# What is the best way to remove dried paint from expensive paint brushes?



## pain-ter

Hi everyone!

Can someone please tell me how to remove dried paint from expensive paint brushes?

Over the years, I have heard different solutions such as:

Wire brush
Acetone
Etc.

I have never used acetone. I have used wire brushes with limited success but my concern is it may damage the brushes.

Not sure what is the best way.

Please help me.

Soar


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## Schmidt & Co.

How much paint are talking about? A good wire brush when cleaning after each use has always worked well for me. If I'm feeling a little frisky I'll break out the brush comb before putting it back in its keeper.


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## scottjr

What kind of paint?


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## 6126

I used to use a product called "Save a brush" but I dont think they make it anymore. I bought some of this yesterday.


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## South-FL-Painter

Always wash clean your brushes well after each use,5-6 months get new brush and use that one for a duster :thumbup:


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## Ramsden Painting

I found the best solution is give them to the new guy and have him clean them for you.

Sent from my iPad using PaintTalk


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## pain-ter

Schmidt & Co. said:


> How much paint are talking about? A good wire brush when cleaning after each use has always worked well for me. If I'm feeling a little frisky I'll break out the brush comb before putting it back in its keeper.


Schmidt & Co,

Thank you for the reply. A couple of brushes have a lot of paint on them [apprentice did a very poor job of cleaning it last week]. And may I ask what is a brush comb?



scottjr said:


> What kind of paint?


scottjr,

In this case, I have three Purdy brushes with Behr Premium Plus Exterior Enamel that is 100% Acrylic. One brush with Zinser Bull'e Eye 123, and one with McClusky's Marine Spar Varnish.



Woodland said:


> I used to use a product called "Save a brush" but I dont think they make it anymore. I bought some of this yesterday.


Woodland,

I will have to check those two items out! Thank you!



Sharp_Painting said:


> Always wash clean your brushes well after each use,5-6 months get new brush and use that one for a duster :thumbup:


Sharp_Painting,

I usually clean my brushes immediately after the job, but in this case, I asked a rookie to do the clean up [my bad] and he left tons of paint on the brushes.

Are you saying the life of a brush is only 5-6 months?

Gosh, I have some brushes that are over 10 years old!

Soar


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## pain-ter

Ramsden Painting said:


> I found the best solution is give them to the new guy and have him clean them for you.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using PaintTalk


Ramsden Painting,

Well, in this case, that was what sank my boat!

In the future, I will not give my nice expensive paint brushes to the new guy for cleaning unless he/she knows how to do the cleaning right! Even then, I will be sure to do a thorough inspection after the rookie does the cleaning....

Soar


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## 6126

pain-ter said:


> Woodland,
> 
> I will have to check those two items out! Thank you!


The Krudcutter is only for latex paint. This will be my first time to try this product. After my last post I went out to the shop and put a few brushes in to soak. I will post the results later


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## TJ Paint

Woodland said:


> The Krudcutter is only for latex paint. This will be my first time to try this product. After my last post I went out to the shop and put a few brushes in to soak. I will post the results later


blog that sh^t:thumbsup:


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## 6126

TJ Paint said:


> blog that sh^t:thumbsup:


Funny you should mention that. I was just about to start a new thread asking for blog suggestions. I created a blog about 6 months ago, but never did anything with it.


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## chrisn

In this case, I have three Purdy brushes with Behr Premium Plus Exterior Enamel that is 100% Acrylic. One brush with Zinser Bull'e Eye 123, and one with McClusky's Marine Spar Varnish.


I would pitch all 3of em.


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## Oden

When I was coming up on guy I worked under used to clean them with gasoline.
I don't remember what it did to the brushes performance afterwards but them brushes were spotless. I remember that.


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## scottjr

Are you saying the life of a brush is only 5-6 months?

Gosh, I have some brushes that are over 10 years old!


If it were me I would toss them. 3 purdy brushes cant be that expensive. Turn them into dusters.


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## 6126

Woodland said:


> The Krudcutter is only for latex paint. This will be my first time to try this product. After my last post I went out to the shop and put a few brushes in to soak. I will post the results later


Well, the stuff works pretty good. :thumbsup: It does what its supposed to do :yes:


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## chrisn

WE used to clean oil brushes with diesel fuel, worked great:whistling2:


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## pain-ter

chrisn said:


> WE used to clean oil brushes with diesel fuel, worked great:whistling2:


I have never tried it, but it sounds like a great idea!



Woodland said:


> Well, the stuff works pretty good. :thumbsup: It does what its supposed to do :yes:


I will try it as soon as I can find it!



scottjr said:


> Are you saying the life of a brush is only 5-6 months?
> 
> Gosh, I have some brushes that are over 10 years old!
> 
> 
> If it were me I would toss them. 3 purdy brushes cant be that expensive. Turn them into dusters.


Well, here, some Purdy Brushes are over $20 per brush. That can add up rather quickly!


