So now you're done with your paint job and want to clean up and store this nice paint brush I talked you into buying. Here's what you do:
- First clean out the brush by removing excess paint. Scrape the brush against the edge of the paint can to remove any large amounts of paint.
- Then work out most of the remaining paint by painting sheets of newspaper back and forth in an "X" motion until the brush is pretty dry.
- Remove all remaining paint by cleaning the brush with the appropriate solvent. Again, this would mean water for latex paint and paint thinner for oil based paint.
- Dispose of the solvent in an ecologically responsible manner.
- Once cleaned of paint, then you wash the brush with soap and water to clean off any remaining paint or solvent and rinse well.
- Slap the brush against your hand a few times to bring the bristles back into alignment and then reshape the brush so it looks like new.
- Wrap the brush in paper towel or a sheet of newspaper and secure with tape or a rubber band.
