Nobody likes cleaning, especially after a long day of painting, which is why some paintbrushes are not cleaned and eventually covered in dry paint.
If forgot to clean your paintbrush and now you have dried paint on it, all is not lost.
Here are some step-by-step methods for cleaning paintbrushes with dried paint.
photo courtesy of Gary Knight flickr.com/photos/garryknight/8454811952/
What Type of Paint?
Before cleaning your paintbrush with dried paint, you need to know the type of paint that is on it. If you don't know, then read the label on your container of paint.
Water-based paints (acrylics, latex, and watercolors) can usually be cleaned from your paintbrush with plain soap & water. You might also have success with hot water, hot vinegar, and fabric softener.
Oil-based paints (enamels, varnishes, and stains) require special solvents, such as mineral spirits, turpentine, or paint thinner, to clean your paintbrush.
You might also need to use some specialized paintbrush cleaners to get rid of dried paint without damaging your paintbrush bristles.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When starting to clean your paint brush, make sure to pack your patience. It will take more than a few minutes and might take several hours to get your paintbrush really clean.
First, scrape your paint brush against the rim of your paint can to try and remove any paint that is still in your paintbrush bristles.
Next, rinse your paintbrush under running water to try and get rid of any remaining paint. While rinsing, comb the bristles with your fingers or a fine toothed comb (a 5 in 1 tool or a brush cleaning tool also work) to try and get rid of any dried paint bits.
Be gentle combing so you don't damage the paintbrush bristles.
Continue combing your paintbrush until the bristles look clean and the running water coming out of your paintbrush runs clear.
After that, apply a small amount of paintbrush cleaner or solvent (as determined per your paint type) to the bristles and work it into the brush using circular motions, paying special attention to the base of the bristles where paint tends to accumulate. Make sure to use the protective gear that is suggested on the solvent that you purchase (gloves, glasses, etc).
In order to remove all of the old paint, you may need to repeat these steps up to 5 times to get your paintbrush clean.
Still Not Clean?
If you are having trouble cleaning your paintbrush because it has a lot of built up paint, there are a few other things you can try.......
You can soak your paint brush in a container filled with solvent or paintbrush cleaner for several hours or overnight to try and soften the dried on paint. Don't submerge your paintbrush handle - just the bristles.
Another method to try is steam cleaning your paint brush.
Hot water baths are another thing to try, but keep the handle out of the water.
Final Rinse with Water
Finish cleaning your paintbrush by rinsing all of the cleaning solution out of your paintbrush with plain water.
Drying Your Paintbrush
Once your paintbrush is clean, make sure it is dry before putting it away.
First, shake your paintbrush to remove as much water as you can (try to avoid getting wet), then wipe it off using a clean cloth or disposable paper towel.
Next, make sure that your paint brush bristles are going in the right direction. If they look a bit crazy, you might want to use a brush comb to comb them.
Finally, allow your paintbrush to air dry by laying it flat or hanging it upside down.