Ok, I was at Home Depot and found Clean Strip Brush Cleaner.

I tried it out by soaking the brushes in this solution over night, and also for the following day [total of 36 hours]. Not sure if I waited too long, but it seemed to get the job done!

I am posting a BEFORE and an AFTER pic of the brushes. I did a total of 7 or 8 brushes.

I am still looking for other ideas. I's like to learn more on how to choose the most effective way to clean paint off of brushes.

Thanks,

Soar


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## StripandCaulk

If you really care that much about them (seems like they made their money though, one in the middle looks like a POS anyway) you can boil some water, douse them in soap and try and wirebrush them. Wont ever be the same though

For the amount of time to clean them out, i would just buy new ones. Have the apprentice buy his own brush..he wont junk yours. Will learn to clean them out the right way realll quick.


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## RH

pain-ter said:


> Schmidt & Co,
> 
> Thank you for the reply. A couple of brushes have a lot of paint on them [apprentice did a very poor job of cleaning it last week]. And may I ask what is a brush comb?
> 
> Soar


A Steel toothed comb designed to penetrate and separate bristles at their base.

For old brushes where the cardboard cover is gone, you might try wrapping them in regular masking paper after you've washed them to help maintain their shape. Rumor has it there are leather covers available.:whistling2:


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## playedout6

You can buy a dog grooming steel brush at the Dollar Store...for a dollar and use it after every time you clean/wash your brushes out . Best buck you can spend to maintain a brush !!! :thumbsup:


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## TheRogueBristle

Dude, let it go. They're gone.


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## daArch

When brushes are not taken care of, toss them. 

all the products that "dissolve" dried paint, dries out the filements and destroys the brush. 

there is no saving a brush as far gone as the pix you show. And believe me, I have tried.

you'll waste more time than the brush is worth bringing it back to the status of a duster.

Brushes should be treated as precision tools. but they do have a life span. Those one you show are dead and gone.

REJOICE you now have an excuse to buy fresh new ones. NOTHING is like a new brush :thumbup:


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## the paintman

First off thier is nothing wrong with a guy trying to save a good quality Purdy brush. And yes they can be "saved". When I was cutting my teeth in the old days, and had little money and no brushes of my own my father showed me how to ressurect those brushes the idiot painters left in the paint over the weekend. And threw away on Monday after 1 or 2 uses. And then later on he showed me how to Shave one too. A brush goes through about 3 life cycles and finally ends up a duster. 

I can't believe no one mentioned zylene. Nothing cleans dried latex paint out of a brush better. It is also my choice of solvents for cleaning spray equipment, stainless steel guns and pickup tubes. I can get 17 layers of paint off a "dick" with zylene. No smart ass remarks please. Ok go ahead. But for you greenies a "dick" is the pick up hose that goes in the paint and builds up layer upon layer mostly at the top of a fiver where it dries during the day. Stone catchers at the bottom of the dick can be put in zylene overnight and be blown out like new the next morning.


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## StripandCaulk

Funny..ive never heard it called a "dick" before. Must be an orlando thangg


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## TJ Paint

I just call it the "hose thingy where the paint goes in my sprayer deal"


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## TJ Paint

We used to call wizz rollers "donkey dicks" though.

Ole?


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## pain-ter

StripandCaulk said:


> If you really care that much about them (seems like they made their money though, one in the middle looks like a POS anyway) you can boil some water, douse them in soap and try and wirebrush them. Wont ever be the same though
> 
> For the amount of time to clean them out, i would just buy new ones. Have the apprentice buy his own brush..he wont junk yours. Will learn to clean them out the right way realll quick.


SC,

Thanks for some good ideas. 



researchhound said:


> A Steel toothed comb designed to penetrate and separate bristles at their base.
> 
> For old brushes where the cardboard cover is gone, you might try wrapping them in regular masking paper after you've washed them to help maintain their shape. Rumor has it there are leather covers available.:whistling2:


RH,

Nice! May I ask where you purchased that special brush?



playedout6 said:


> You can buy a dog grooming steel brush at the Dollar Store...for a dollar and use it after every time you clean/wash your brushes out . Best buck you can spend to maintain a brush !!! :thumbsup:


PO,

Ok, I will check it out!



TheRogueBristle said:


> Dude, let it go. They're gone.


