The Holy Grail of Paint Brush Cleaning!!! 

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I learned long ago to wet the brush with water before painting. Dry it with a cloth. The bristles in the center of the brush and up near the ferrule stay wet and the paint that gets up there doesn't dry as easily. Easier cleanup.

When I'm done I wrap the brush in newspaper as you do with the plastic wrap. It will shape the bristles while allowing them to dry. My father taught me that. I'm 70.

Learned what a brush comb was a few year ago and have changed many lives sharing my learning. The brush hangy-stick thing is great. Thank you for all you do.

Full time painter here and this is good advice. One thing to note is that if you wrap oil, alcohol, or basically any solvent based paints in plastic they will only last a day or two, it's as if the paint off gases through the plastic. I would apply this to some water based primers too. But if you wrap most water based brushes/rollers in poly they can last days, weeks, and even months. Typically we use masking poly to wrap brushes/rollers as it's thicker but the kitchen wrap is a good tip. Noticed someone saying it's good to dampen your brush before painting and I would generally agree. Also if in hot, dry or windy conditions keep a spray bottle with water, or solvent on hand and moisten/move your paint as needed. If your put it down for more than a few minutes cover it with something. A little effort into taking care of your paint will go a very long way, as will straining it.

An additional step for the storage between coats. After wrapping it in plastic wrap, put it in the freezer. That stops the curing process. And don't worry, as soon as one puts the brush back into paint, it warms up and is ready to use. I do like the vinegar trick! Thank you.

I like to use a bit of dish soap for the initial cleaning of a wet brush. It helps to carry away the remaining paint in the brush.

I prefer the ol’ Bob Ross ‘ beat the devil out of it ‘ technique

I’ve been washing my paint brushes for years, and I learned new things from this video. Solid information. Thank you!

Instead of plastic wrap, I use a zip-lock bag. I typically put a moist paper towel around the brush in the bag to help maintain some humidity in the bag to slow down the latex paint from drying. Good tip with the vinager.

For continued use, I wrap my wet paint brushes as described, but then I put them in the frig overnight.

Thanks just found this n will use the corner of the sink trick soon. My mom was a house painter for 30yrs n we always had paint brushes n rollers in our freezer wrapped in cellophane.

Love your concern about cleaning brushes. Something I do is after thoroughly rinsing out the brush, I raise my foot and flick the brush against the front of the shoe to get out the water. Turn the brush and flick it again. The residual paint lands on the sole or the ground. Then, I spray down the brush with WD-40 and work it in. One old painter I knew years ago said he used maple syrup for latex brushes??? Never tried that one. Store it vertically in its original cover from the store and when you need it again, I rinse out the WD-40 with min spirts or alcohol. I have some brushes I have used this way for now 45 years and they just get better and better. Another thing is to never mix oil base brushes with latex brushes. Now for the final bonus question: how do you get rid of "split-tail" brushes"?

Good tips. I’m a professional painter myself, and I approve. My brushes last for years.

That vinegar tip was a great one. Didn’t know that and will definitely be using it in the future thanks and keep up the great work.

Again THANK YOU SO MUCH!!, i keep saying it, youre teaching a new generation some really important things, thank you for that man! My number one channel bro

I have been painting, both for myself and professionally for 52 years, (yes I am old). I have some lovely, expensive natural bristle brushes I bought at least 30 years ago, and this man's advice mimics exactly what I would tell you. Follow it. Don't use any short-cuts, and your $50.00 brushes, (they will be $100.00) will still be good in 30 years from now....your kids will love them. I promise you.

Recently took over as the maintenance guy at an apartment complex. These painting tips have come in handy. I greatly appreciate it

I use Amorall wheel and tire cleaner to clean brushes I used for latex paint. Soak old brushes in it too to rejuvenate bristles.

Great stuff, I especially liked the vinegar tip. One trick I learned from a woodworking instructor is to not load a dry brush with paint, get it wet first. By doing so you get water up into the feral and the paint won't wick up so much. I hope that makes sense. You can also do the same thing with oil based paints and varnishes, but I can't remember what product you use. Mineral oil maybe ... I should look that one up. Anyways, great tips! Ciao.

