Best Paint Brush Cleaner. Remove Dried Paint 

SHORT ANSWER: Use Acetone (10:15) or Reducer 54 (7:17) and the paint will literally brush right off with ease. After that apply warm soap & water and scrub with a wire brush until content.

I watched this video over yesterday and I immediately ran to my garbage can and pulled out 2 brushes I had thrown out due to dry oil base polyurethane. I had a can of acetone, so I poured it in a 2-quart tub, and let it sit for 24 hours. The acetone did the job, and the brushes are back to normal. Thanks for the tip!

I clean everything with recycled acetone, i get a 5 gallon pail from my painters supply for $45 and clean the spray guns, brushes, roller frames, spray tips and guards. It works great just soak for 30 minutes, take them out and brush off then rinse with soapy water

I've tried every product known to man to remove stuck on latex from paint brushes. After watching your video, I tried acetone; the only product I've never tried. You guys were spot on!! Let the brush soak for 2 hours and combed out 99.9% of the crud!! Worked perfectly!! Brush is like new! Thank you!!!!

You taught me how to paint my house in 2016. This week, my sick friend's house was painted by me, her brother, cousin and adult grands. Both houses turned out great! Thanks!

Thank you. I've never had to do a deep restorative clean on any of my brushes until I saw what my brother-in-law did to some of mine that I lent him a year ago. This is a really helpful video. Hopefully I can get them back in working order. Thanks. (And my brother-in-law gave me $60 bucks in case I needed to buy new brushes so he's not a jack-ass or anything. Just a home owner who doesn't know any better.)

Thank you! This is the best video I’ve seen so far for cleaning brushes. Actual scientific research.

I used liquid fabric softener on a brush that had dried for over a year. Soak in straight liquid for 24 hours, then use a hair comb to remove softened paint.

im a new painter, this info is so very helpful, thanks for posting.

Yes, acetone works well. But I generally prefer not to use it due to both the odor and health concerns, not to mention environmental issues with disposal. I recently (October 2023) had a $25 Purdy brush that a friend allowed to harden into a virtual board, dried latex paint from tip to ferrule. (It got left in the garage for, I dunno, 3 months or somesuch. So the paint was fully cured). My solution: I put it brush-side down into a quart-sized Ziplock bag, filled the bag with Murphy's Oil Soap, suspended it in a quart can for about 30 hours. Removed and cleaned it with a wire brush. Good as new: bristles are clean, soft, perfect all the way to the ferrule. Set side-by-side with a new Purdy you can scarcely tell the difference. This is only for water-based latex paint, of course, but it is a cheap and safe alternative folks might want to try.

Thanks for this. I might also add that when using acetone or other strong solvents, make sure it's in a well ventilated area. It's not something you want to be inhaling.

This was the exact information I was looking for. I pulled a rookie mistake and completely forgot to clean my brush out before I went to bed last night. It's one of my good ones too. Thank you for this! having this

Awesome video! I needed this as I left a couple brushes in the fridge for next day use. I’ve learned to clean my brushes more often. Now, i can salvage the brushes in the fridge. Thank you

I miss the old days ( the sixties) when i had my first business as a house painter . Things were easy then . Latex and oil base paints . that was pretty much it. one could clean up with water or paint thinner in a few minutes . My partner and i had the same brushes for years . two 3 inch sash brushes , one nylon, one bristle. 😂😂

I have used orange paint striper gel diluted in water with great success. Makes the brush smell like oranges as well. Highly recommend you try it.

Thank you guys for taking time of your Day for this 😌

On the live show I was the first to mention acetone. I'm just starting off with my business. Can't even afford a sprayer. I get brushes from clients that showed me their attempt at painting and the brushes they forgot to clean. They give them to me and bam I get new brushes that way. Glad I could give support for the paint life community.

Thank you sir. You again saved my sanity. Acetone worked within a few minutes (mine wasn't left out as long) and got most of it out. I really wish those of us that just wanted to paint one room didn't have to go through all this expense with rollers and brushes. Obviously you get what you pay for, but I hadn't planned on 100 dollars worth of paint and supplies. Purple paint is the worst to cover. Thankfully the guys at the store have been amazing so no regrets on going to a professional place instead of a big box store.

Thank you for this video you saved my ass. I was painting my room my dad let me use 2 of his paint brushes and said you ruin them your buying new ones and they are hard as a rock... Good thing I have acetone

Thanks for the great information! I've got at least 4 brushes that I need to put in Acetone to restore.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!! Finally I can clean my favourite brushes !!!

