Better way of washing paint brushes (water-based paint)?

Question

So much water is wasted washing paint brushes and roller trays covered in water-based paint. Can anyone suggest a way to wash them using less water?

Answer 1

I would suggest you get a small bucket filled with water and slosh them around in it. Then hang them from the top so they are in the upper part of the water. The bulk of the old paint will settle to the bottom and the brush will be in the cleaner water ready for more swishing around. to finish cleaning it.

Similarly pour water into the tray and move the roller around in it to get most of the paint off.

At some point a stream of fresh water will be needed to clean the last paint off but it will be much less total.

Answer 2

If you are painting an entire room you would likely pay at least $1000 for a quality job. If you decided to do this your self even a super high-quality brush that cost $40 seems disposable. But, if you don't want to throw away your brushes, I know I like to use the same one repeatedly, first you should swirl them around in a bucket of water to get a large amount of paint out. Then squirt on some soap and massage that into the bristles with your fingers and a stiff bristled brush. Next, rinse it out again in the same bucket of water and repeat the soaping process. At this point enough of the paint should be out of the brush or bound with soap that a relatively quick rinse under running water should suffice. Once you are satisfied that you got all the paint out of the bristles, wrap the bristles in newspaper and hang from the hole in the handle for 24 hours, this will keep the bristles tight.

One note:
Liquid that you have left over from painting is considered toxic waste, so there are two ways to dispose of the rinse water from your bucket:
1. Pour it into a hole in you yard, then scrape off the dried residue and 2" of dirt lining the hole and throw it away.
2. let the bucket sit out in the sun until it has all evaporated, then just throw away the entire bucket.
Once the paint is dry it is no longer considered toxic waste.

Most roller trays have disposable linings available, so just use a lining and throw it away once it has dried.

Answer 3

Do what I do regarding the roller trays - cover with clingfilm leaving some overlap on the edges you can tape down. No mess afterwards! Scrape the surplus paint off the brushes before you wash them by wiping them firmly across rim of paint tin, or rub them up and down the wall till paint on them used up. Then just put the plug in the sink and wash with hot water and washing up liquid. Only need to do this 2 or 3 times to clean. Don't throw the brushes away, that's for the idle who don't care about global warming.

Answer 4

Using less water no, but you can use them without washing them. If you are painting today and you know that you will be painting again soon, you can put your brush in a zip lock baggie and the paint won't dry up. This is true for a roller as well.

I know what you mean about washing rollers though, it seems like you could wash them forever without getting all the paint out.

I also overheard, but never tried, putting the brush in the freezer. I personally don't know anything about this but I heard a couple discussing it in a hardware store with the store employee.

Answer 5

Use the paint brush to clean the paint tray. Just run it under a running tap and rub the paint off the tray with the brush you have used. Cleans them both at the same time. To clean a paint roller quicker, Hold the rooler vertically in the sink, and run water over it.As you do this, run a knife blade down the roller to squeeze the paint out quicker.Sorry, the back of a knife blade.

Answer 6

Ofcourse

Answer 7

Only way to clean is with spirits. Marks left on sink come off real easy. Buy water solvent paints where ever possible. Brushes will never come up soft after cleaning with any solvent - how clean/soft do you need them to be anyway? I got fed up of spending good money on brushes then have them go hard/dry and gritty so I buy cheaper ones and bin them. If you do clean them, when they are almost dry wrap the bristles with nice soft cloth (helps to absorb moisture and retain shape) and store somewhere dry. Job done!

Answer 8

Use a paint sprayer. No water wasted, no brushes to clean. You can use a power sprayer indoors and out. 10 times faster. Be sure to wear earplugs beacuse the air compressor can be noisy indoors.

Answer 9

None. Throwing them away uses the least. So, if you spent alot of money for brushes, you got to buy again. Which gets pricy when you do multiple units and you have the lowest bid.

Answer 10

In Africa where I live using kerosine dissoles the paint prior to washing it off with detergent and water(which is minimal)