How do you get paint out of a hard paintbrush?

Question

Yeah, what do you do? My brother borrowed my painted brushes over the week and when I got them back, they were hard as a rock! How do I get that hard paint out of my paintbrushes?

Answer 1

TSP (or Trisodium Phosphate) is the painters friend. Make a 20% solution and soak just the bristles for about an hour.

TSP is available at most hardware stores and is sold as a mildew remover. It says on the package it is used to soften and remove hardened acrylic or oil paint and can even help remove thick enamel.

Never soak a brush to the metal and never allow to sit in liquid overnight. The glue that binds the bristles together and to the handle will dissolve and the brush will fail.

Savogran's brand TSP is a sure thing. Be sure to use safe handling procedures listed on the product.

Answer 2

what kind of paint is it? Some paints you can coax out, some you can't. It depends on what kind of paint.

I agree with the post a few above-- don't soak brushes forever because it does disolve the glue and also damages the tining (metal part) holding the bristles to the handle.

Answer 3

you do not say what style of paint, besides the undeniable fact that curiously like water-base. Wash the comb with chilly water, quite regardless of if it somewhat is acrylic, as warm water will set it much extra stable. Get a cake of B&J "The grasp's" Brush air purifier and Preserver. on an analogous time as the bristles are nonetheless damp, run the comb around the cake of cleansing soap. artwork in jointly with your arms. If there is dissimilar paint interior the bristles, repeat the technique, get dissimilar cleansing soap on the bristles, and depart it in one day. If the paint has gotten up into the ferrule, (the steel band), you're toast. you will have a job getting the bristles back into shape then, because of fact the paint will push them aside. once you flow to rinse the cleansing soap out, and it ought to take extra desirable than one therapy, pinch the bristles into shape and depart the comb to dry. the terrific way is to have a rack that helps them to hold the opposite direction up...enable gravity be your chum. the comb cleansing soap additionally works on oils, when you sparkling the bristles with turps.

Answer 4

If it's solid, I can guarentee you won't be able to save the brushes. If they're slightly malliable, you can rub some thick brush soap (You can buy it at any craft store that sells paint) into it, let it sit overnight and wash it out. But you're only going to damage your brushes further.

Answer 5

Your local hardware store should sell something called "paint brush restorer" which you can soak them in. If not, just dilute some Paint Stripper and that will do the trick!

Answer 6

paint thinner. gasoline or any other cleaning or reducer product. allow it to soak in liquid for a while and using gloves roll the bristles with you hands. May take a few times doing this.

Answer 7

acrylic - warm soapy water let it soak then pick out as much as you can re-soak/soap then pick out as much as you can, usually that's enough sometimes you have to do it three times, then rince it well
Oil - terpentine substitute works well and is better for your brushes then the pain thinners. let it soak and try to pick it out like the acrylics. rince in in the terpentine substitute. Using it always makes you bruses a little oily, but I found it always kept mine in good condition.

Answer 8

I guess you wash it out!

Answer 9

use hot water or whit soap