Caring for your Brushes
Now that you understand what type of brush to use, the next most common question I get is….How do I care for my brushes? Because good brushes can be an expensive investment, good care should be taken when cleaning and maintaining them.
First of all, when you purchase a brush, it quite often comes with a protective sleeve on it. When removed, do not attempt to put it back on. This will bend, break and fray the tiny hairs. Just throw the sleeves away!
Next, a new brush will contain sizing, making them stiff. This allows them to hold their shape and prevent damage while on a store shelf. This sizing must be removed before any painting is done. Gently soak the brush in warm water and use a gentle soap. This should remove all the sizing and your brush should be soft.
I don’t generally clean my brushes until I am finished painting for the day. Throughout the day, I just wipe them carefully by pulling them gently through a paper towel. Do not rub your good brushes on a paper towel to clean; this will break off tiny hairs. Also, if possible, use a good quality paper towel such as Viva. It is soft and smooth, and will help preserve your brushes longer.
At the end of the day, rinse your brush in “used” thinner. Then rinse again in clean thinner. Next, apply a brush cleaner appropriate for oils (Art Gel, Pink Soap, or Murphy’s Oil Soap) and work out all the remaining paint. Next, I use Baby Oil and, using a soft paper towel, I squeeze the bristles to reshape them.. There should be no color that appears when squeezing the bristles or your brush is still dirty. I leave baby oil in my brush, shape the bristles back to the chisel edge, and put away.
By cleaning your brushes this way, they will last you for a long time. However, they do eventually wear out and must be replaced. Keep that in mind that when you begin to feel it is time for a new brush, trust your instincts, you are probably right!! Pull out a new one and experience the wonderful feeling of a Brand New Brush!!
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Should we not use the little scrubbie when cleaning our brushes then…I haven’t, but I did purchase one.