Cleaning paint off a brush is easy once you know the paint type: wash water-based paint out with warm soapy water before it dries, and clean alkyd enamels and primer-enamels with an organic solvent in two baths. Dried paint is harder to shift but can often be saved.
First identify the paint type
Paint type | Examples | What to clean with |
|---|---|---|
Water-based (acrylic, latex, emulsion) | EKOFARBA, DIAMOND, 7-in-1 primer enamel | Warm water up to +40 °C and soap |
Alkyd enamel | DEKOMAL PF-115 | White spirit, solvent naphtha or a 1:1 mix |
Alkyd-urethane primer-enamel | Zahyst 3in1 | Organic solvent for enamels |
The type and the right solvent are on the label. Water and solvent-borne paints do not mix: water will not clean off alkyd enamel, and water-based paint needs no solvent.
Cleaning brushes and rollers after water-based paint
Water-based paints such as EKOFARBA acrylic paint use water as the carrier. Until the paint dries, water dissolves it; once it dries in the bristles, it becomes an insoluble film. So the main rule is to wash straight after work.
Brush
- Remove excess paint by pressing the bristles against the rim of the can or drawing them across thick cardboard.
- Rinse under warm running water. Do not use hot water above +40 °C: it makes paint harder to wash out of the heel of the brush.
- Dip the brush in a solution of laundry soap or washing-up liquid and work the bristles with your fingers from base to tip.
- Rinse in clean water until it runs clear.
Roller
- Squeeze paint out of the sleeve back into the bucket or tray with a curved roller scraper.
- Remove the sleeve from the frame and soak it in warm soapy water for 10–15 minutes.
- Squeeze and release the sleeve under running water until all the pigment is gone.
Tools used with water-based primer enamels are cleaned the same way: 7-in-1 acrylic primer enamel washes off tools with water right after work.
Cleaning brushes after oil and alkyd paint
Alkyd enamels cure by oxidation of the resin, so water is useless here. You need an organic solvent.
Which solvent to use
- For DEKOMAL PF-115 alkyd enamel the manufacturer specifies white spirit, solvent naphtha or a 1:1 mix.
- For Zahyst 3in1 anti-corrosion primer-enamel and other POLIFARB enamels, use ROZCHYNNYK 3 in 1 organic solvent: it thins enamel, degreases metal and cleans brushes, rollers and spray guns.
- Pure acetone and aggressive 646 thinner are not recommended for synthetic brushes and rollers: they can melt synthetic bristles or foam.
Step by step
- Wipe off as much paint as possible on paper or a rag.
- First bath: pour 2–3 cm of solvent into a narrow jar. Push the brush down so the bristles splay against the bottom and solvent gets inside. Roll rollers in a narrow tray.
- Second bath: pour the dirty solvent into a sealable container, add fresh solvent and repeat until no pigment comes out.
- Soap finish: wash the tool in warm water with liquid soap to remove solvent residue and its smell.
Work with solvent in a ventilated room, away from open flames. Do not pour used solvent down the drain.
Drying and storing tools
- Do not stand brushes bristles-down in a jar to dry: the bristles bend under the weight. Do not dry them on a radiator. Hang the brush by the hole in the handle, bristles down, or lay it flat on a dry cloth with the bristles shaped.
- Do not leave a roller lying on its side: the nap flattens and leaves bald patches on the wall. Stand the sleeve on its end or hang it on a hook.
What to do if the paint has already dried
- Alkyd enamel: soak the brush for a few hours in paint stripper, covering the jar with plastic film. When the paint softens, comb the bristles with a metal comb.
- Acrylic paint: water will no longer help. Try isopropyl alcohol.
- A roller sleeve fully set with water-based paint is easier to replace: a new sleeve costs less than the time and chemicals needed to rescue it.
Leftover paint also needs proper sealing; see how to store leftover paint. If the room still smells of solvent after painting, see how to get rid of paint smell.
What you need
For water-based paints: warm water, soap and a roller scraper. For alkyd enamels and primer-enamels: a can of ROZCHYNNYK 3 in 1, two narrow containers and a sealable container for used solvent.
FAQ
How do I clean water-based paint off a brush?
With warm water up to +40 °C and laundry soap or washing-up liquid, straight after work before the paint dries.
How do I clean oil paint off a brush?
With white spirit, solvent naphtha or an enamel solvent in two baths, then wash in warm soapy water.
How do I remove dried paint from a brush?
Alkyd: soften it with paint stripper under plastic film and comb it out. Acrylic: use isopropyl alcohol.
Can I clean brushes with acetone?
Not synthetic brushes or foam rollers: acetone can melt the fibres.
