The ultimate guide to cleaning and caring for your paint brushes

Whether you’re taking a blank canvas and transforming it into a characterful space or updating old, dated décor into something modern and fresh – decorating your home is an exciting prospect. There’s so much potential with interior design, and it really can revolutionise the way you enjoy a space. But let’s be honest – decorating isn’t all about choosing colours and arranging furniture, and in amongst the fun there are some arduous tasks. Cleaning paint brushes is at the top of that list!

After a long day of painting, the temptation to down tools and crash out is strong. But if you don’t clean and care for your paint brushes, you’ll have deep regrets the next time you need them and you’re faced with stiff bristles – trust us on this one! By keeping on top of brush care every time you use them, your brushes will be ready to go when you need them and they’ll last longer, too. Take a look at our handy tips for taking care of your paint brushes and decorating tools…

What you’ll need

Before we get started on the tips, it’s worth going over your equipment list to make sure you have everything you need to clean your brushes effectively.

· Warm, soapy water – an easy one to start with!

· Old cloths/rags

· A deep bowl – an old washing up bowl is perfect

· A solvent-based cleaner – you’ll find this at your local hardware store

· A brush comb or brush spinner

· Newspaper

· Clingfilm or plastic bags

· A small jar or container with lid, like an old jam jar

How to clean paint brushes and rollers

How you clean your paint brushes will depend on what type of paint you’re using and how far into your decorating project you are. For example, if you’re painting an entire room in one shade and need to do a second coat the following day, there’s no need to fully clean your brushes as you’ll be back at it with the same paint the next day. Just wrap your brushes, rollers and any paint trays you’re using in clingfilm or old plastic carrier bags, sealing at the bottom with masking tape. They’ll keep fresh until you’re ready to go again, for up to two days.

When you’ve finished your painting job and you’re ready to pack your brushes and rollers away until the next project, here’s the best way to clean and store them:

· The key to keeping your brushes and rollers in great condition is to clean them as soon as you’re finished with them. If you leave them out all covered in paint, the paint will harden and be much more difficult to remove.

· For water-based paints, rinse off excess paint then leave to soak in warm soapy water for two hours. Remove, wipe down if needed and rinse again until the water runs clear.

· For oil-based paints, pour a small amount of solvent-based cleaner like white spirit or paint thinner into a jar and rub the brush against the sides to get into the base of the bristles and remove the paint. Soak for two hours and rinse clean.

· Use a brush comb or spinner to remove hardened paint from bristles and handles, rinsing in water when it’s dislodged.

· For rollers, make sure you don’t scrub to remove paint, as this can damage the fabric of the roller and result in a bumpy paint finish. If there are stubborn paint spots you can’t get out, leave your roller head to soak overnight to soften and try again the next day.

· Reshape your brushes before drying – make sure all bristles are pointing upwards, that any loose bristles are pulled out and that the bristles are straight, not splayed out.

· If you’ve used a solvent-based cleaner, don’t pour it down the sink when you’re done. Instead, put a lid on the container you used to soak your brushes and leave for around 24 hours. The paint will sink to the bottom, meaning you can tip the remaining cleaner back into the bottle and use it again. Then leave the paint in the container to fully dry, and pop into the bin.

How to clean paint trays

When it comes to cleaning up a decorating project, it’s not just about the brushes and rollers. Paint trays are one of the trickiest items to clean, especially if you have a load of leftover paint swilling around in one!

They key is to reduce waste as much as possible and ensure excess paint can go back in the tin for future use. As soon as you’re done painting, pour whatever’s left in your tray back into the tin, making sure you do this over a dust cloth or newspaper to catch any spills. Use a paint scraper to get every last drop of paint off the tray and into the tin. Now it’s time to clean!

· Rinse the paint tray to remove as much leftover paint as possible – you might want to do this outside with a hose to stop paint splashing all over your kitchen!

· As above, water-based paint should lift off with warm soapy water. Use an old cloth to scrub the tray and get into the corners, then rinse until the water is clean.

· For oil-based paint, pour some solvent-based cleaner onto scrunched up newspaper and use this to scrub the tray until clean, then rinse. You might want to wear protective gloves here.

· If you’re struggling to clean paint from corners or rivets, you can use an old toothbrush to reach tricky spots.

Don’t forget your dust sheets!

If you’ve just finished a big decorating project, you’ll probably have a whole load of paint-splattered dust sheets that need sorting out. The temptation to chuck them away is strong, but resist – good dust sheets are essential to home makeovers and you will use them again!

· Take your dust sheets outside and shake them vigorously to dislodge dried paint.

· Pull off any large paint splodges with your fingers, and remove any rogue decorators’ tape.

· Stick your dust sheets in the washing machine, making sure there are no clothes or other items in the load – dust sheets only, please!

· Wash on a quick cycle – we’re not trying to fully clean these sheets, as you’ll use them again and get more paint on them. But a quick freshen up means there’ll be nothing to fester in folds and creases when you store them away.

· Hang out to dry then fold ready for storage.

Drying your paint brushes, rollers and trays

It’s really important to ensure your brushes and rollers are totally dry before you pack them away into storage – water droplets and damp materials can cause rotting and mould, ruining your equipment.

· When your brushes and rollers are totally clean, squeeze out excess water with a dry cloth then lie them out on old newspaper and let them air dry for a few hours. Turn them over halfway through so both sides can dry fully.

· Trays can be left to drip dry upside down – just run a dry cloth over your trays to ensure any water droplets are soaked up.

How to store paint brushes and rollers

So your painting equipment is clean and dry, and your decorating is done (for now). What’s the best way to store paint brushes and rollers so they’re in tip top condition for your next project? With care, of course!

· Find a shallow plastic box to store your paint brushes and rollers. Make sure it has a lid so moisture can’t get inside.

· Start with a dust sheet – use it to line the bottom of the box, then add a layer of newspaper.

· Lay brushes flat, ensuring bristles are straight. You can gather similar sized brushes together and secure with an elastic band around the handle.

· Rollers can stand on their ends in corners, or lay flat and stacked up.

· Pop another dust sheet or layer of newspaper over the top, creating a cosy paintbrush sandwich! This will protect brushes from moisture, spilled paint, etc.

· If there’s room, keep your cleaning equipment in this box too – that way you’ll have everything together ready for your next decorating project.

And there you have it – clean, dry, protected brushes, rollers and trays all ready for the next time the decorating bug bites… which, let’s face it, probably won’t be long!

Take a look at our decorating category for more interiors inspiration.