:42 +0000

I hear that vinegar works wonders when cleaning brushes that are crusty

By: j

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:23:19 +0000

murphys oil soap also works well.
idrop them into a corner of a lg baggy and
fill with this soap up to the ferral.
mr.muscle oven cleaner will remove
dry paint from canvases.

By: ThomasA

ThomasA — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:38:23 +0000

I’ll be trying the Ivory soap this week for sure. Another way to reshape old brushes is with starch, coat them very well with it, then reshape them with your fingers, or press them between cardboard or anything else hard and flat then let dry, works perfectly.

By: The Baldchemist

The Baldchemist — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:32:45 +0000

Tie a piece of masking tape around the bristles after cleaning and hang them upside down. I often soften mine with a drop of olive oil afterwards.( as long as you’re working with oils of course).
Thanks for the advice. Take good care and get as much joy as you can everyday.

By: Cindy Procious

Cindy Procious — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:12:05 +0000

Good point, Dave. Thanks for adding that. But, you’re too dang late, I ruined 3 of the brushes from that photo!

Ah, well. Live and learn.

Tom - I’m not sure but I think so. And, you do know you can restore synthetics shape by dipping them into hot (almost boiling?) water?

By: Tammy Hext

Tammy Hext — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:08:28 +0000

Thanks, I am going to try this on my brushes. I too am a ‘typical’ painter with quite a few brushes that have seen better days.

By: Tom Mulliner

Tom Mulliner — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:32:58 +0000

I’ve learnt over the years that you get what you pay for with brushes, and this has lengthened their lifespan and my pocket no end!

I thought there was no hope… until now! Thanks.

I also concur with David Darrow on the ‘jar not too full’ tip. I’ve had brushes shed their paint due to expanding wooden, water-logged handles and it’s harrowing to see having spent lots of money buying them.

Also, does the “skimmed milk sandwich” method work for those brushes that have curled from being too low in the brush pot to regain their shape too?