cleaning up after primer?

Question

I just finished prime painting an exterior surface. I used alkyd product, and now I am scared to dispose of anything. Do I rinse the brush, latex gloves, and primer paint can in a sink, do I throw old newspaper with primer paint in recycling? What??

Answer 1

No, do not wash it in a sink. Besides this is oil based so it can be cleaned only with paint thinner which is like gasoline but not as purified. So here is what I suggest you do,

- get paint thinner from the same place you bought the paint from
- pour some of the paint thinner in a glass jar, then place your brush in the jar it is better not to let the brush touch the bottom of the jar but basically hang it somehow, maybe with a wire.
- after the brush is cleaned remove the brush and store it.
- you should have used gloves when you painted oterwise you will need to wash your hands with the paint thinner.
- the clean up paper can be thrown in the garbage but the dirty paint thinner has to be disposed of in your local recycling center.

Answer 2

unfortunatly it is against the law these days to dispose of any oil based paints and chemical solvents simply by putting in the trash or recycleing...you have to take it to a local disposal site and give it to them ...it is usually free for small quantities. For me as a painting contrtactor I pay dearly for disposal fees ..a 55 gallon drum of oil based paint leftovers is 800 dollars to dispose of.

Answer 3

ammonia will clean everything up nicely. you can keep the brush then its OK to use your sink the ammonia will clean that too. after the paint cans are cleaned i don't see any reason why you can't just throw them away then.

Answer 4

good question. In the good old days we cleaned up and disposed without any concerns.