If your brush lasts forever, then you don't paint everyday. Good tips, but I only use a painter's stainless steel wire brush. But you did forget to condition the bristles back to a neutral PH, after soaking them, but soaking in vinegar will soften it alright, BUT- now you have "etched" the bristles, they will not let go of the paint as fast- they aren't smooth any longer. This means you have damaged the coating on the brush. Not a good practice, and will make them more brittle over time. True for both synthetic and natural hair brushes. I use only dawn dishwashing liquid and then a tiny amount of fabric softener to treat the bristles followed by a water rinse. That's it. The saran wrap really works well for rollers as well, I have stored rollers for months this way, but make sure to load them up with plenty of paint first.

Love the vinegar trick. Thanks! As for drying, yeah, never use a spinner. I don't even shake anymore. Instead, I'll squeeze the brush, either between my finger, or the heal of my palm and the edge of the sink (not too hard), and pull the brush through from the ferrule to the end. Then, to shape it and further dry it, I'll place it on a nice thick rag or towel, fold the rag over the top, and, again, pull the brush through while pressing down. The rag will absorb most of the remaining water and shape the brush. And, as you showed us, always hang for final drying, and then place back in their box. Used, cleaned and, stored correctly, a good brush for last for years.

Instead of Saran Wrap I use Glad's Press N Seal. I find it works really well to seal the air out and no need for a rubber band. Works for both brushes and rollers.

For water-based paint, cleaning a brush is easy. I just flush the brush as soon as I’m done painting - first “with the grain,” leaving the bristles straight and intact. Much paint flushes away. But some remains in the bristles, toward the handle and on the inside area. For that I aim the hose right at the bottom of the bristles, pointed upward toward the handle. This removes the inside paint but leaves the bristles bedraggled. Rather than let it dry like that, I again straighten the bristles by flushing them downward from handle, leaving brush clean and straight but wet. I then shake the brush rapidly, thrusting water off it, downward. Easier to show on Utoob than explain.

hot water and the shrub brush made it look new! thank you!

Unfortunately, I dont spend much more than $6 for my paint brushes because I just throw them away after 1 use. I've found I just don't clean them very well, I'm lazy, and by the time I use them a second time, they have all but become a hardened mess, but not anymore! Thanks, again, for making these informative videos! ;)

Never thought of the stick trick. Good one! Thanks!

Just add a magnet or two to the side of the sink to hang the brush. You can do it with tape if you need to remove it later or glue it on forever.

Wow thank you I love the stick trick

I need this channel in my life!

Never heard of a paint comb before. Thanks!

I love your tips they've been real great I have a brush no let me say I have probably 18 brushes that range between 30 years and 8 to 10 years And I'm still using them they put me through college I clean with a wire brush brass And the same method you used but I do squeeze the brush when I fill it with water bristle side and I force the paint out of the heel with pressure

Last step after final rinsing, rub bristles with hair conditioner (I’m especially fond of Kiwi/strawberry) rinse lightly again, dry as you usually would. The hair conditioner leaves the bristles soft/pliable; more so than just rinsing with water.

THANKS! I'm on my 8th house and am perpetually painting walls of my old houses. You'd think I'd have figure out some of these tricks by now...but NOOOoooo. VERY helpful...thanks so much.

@0:23 haha nice signage ! I paint with rubber gloves so I do your plastic wrap trick with one of my gloves. I just grab the end of the brush and pull the glove off over the brush.

Good tips. I'd add to use hot water rather than warm water. As hot as you can without scalding yourself. And adding a little Dawn dish soap helps clean the brush and keeps the bristles soft. Also, to make sure you've removed as much paint as possible, press and bend over (all together) the still soaked bristles tightly against your palm and look for any small lines of paint squeezing out at the metal base. When no more fine lines of paint squeeze out, you're clean. BTW, I do spin my brushes, but just immediately compress the bristles back together and put the brush back in the cardboard cover.

Thanks for the saran wrap tip, very useful. Concerning cleaning, once my brush is clean I vigorously shake it out as you do but then slap the bristles on an edge of the wash tub like Bob Ross always did on the edge of his easel when he dried his brushes. This gets most of the moisture out of the brush. Then I put the moist brush back in its wrapper from the store. The wrapper keeps the bristles in form and nice and tight which is especially good for angles brushes. The bristles are slightly stuck together for the next use but a few slaps on an edge softens them up for use.