For latex, I fill a can with hot water, add some Tide or other detergent and let it sit for a day or so. Then, rinse under running hot water, followed by cleaning with a paintbrush comb. This worked well on brushes that were rock hard from months ago.

I've been using acetone and laquer thinner to flush my brushes and guns since the 70's. You rally should make sure that you have eye protection and both evaporate rapidly.

Great stuff. Lacquer thinner is acetone with other things like toluene added to slow evaporation. That Krud Kutter brush was is fantastic for a quick dip when cleaning brushes promptly. Really gets every bit out of it.

Saved my favorite brush after watching this ...thought the brush was headed for the trash but Acetone to the rescue. Looks almost brand new.

Restored an old bristle brush with Diggers "brush restorer". Took a week or so of soaking and a few wire brush treatments as it went along gradually getting softer. But eventually it ended up like a great brush fully restored and worn in ready for use. Was a perfect small glossing brush all worn in ready to go. was not as caked as the ones in this vid but was definitely solid and useless. So it can be done if one really wants it. And you can't buy em like that any more so that was worth it.

Seen a painter putting hair conditioner on his brushes after washing them out at the end of the day and the wrapping them in plastic/cellophane. Cheers lads

Love the videos man. Looks like you have a great group of guys working with you. Which in rare in our trade.

i still have brushes that were purchased in 1995 in excellent condition...used many many many many times..but well taken care off.

I have had the most success with Acetone on latex paint brushes. Evaporation is an issue, but the Acetone does soften the brushes after soaking for about 12 hours. I was interested in what other cleaner to soak the brush after the Acetone as Acetone alone can cause bristles to dry out and go wild on me. I think I will try the Simple Green as a post-Acetone soak and see how the bristles survive the process. Thanks for the video. It was very helpful. I also use Acetone to clean off the brush ferrule. The dried latex paint comes right off.

Very useful video thank God I can buy nail varnish remover anywhere and try it on four dried out brushes used with gloss. I find water based paint so much less hassle and I always clean the brushes after use. Gloss smells and white spirit sinks as well but they have to be cleaned if you dont want to waste your brushes.

A paint store guys told me to use 1 part hot tap water and 1 part fabric softener (like downy). It works wonderfully! No harsh chemicals.

I have tried your solution with Acetone......2 old Purdy brushed are usable again. Bought a qt at local hdwe and was skeptical but tried it and IT WORKED. thanks for the useful info. I have several brushes that have been cleaned previous..I cleaned them and didn't let "help" do it. Thanks again.

You saved my favorite art brushes that my sweet daughter used and left paint in *insert sob fest here*. I'm now mourning the lose of all the great brushes that met their end in a dark trashcan before I knew the acetone trick.

TSP original. I hate carrying tons of chemicals around. And being I use it when painting kitchens and bathrooms, I always have a box of it on hand. I use it on my brushes and it works great. And yes, I've used it to clean hardened brushes as well.

I had some Goo Gone sitting around and that worked. A bit more expensive than Acetone but I already had it. Thanks for sharing your experiment results.

I’ve seen that white vinegar works if you boil it first and then submerge the brush in it and then wire brush it.

Hi guys I have been watching on and off for a while good content. I just went through the sds of reducer 54. It is 50 % a ketone (same chemical family as acetone), 20% ethanol, 20% xylene, and something they will not specify. That said the reducer 54 should be a much strong dissolving agent. The xylene in there is an incredible remover. I would guess it would work well on just about everything, like you saw even the brush materials. For your money and ease of knowledge acetone with maybe specific use cases for reducer 54. Thanks for the info and video.

I boil water and add a few ml of acetone into the water once boiled then just leave the brush in it. Recuperating brushes on work sites and restoring them ^^ Edit: Just finished the video, not surprised that acetone worked. It's always done wonders for me, and the reason I use boiling water is because it helps soften the brush.

As a DYI home owner, during a (acrylic/latex) painting project I wrap up the paint brushes in plastic single use grocery store bags. Then place them in a gallon size Ziploc bag and put them in the freezer to use the next day until the project is completed. When the task is done then I clean the paint brushes by using concentrated Dawn Dish washing soap (2x) directly into the bristles, working deeply into the brush. Rinse with moderate warm water and again soak them in Simple Green overnight. Rinse and put away

". . . .that's what you get, when your daughter uses your paint brushes. . . ." hahaha -- EXACTLY!

