Whether you’re painting with water- or oil-based paints, try to clean your brushes and rollers as soon after painting as possible. Once paint begins to dry on your equipment, it can be much more difficult to remove.

Before cleaning, remove as much paint from your brush or roller as possible. While you can certainly return paint to your paint can by scraping on the rim’s interior or by squeezing the brush or roller, you might consider a scraper or spinner to simplify and improve upon the task. Lastly, you can remove additional paint on a paper towel or newspaper.

When it comes to latex or acrylic (water-based) paints, you can clean your brushes, rollers and equipment with soap and water. Clean your tools in a bucket filled with soap and water. Refresh your solution with fresh water as needed.

To remove oil-based, or alkyd paints, you’ll have to use mineral spirits or paint thinner. Be sure when using such solvents, to always work in a well-ventilated area. After filling a bucket with solvent, clean your brushes or rollers in the solution.

Once finished cleaning, you can strain out the solids and pour the solvent liquid back into the original container for reuse. Allow the settled solids to air-dry away from children, pets or open flames, then dispose of the container in the trash.

Whether you are removing water- or oil-based paints, you can still finish by thoroughly rinsing your brushes and rollers under running water. Be sure to hold your brushes bristles down, to prevent anything from entering the brush’s ferrule and causing damage to the brush and/or loss of bristles.

Once clean, dry any excess moisture from your brushes or rollers by pressing them within a paper or cloth towel. Be sure they dry completely before you store or reuse them. To store, seal them within an airtight container, such as a plastic bag. 

• Purdy Premium 10-in-1 Multi-Tool
  

• Purdy Brush and Roller Spinner
• Bucket
• Rags