My favorite paint brush is a hog-hair brush used by fiber-glassers. They use epoxy resin that sets and cures into a un-desolvable plastic. Their brushes have the hair of the brush moulded into a nylon handle. You can submerge this type of brush into any solvent (usually MEK, methal ethel keytone), without damage.

Way back, there was a really effective brush cleaning product, that could restore it to almost new, no matter what paint it had been using. The product was a powder that you added to hot water, then soaked the brush in it (overnight if really bad) and the paint would just slide off the bristles. The solution felt like a detergent mix. I think it was a DAP product, but I may have the brand wrong.

I use a stainless wire brush in one direction off the ferrule. 3M Scuff pads can be used in the same direction off the ferrule and bristle. If your painting 1 hour recoat primer all day rough wash the brush out often, whip it, and go back to painting. Never park your brush across the top of your work pot. Keep it in the paint . If the brush is stiffening during a session comb and wash it with the paint and keep truckin. Keep your comb clean. It takes a lot of water to clean latex paint so it won’t hurt the drain. If your concerned use the brush to help clean your work pot and pitch the first rinse out in the weeds. Sashman

Thx for the tips + congratz on the little one 😁

You Sir, are a genius....great presentation.

When it comes to water-based paint, I put my brush in a zip lock bag. I do like your tip on the painters comb, but I think I will use the fork as you suggested.

I hang my brush to dry with a metal coat hanger. bend at one end to hang from the nail in the floor joist (utility sink is in the basement), bend at the other end to hand the brush from

Super tips. Thank you so much!

How would you feel if I told you I clean my rock hard year old brushes with a bench grinder brush wheel. It works pretty good for me lol

You can also wet the brush before painting. So the paint won't dry as mush at the top of the brush.

I use zip loc bags and put them in the fridge. Refrigeration prevents them from drying out for weeks or longer😊David

I found cleaning as much of the paint off first then suspending the brush in clean water for at least a day. You'd be surprised how much paint comes off . Also a wire brush does a good job of removing the dry paint on the upper part off the brush.

Apart from the brush brush and the vinegar, it's how I've always done it but nice to see I do it right.

"I grab the little stick and come in the sink" - The Funny Carpenter

When I worked as an industrial painter in the eighty’s I learned from the old guys that once the brush was clean tap it forcibly on the toe of my boot. The water (or thinner in our case)would sling on the soles and the Ferrell would not be damaged. Still do that when painting around the house.

For lunch breaks in between cutting I drape a double layer of wet paper towels over the bucket/cup/etc and it keeps things from drying out quite well. It works with oil based primer too. The plastic wrap probably lasts a lot longer tho, but I never have a roll on hand on a job, and the last thing I need is another item in my packed truck.

I love all of this!

Thanks. Very helpful

I love my hand operated centrifugal gizmo, I’ve literally gone from black to white in 10 minutes 😊

Great tutorial. My dad taught me most of these tricks as we painted our house inside and out. The flick was his favorite I think. I still own some of those brushes decades later. Buy good brushes and take care of them he used to say. It saves money over the long haul

Thank you great ideas

Another question if its not too late. I have an airless paint sprayer that I loaned out (never again) and came back with hardened latex on internal parts. I was going to throw it out several years ago but kept it. Would your vinegar trick soften up the old paint or there other products?

Also don´t forget to take out your brush to a nice dinner and read the bed time story after that!

EXCELLENT TIPS, and needed when you invest in Good Paint Brushes 👍♥️🤗

An artist friend had hundreds of brushes that he stored in non detergent motor oil in glass jars...worked great for him.

Just a DIY decorator but I’ve found standing the brush in a wad of paper kitchen roll really effective for drying. Seems to wick the water away. My question though as owner of a new kitchen/utility is whether there is any way to keep the sink properly truly clean.

Could you please make a similar tutorial for oil based paints?

Great ideas 👍🏻

Awesome. Please do one on cleaning up brushes and such after using oil based products! Especially your favorite ways to dispose of this crap.

Switch was a great choice!