I have found Pure Castile soap and very hot water works the best, it softens the dried latex paint then comb it through it conditions as it cleans.. for even better results after cleaning I put more Pure Castile Soap on the brushes and wash them when I need them..I also use Downey fabric softer in my wash water it’s great for brushes and roller sleeves. My customers love it because my work area smells great.

Use a brass bristle brush to clean brush instead of wire brush. The wire brush frays at the ends and grabs and pulls out the bristles where the bras does not do.

very well done - thanks very much from South Australia

I had an old timer chemist at a paint counter tell me to use rubbing alcohol for latex paint and it was a miracle worker!

That must have been an amazing day. With that breeze blowing I can almost smell the pine trees.

I've used goof off works extremely well on dry paint

Thanks so much for the experiment!

well when the paint brush is not sitting with the paint for short period of time, the paint will come out fairly easy...the thing is when the paint is very old...

16:40 I'm glad you asked. If you have a paintbrush with DRYED PAINT on it (oil or latex) there are two things that will remove that paint. One is "Brush Cleaner" It smells like nail polish remover. The second is gasoline. Now, this is where the quality of your paintbrush comes into play. A quality brush will survive this procedure many times over (Purdy) A cheap brush will not. I learned this from an Old Timer/ Old School painter.

Well this is gonna sound crazy but if you get oil based paint dried on your hands, don't use any solvent to get it off. Go in to the kitchen and get some olive oil. Pore it on your hands like you are washing your hands. It will remove the paint without you absorbing any VOCs . Then just wash you hands with soap and water. I wonder how it would do with a paint brush that has been used but not dried. Of course how would get the Olive oil out of the brush, simple green.

Murphy's Oil soap took rock hard latex paint off a brush of mine. It gave me like new bristles as well.

I've also heard soaking a brush in hot water and oxiclean works great too.

Old School: Soak the brush over night in Murphey's Oil Soap. Scrap paint off easy the next morning.

What do you do with the spent chemicals after you're done cleaning the brushes ? Thanks

I brought a brush back to life after using a shellac primer. I used ammonia on it and it cleaned up nicely. Before cleaning it was stiff as a board.

Thank you for saving me so much time and money !!!

Just got finished painting my dining room. New brushes and rollers all came clean with Pinesol. Try it you'll be amazed.

Best Tip to prevent dried paint up by the ferrule/crimp , wet the paint brush before using:)

Methyline chloride will strip any paint off the bristles, ferrule, and wood handle. Sodium hydroxide solution works, too. Acetone works on latex paints but might not break down the oil based ones. After cleaning with acetone, soak in isopropyl, followed by a soap and water rinse. In any case, spend $200 on an ultra sonic cleaner. Required soaking times go down from hours to minutes, possibly seconds. And for sure with an ultra sound you could save that stiff roller

Take us through the dust brush part of the business. When, how much, other options etc...... You guys are so entertaining

Methyl hydrate for dried latex for anyone who was wondering. For a brush, soak than wire brush

Lacquer thinner works good too.

Lacquer thinner is my go to for cleaning dried paint.

I have had very good sucess using Trisodium Phosphate, a simple white power cleaner, you can buy it in most stores, its used a a general porpuse cleaner, it disolves in water, dissolve a good amunt in water, let the paintbrush stand over night, all paint wil soften and come out clean with a wire brush, the britles will be soft and clean

I basically buy cheap paint brushes and rollers. I clean my brushes as soon I am done. They hold up for several years. I just threw one away that I've used for several years. I'm not painting the Mona Lisa but I do take care of my tools.

Acetone works great on a stalker's car too

Mineral spirits is my go to for brush restoration

Xylene is a carcinogen so it’s no joke on the Reducer 54. Probably should be careful handling it’s in the Benzene family, so extremely hazardous to your health with respect to cancers, etc. Use it with masks and gloves. Love your videos. I’m a novice (seriously just sanded and stained my front door the first time I have ever used a sander or stain) and your videos really help.

Last night I had to clean a very expensive paint brush my husband failed to store correctly. I found that goo gone worked pretty good too loosen it. In then I used a very fine tooth metal doggy comb. Works ok. But that's why I'm here, I'm looking for something more guarantee.

Thank you for the info! I have a couple of brushes to try with acetone.