Sounds like advice my pastor gave me after my parents died!



daArch said:


> When brushes are not taken care of, toss them.
> 
> all the products that "dissolve" dried paint, dries out the filements and destroys the brush.
> 
> there is no saving a brush as far gone as the pix you show. And believe me, I have tried.
> 
> you'll waste more time than the brush is worth bringing it back to the status of a duster.
> 
> Brushes should be treated as precision tools. but they do have a life span. Those one you show are dead and gone.
> 
> REJOICE you now have an excuse to buy fresh new ones. NOTHING is like a new brush :thumbup:


DA,

Ok, I just never even knew brushes had a life span. I began to suspect something was amiss last week when painting fiberglass doors...I had a real struggle getting the final coat of paint on in a manner that covered the Zinser Bullseye 123! The white just kept showing...even after two coats!



the paintman said:


> First off thier is nothing wrong with a guy trying to save a good quality Purdy brush. And yes they can be "saved". When I was cutting my teeth in the old days, and had little money and no brushes of my own my father showed me how to ressurect those brushes the idiot painters left in the paint over the weekend. And threw away on Monday after 1 or 2 uses. And then later on he showed me how to Shave one too. A brush goes through about 3 life cycles and finally ends up a duster.
> 
> I can't believe no one mentioned zylene. Nothing cleans dried latex paint out of a brush better. It is also my choice of solvents for cleaning spray equipment, stainless steel guns and pickup tubes. I can get 17 layers of paint off a "dick" with zylene. No smart ass remarks please. Ok go ahead. But for you greenies a "dick" is the pick up hose that goes in the paint and builds up layer upon layer mostly at the top of a fiver where it dries during the day. Stone catchers at the bottom of the dick can be put in zylene overnight and be blown out like new the next morning.


PM,

Thanks for your words of encouragement. I will pick up some Zylene as soon as I can find it. Hopefully they permit it here in California.

I would like to try the Zylene on our new Graco 395 that now has 3 paint jobs worth of paint on the dick.

I agree with you that brushes can be saved and used again and help save money. But for the first time ever, I am beginning to realize I may be compromising the quality of my workmanship by using brushes that are too old.

Home Depot had a great deal on a three pack of Purdy brushes for only $19.99. I picked it up yesterday and will see if there is much of a difference between the real old and the new.

I really like this forum because it helps me to think about different options and also provides me with more wisdom [wisdom is found in the multitude of counsel].

Now I wish I had joined this forum a long time ago. I have been painting on and off since 1973. I think I could have found lots of cool ideas that would have never crossed my mind working by myself.

Pain-ter


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## chrisn

PM,

Thanks for your words of encouragement. I will pick up some Zylene as soon as I can find it. Hopefully they permit it here in California.

I would like to try the Zylene on our new Graco 395 that now has 3 paint jobs worth of paint on the dick.

I agree with you that brushes can be saved and used again and help save money. But for the first time ever, I am beginning to realize I may be compromising the quality of my workmanship by using brushes that are too old.

Home Depot had a great deal on a three pack of Purdy brushes for only $19.99. I picked it up yesterday and will see if there is much of a difference between the real old and the new.

I really like this forum because it helps me to think about different options and also provides me with more wisdom [wisdom is found in the multitude of counsel].

Now I wish I had joined this forum a long time ago. I have been painting on and off since 1973. I think I could have found lots of cool ideas that would have never crossed my mind working by myself.

Pain-ter[/QUOTE]


Good luck with that

and good luck with that also:whistling2:


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## RH

pain-ter said:


> RH,
> Nice! May I ask where you purchased that special brush?
> Pain-ter


Any paint supplier will have them. Tip - those things are brutally sharp. Get a knife blade guard at a kitchen supply store (BB&B) to put over the teeth. You will save yourself from some injuries. A larger sized guard will also work well over the teeth of your masker.


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## pain-ter

researchhound said:


> Any paint supplier will have them. Tip - those things are brutally sharp. Get a knife blade guard at a kitchen supply store (BB&B) to put over the teeth. You will save yourself from some injuries. A larger sized guard will also work well over the teeth of your masker.


rh,,

Thanks for the pics! I will check it out today!

Pain-ter


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## sqcapt

Two days in MEK cleans out just about anything. DON'T soak the ferrul and handle of course. We hang, not soak. For latex, dip and spin brushes in alcohol and follow with soap and water. For oil, naptha or reg. spirits will do the trick after a good soak in the MEK. Anything you can't get out with MEK, isn't worth it.


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## PaintSlave

I've always used lacquer thinner. I soak the whole brush in a wide mouth mason jar for 20-30 minutes. Then, hack all the paint near the outside edge of the ferrule. Spin it well with a spinner and hit with a brush comb. THEN! repeat using dish soap to remove the residue of the solvent. Works well for Tynex or dyed nylon and poly blends.

Imho you should look in to Chinex bristled brushes. Can't say enough about them. I love the Corona Silk and Bronson line. The have all sorts of shapes and sizes tho. They keep their shape longer through out long days of cutting and the easiest bristle to clean by far. Purdy's are ok if it all you can find. I definitely favor the Coronas tho.

Great for wall paint and exterior paint, fine finish trim paint is still better with 100% Tynex dyed nylon.


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## Alabama Painter

To be honest, i really dont believe those brushes are still alive.Shoot um put yourself out of misery.Just think, when you get some new one's how much easier and nicer your lines will be,LOL


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