I tested this out with baking soda because I don't have gardening lime on hand, baking soda also works as an alkali stand in. In case anyone doesn't want to go get gardening lime just for this. I do have aluminum sulfate already because I used to make marbled paper. Just remember baking soda is more concentrated than baking powder, so use baking soda, not baking powder. It's widely available at grocery stores.
Depending on how much you paint, you could also pour it into a container (shallow would evaporate more quickly), cover with a flyscreen to keep critters out and leave in a warm dry place to evaporate the liquids then dispose of the dry solids
Yes, that’s a great option for people that live in dry climates. I live in place that’s super humid so nothing evaporates here, lol. Thanks for adding that option for people 😊
Thank you for sharing this with us. It was very interesting. My painting teacher's pipes clogged from all the paint that was dumped down her sink. We then started dumping it into a bucket but she would dump the bucket in the field behind her house. Wish I knew this back then. 🎨🖌️🪣
I wish I knew this sooner too. I wonder if art schools are teaching this now? At any rate, it's been amazing for me and my little one person studio. Thanks for watching! 😊
Thanks so much for this video!! The process doesn’t sound overwhelming at all, very doable. Thanks for putting in so much work researching the method to share with us! Hope more people can see this in the future
Dear Dotting Center, this issue has worried me for years! Thank you so much for such a clear and easy to follow video. I will be showing it to all my students.....
This is great, I was unaware of the dangers of putting acrylic waste water into the sink, but was worried about the environmental effects. I use a very small amount of water, and a pot of solid brush cleaner to clean the bristles, then pour the waste water onto a piece of kitchen paper in an old food tray and leave it out in the sunshine (when we get it in England!) to evaporate. I use the same sheet of kitchen paper many times. I don’t dot much (yet) so don’t have professional quantities of waste water to dispose of 😀
I love all the info you gather and share. This one is terrific! I used to pour off the top water of a settled bucket, in a back corner of my garden, and then scrap off the slushy semi solids into a news paper. This is so much better! Thank you once again.
Thank you Rachel for this information. I definitely will be treating my art wastewater in the future and in fact, probably reusing the cleaned water again to clean my brushes instead of just throwing it away.
I was wondering if this was possible given the chemicals in the water. I would hate to use a brush I cleaned in that water and have it react poorly with the paint on the canvas. Thoughts?
Oregon USA here💜dang girl, you-R-awesome💯..thx soooo much for this informative vid...a link to this vid needs to be included on all acrylic paint containers...you are definitely my Eco Super Hero❗ You totally rock✅👍💙🥰
Greatest science lesson ever!! Thanks for this, I also have well and septic, and I definitely dont want to upset hubby when he has to dig up and replace pipes! So, thank you for saving me😆 also, props to Golden paint company!!
I'm so glad your pipes have been saved! It's a gnarly job for sure. I just had to take the sink apart but it took an hour because I'm a terrible plumber. 😂 Yes, thank you Golden paint 👏
Great video! This is what I have been looking for - a clean, easy and environmental friendly way. Your video answered this and also the way you described is clear. Thanks again. I bought all the painting art supplies about 2 years ago and did not start any paintings at home, scared that I may block our home sink and plumbing. Now after watching your video I can start my art hobby.
It's probably not as good as the whole flocculation process that you describe (very clearly!), but here's what I've been doing the last few years: I keep extra containers around (e.g., old plastic almond jars from Costco, or old coffee tins) and when I'm done with my painting, I first wipe off paint onto a paper towel, then rinse as much as I can into a small (yogurt cup) of water, wipe off some more on the paper towel, then rinse some more in another cup of water. The water can then be poured into the larger plastic jar, into which I also add some clumping kitty litter (best to find the stuff that doesn't smell!). The kitty litter absorbs most of the water, the acrylic waste just dries up quickly, and after a few days any remaining water has evaporated. I keep doing that until the jar is full of kitty litter & dried acrylic solids, at which point it can just go in the trash. Very little acrylic material goes down the drain this way and it's much easier than the process described by Golden Paints.
Thanks for sharing your process! Some other viewers have also mentioned the kitty litter method. I’m in a high humidity state so I’m not sure it would work as well for me. Nothing dries out in Florida 😂
Thanks so much for sharing this. I live in an RV - very narrow pipes! I’ve been worried about paint going down the drain but didn’t know what to do instead. Now all I have to figure out is how to wash all the paint off my hands and not send it down the drain (I’ve mostly been using baby wipes for my hands).