My coworker left a roller cover in a 5 gallon paint bucket. It had some dried paint on it and when i took it out and rised it, it cleaned filly. I put another roller cover that was left out for the weekend and half of it was hard. Currently testing to see if it work. Bottom line paint its self may dissolve dried paint

Simple green purple and grafiti remover cleaner work very good

For dried up latex. I put the brush in fabric softener. Any available from the dollar store. Leave brush in overnight. Next day, paint comes off easy. And brisles stay soft.

I usually use the heavy based solvents for most brushes but for the brushes that need a little more you can try, paint stripper for a hour, wire brush, rinse and a final wash clean up with some dish soap and a quick rinse and spin. Place the brush after in a case to help maintain bristle configuration. Final step, form a conga line to dance around and prey to the PNTR gods for good results.

Here is a thought......Rap your brushes in plastic and bring them home and wash them. Or, just wrap in plastic and tape around the boot. That way, if you forget to wash the brush, you’ll have plenty of time before the brush hardens. That’s what I do if I can’t wash my brushes on the job. Also, I’ll put my rollers in a paint tray, with water to soak, until I get a chance to clean. I’m big on keeping my tools in clean working order. Especially if you’re doing high-end jobs, you’re going to wanna use a brush that’s broken in and to your liking. I know how each brush is going to cut and brush, and I hardly ever use a sash brush. I believe that if you’re a good painter, you use a straight edge brush. They hold more paint and cut better. That’s just my opinion. Everybody has one. Like a u-know-what. 😂😂

Thank you for this video. I tried vinegar but it wasn't what works. I will try acetone.

ok with the vinegar you have to boil it first.... not sure what the heat does but its a trick for hobby and wargamers and you cant put it overnight because the glue in the ferrel will break down.... again not sure what the heat does but boil it and within a few mins it starts to break apart the paint.....

I was thinking lacquer thinner - which is very similar to acetone. I wonder what chemicals work best with natural bristles vs synthetic. Best cleaner of all - clean your brushes often!

keep up the paintlife brother.informative vids.

You have to put a bag over the cup filled with acetone so it doesn't evaporate. Acetone is safer xylene

a goodtrick i learned from an old timer.condition your brushes overnight with a soak in hair conditioner.or i use a squirt in my final rinse...

Acetone will dry out natural bristles and make them brittle. A conditioner would be helpful after using this cleaning method on these types of brushes.

You videos have been very helpful to me, so I will return the favor. Get some lacquer thinner, which you probably have. It eats latex paint.

Now that’s reality TV! thanks

One thing to remember is not to get acetone into the ferule because the factories glue the bristles to the ferule with epoxy and the acetone will compromise the epoxy. I had great luck with gel shaving cream (out of a can) suspended with acetone. Not sure if it is safe but it worked!

Kleen Strip brush cleaner. I could've been the brush Moses used it will restore it quickly. Laquer thinner works pretty good also. I used to clean strip on a brush that have been left outside for over a year within two or three minutes it was good to go. And this is from 35 years of painting experience never seen anything work better

I have a question I thought about the other day when looking at different bristle types. With your combined experiences has there even been any type of brush bristle you've used that got deformed when soaked in any time of cleaner or solvent? separate from the effect on the dried on paint. Thanks!Painter Pete

I was surprised there was any uncovered acetone left!

Great video! I always use chinex brushes, wonder how they would have cleaned in the experiment...

Id rather buy a new brush than sit and fool with it. Congrats Purdy, you win.

Thank you guys.

Lacquer thinner works 100% of the time

You have to boil the vinegar and let the brush sit in it while its boiling and it does soften the paint!

Very informative. Thank you. Thumbs Up!

Thanks for doing this experiment. Oil u have had trouble restoring, but latex I just use denatured alcohol and they clean up no prob.

Ethylene Glycol will soften acrylic latex quite well. Common cheap antifreeze is an easy source for this restorer. If you have ever winterized a spray unit with pump armor or antifreeze and found softened paint puddled in the low areas of the unit and hoses on the next use when rinsing it out, you will know what I mean.

When i 1st started painting many years ago i was with a co .we did chevron gas stations. Nothing but oil base back then well when i worked with 1 guy after hed clean the brushes in laquer thinner hed dump 30 wt motor oil in the paint thinner to rinse the brushes. He said it kept the bristles soft. I dont remember if it ever did that was a long time ago. Maybe youve heard of this?

Super helpful! Thanks guys!

Murphy Wood Cleaner will do the job, the thing is basically no one leave a brush full of paint, the use the paint the leave it dry (basically) but don't clean it, leaving loads of paint on a brush is not REAL WORLD, to get a proper test, use the paint, then let it dry.