I've usually just chucked the brushes away after each paint job but might try cleaning the next lot instead

Saving a wet paintbrush - as opposed to Saran Wrap etc - I just save the plastic bags that my newspaper comes in - FANTASTIC!!!!

I've found Boiling water can also revive a Brush that has gone solid.

Great tips! Now if I could only rewind time and take better care of my brushes.

very helpful thanks

Thank you for doing this video!!!

first apply Dawn Dish Soap to the bristles ... massage it in - comb it out a few times - use the brush to scrub the paint out - only use COLD water to rinse it out - shake it dry - press the bristles flat and hang it up to dry

what are your thoughts on the freezer method or the plastic containers between coats? 2. how far gone is too far? I found a staining brush just left to dry in the pail of stain she was using, I didn't see any hope 3. do you have any tips for reshaping bristles?

with water-based paint I just put the roller and tray into a shopping bag, can last for days before going dry.

Hallo. Great information, thanks. I've watched the the majority of your videos and I couldn't find one about resealing adhesive containers. For instance, a bottle of Gorilla Glue., the original formula. I have a massive number of small repairs to make to get my grandparents home ready for sale. If you do have a video that touches on this dilemma please point me in the right direction. In theory, I would use a very small screw or a thumb tack in the end of the nozzle. Would that be the best way to keep the glue from setting up inside the bottle rendering it useless? Any help you can give me would be much appreciated.

We like your videos for basic home improvement! Also like the comedy 🎭

Hmmm. All good until the end where you hang it tip down. I would always dry witn the brush facing up so any paint contaminated water dries in the bezel and not at the tip, ruining the brush. But I guess all that says is I didn’t wash it thoroughly enough in the first place😩

These same methods all work GREAT on your hair after you've been painting a ceiling.

That's all great for latex paint but what to do with oil paint? I've been using a brush for 1 colour only, wrapping it in plastic film and sticking it in a refrigerator so I can use it the next day. Turps when I'm done but normally I'll paint the handle so I know what colour I've used before. Still, I only can use the brush for 3-4 times like this until the bristles turn into a mess. Rollers on the other hand, I don't even bother with trying to clean them. I wrap them the best that I can if I'm going to use it later in the day or even the next day but more than that and they are being thrown away. All of this so my boat looks nice and doesn't rust away. Any advice?

Does the vinegar only work with certain bases of paint. I use latex base most, will it work for this?

I used citrus strip. Soaked it for about 12 hrs. Worked wonders with out scrubbing.

latex paint yes. but does some of this apply for oil based paints as well?

Thanks. I'll try this next time I paint. Perhaps next time include how to clean the rollers too.

Good video. The thing I missed was that it's specifically for latex paint cleanup only?

Good video. Liked the vinegar part. But what I don't see painters address is when you grab your dry well cleaned brush a few days later and flick the bristles and there is lots of dust in the brush. How do you clean the dust out? A brush with excess dust causes paint finish to ball up. I see this mostly in brushes used for exterior work and in older brushes. Any ideas or tricks other than always paint on a clean surface?

good info quality work

Great tips! Please, avoid paint down the drain. Thanks

When did Seth Rosen start making you tube videos about cleaning your paint brushes? Great vid btw

What do I use to soften hardened oil base or polyurathane used brushes. Over years i seem to get a build up starting at the farrel.

I always get a drying ring round the top of the brissels and can't get the paint off. After a few hours it's there forever can't scrub it off.

Very informative and entertaining. I had sticker shock at the cost of a good paint brush. Thank will save me $$

I laughed when I first seen that brush dryer,' hit it on ur shoe a couple time it’s dry lol

I will prob wash the dishes tomorrow. How much Saran Wrap do I use?

Didn't know about the vinegar, gotta try it. To dry my brush, because I rarely have a utility sink handy, is turn it bristles up in the cut cup or in the wire handle of a paint can.

Have my own soap just for brush bristles 🤙😎

I will have to try the vinegar next time. I usually soak them in goof off stuff. I will try vinegar next time. Probably a lot cheaper too. Thanks

What kinds of paint are fine to wash over the sink? I'm concerned some of them might clog the pipes

I always clean brushes very similar but use my air hose to dry them and then work WD-40 into the bristles and comb straight and then hang. I have some brushes that are perfect after 15 years.