As I convalesced from serious illnesses these past few years I entertained myself watching videos of artists doing acrylic pouring and really wanted to get back into painting. Well, what stopped me dead in my tracks was not knowing what to do with the waste water. I live in welfare housing in an ancient building with old pipes... no WAY was I going to loose my housing for mucked up pipes! And, anyhow, it never sat right with me. IDK what took RU-vid so long to show your video to me... maybe I was just not well enough (TBI/insomnia related) to understand what I was watching. I'm finally getting better and SO APPRECIATE you making this video. It's almost like artists' "dirty" little secret is all about cleaning their supplies... 🤔
I am so sorry that you had to deal with some health problems for the last few years. I hope that you are feeling better and continue on with your health journey. Art is a great place to help with healing in my opinion. I agree that it’s important to keep a clean studio. With this technique gets too easy not to do it. All the best!❤️🙏😊
Hey thanks. I saw this first on the GOLDEN site, but really enjoyed your scientific rendition. I live near the very top of a volcanic crater in Panama. We have a well and septic tank. All the rain that falls, and all the gnarly water that one might dump on the ground, becomes the beginning of a large river that winds down the mountain and if not used along the way, dumps into the Pacific Ocean. I've been concerned about our well water and all the down-streamers as I make preparations to paint with acrylics. More artists need to know about how easy it is to do something good. But hey, no judgement.
I bet that living in a place like a volcanic crater Panama (so cool!) you can see firsthand the effects of your waste water directly. So many people are so far removed from the land and animals that live in the surrounding areas that I think they just think the water treatment plants take care of everything. I was one of them, honestly. The trouble also starts with the paint companies that say acrylics are non-toxic and say nothing about the proper disposal of their products. Thanks for your comment.
"Stock photos show a slight dramatisation of actual bathroom situation" 😆🤣 very clever! And thank you for sharing. More of this information needs to be brought to light XOX ps. I wonder if there's an alternative for aluminum sulphate, I'm not convinced of it being 100% non toxic. I'd love to be wrong though!
Glad you enjoyed it! The aluminum sulphate I bought was "food grade". I'm not a cook so I have no idea what you would use this for but I'm pretty sure it's ok. Either way it's much better than dumping for sure toxic particle matter from paints into the water supply. I trust that it's a good process.
Thanks for demonstrating this! I went to art school and they never bothered to teach us this stuff 😑 I'm also thinking one could make the nastiest neutral tone if you added that sediment back into some medium
Very clear presentation. I will have to try this again as previous similar attempts did not flocculate... perhaps my volumes were incorrect. Thanks again
Thanks so much for putting this together! Gonna do this! But, I am confused on the “dump the excess water”… why don’t you reuse it as your same “rinse bucket” for painting? Are there lingering chemicals in it? I also just wanna add, a big up to Golden, they implemented a reverse osmosis process that gets back like 75% of the water they use to make the paint. It’s pretty amazing. So they can consistently reuse the same water over and over.
I'm not a scientist so I don't know the details. I dump the excess water because it stinks, frankly. There's definitely chemicals in that water. This process simply removes the micro plastics and pigments. I love that Golden cares about this stuff.
Yes! I think people with septic tanks should definitely do this. I'm no septic expert (septspert?🤣) But I think that overflow water seeps out in the drain field in your yard. Either way it's no good. Better to treat your water like this. 👍
Wow! Few questions: 1. Can you use the end product (the clear water) to water your plants? 2. Regarding the solids you dump in the trash, aren't they polluting by themselves? I mean at the end of the day, they get to the trash center where they get into the soil ----> from there to the groundwater. So... What is the difference? 3. Aren't there sustainable eco friendly paints in the market? Or are they just crazy expensive?
1. Don’t reuse the clear water. It will most certainly kill plants. It still has chemicals in it. 2. The solids are less polluting because they seal into a solid. The micro plastics in the water are what we’re trying to avoid with this process. 3. There should be something more eco friendly! I agree. Hopefully they will figure that out soon. Thank you for your questions. 😊
I've cringed every time I've poured my paint water down the drain, even it's a small amount, so this will sooth my soul and ease my guilt a lot! Thank you sooooo much for putting in so much work that the rest of us can benefit from. Quick question though: after the water has gone through the process and is clear again, can it be reused? Or is there a way to make it reusable? I'd love to be able to reuse the water if I can.
Yes! This is a game changer. Don’t reuse the water for any purpose. It still has chemicals in it so it will most likely kill plants. This process only removes microplastics not chemicals.
Thanks for the reply. I was thinking more of reusing the water to clean my paintbrushes, like a repeat process. plants die when I walk by so I don't keep any 🤣 @@TheDottingCenter
@AnimeLover738 😂 Oh ok, good! I’ve been asked if you can drink the water after filtering it so I always have to cover that. You can try to reuse the water but mine water always has an odor that I don’t like so I just flush it.
This is great - do you have a video about washing your brushes? I wash mine in the sink with soap, but i assume I am getting acrylic particles in the system. How do you do it?
I get 95% of the paint off of my brushes in the dirty paint water then I wash with soap in the sink. It’s a tiny amount of paint that washes off so that’s ok 👍
Hi, Rachel! new painter here. Do you also have a sustainable method to clean your brushes? I haven't found a good clear method yet and I was hoping you could give a tip.
I am new to this whole painting scene. Could you do a vie a stupid question,, but i really don't know.deo about how to clean all of your tools without running water. May sound lik
I'm wondering - wouldn't it be even better to put the dusty dried acrylic in some container or bag? So it doesn't fly in the air when being collected and transported around. We usually have some containers going to non recyclable waste at the ready.
Yes, I’m glad you mentioned that. Once you realize all the places glitter is found you will be shocked: makeup, nail polish, screenprinting on clothes, kids toys, packaging… It’s everywhere. You do what you can, right?
Thank you for the information I have a question instead of dumping at the Clearwater since it has all the chemicals already in it can we just reuse it by pouring our dirty water into it
I just came across your video. Thank you for sharing and setting it out in simple, easy to follow steps. Would the same procedure work for watercolour waste water?
Does this get rid of all the dissolves chemicals and nano-plastics though? I feel like it can only really mostly get rid of paint solids but not the dissolved harmful chemicals ?
It only gets rid of the micro plastics. The chemicals are still there. Thankfully the chemicals in acrylic paints are much safer than the solvents used in oil painting.
ooooh yeah.. I'm not a scientist. like at all. I would look for the hydrated lime at a landscaping or home improvement store in your area. It's a common soil amendment so they should carry it. Good luck!
Great question! Dye may not flocculate like acrylic paints. I don’t use dye so I wouldn’t know. It does work with watercolors and gouache but they’re more like acrylics than dye is. You can try it. 😊
The amount of paint in your brushes is so much less than what ends up in your water jar I'm sure you'll be ok. Especially if you clean the big chunks first in the jar and then finish in the sink.
I tried this for the second time the other day & the liquid wouldn’t go clear, but stayed a greenish colour. Do I need to try again? I also found the seams of the coffee filters bunged up the funnel so no liquid could get through. Maybe I need different filters. 😂
I would guess that the reason why your water didn’t go clear is because you might’ve used either a dye or an ink that couldn’t be filtered out as easily as acrylic paints or watercolors. I’ve never had the water not run clear but I also don’t use inks. Maybe that’s it 🤔
Hi I’m curious what happens to the dried paint that goes in the trash? Is it not hazardous as well? You said something about it but I’m not sure I understood it
That's the problem with acrylic paint in general. You can dispose of the waste paint in an eco-friendly way, but that's still adding more plastic to the environment. I love acrylic paint, but I think it is just not eco-friendly.
Heck, I didn't really ponder the microplastic angle, because I had never had any examples of doing something different.i just heard to really flush out with more water so the paint was diluted to not stick!
What's the best way to dispose of water that is loaded with concrete particles. I have been casting my own stones and have a collection of crusty icky water. I want to dispose responsibly. Please help!
That's a great question! I really don't know. I don't use concrete or casted stones so I've never come across any info on that. Try looking up the concrete on the company's website or call or email directly. They should be able to tell you how to dispose of the sludge properly.
As long as the paint is water based, I would think that it would work. I can't be sure though. I use all kinds of paints and I've never treated a gallon of wastewater and had particles left over.
I use this system and it works well. I use two HUGE coffee filters in a colander suspended over a large bucket. It is easier to pour, although you have to be careful of the filters folding inward. I got the method from this Golden Paints video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3YWW20Lxpi4.html
@@TheDottingCenter thank you so much. I hear you and agree, the smell is not great but perhaps for a first wash out of the brushes.. maybe. Thanks again for your reply and your info! 🥰
Some pigments are toxic. Never sand, burn, or get paint anywhere near your mouth or eyes. It’s not even a good idea to get paint on your skin because it can be absorbed. Thank you 😊
The varnish I use has an odor and I personally don't like the smell of the filtered water, but that's an awesome idea if you have brushes that need to be washed you could definitely use that water again if you can bear the smell.
Thank you so much for this video!! ❤❤❤ I have some questions left although... Do you wash your brushes with soap? Does the soap affect the process of floacking and filtering any way? I use coconut soap to wash my brushes.. Could you show us your process of cleaning yours? And what about oil paint? How is the filtering process different? Should we also do this for watercolor water?
I use brush soap and it doesn't affect the flocculation process. It will only work for water based paints. I don't know the process of washing oil paints, but you wouldn't want to mix oil paint turpentine or brush cleaning solution in this water. I would keep that separated.
Great idea! Thank you. I think when you are referring to a colander it is really just a funnel. A colander has holes in it for example for draining pasta. Just for clarification.
Please find a way to use the sludge! Wouldn’t that be great? Every time I see those sparkly grey chunks of muck I wish I could give them a special purpose.
No, definitely not. The water is clear, but there are still chemicals left in the water. This process just removes the particles. It's not safe for your sweet little green friends. 🌱
