# Where do you clean your brushes & trays?



## painting247

Quick question: What is the proper place to clean the latex paint out of your brushes, rollers and trays?


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## ewingpainting.net

I clean them in a 5er of water. I don't use pans. The last time I used a pan, was when I was 15 and I didn't know I was going to be a painter. My mom cleaned houses and her client needed a closet painted. They hired me, I would love to see that closet. LOL.


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## ewingpainting.net

However I do use deuces. When I'm done with the deuce I just spread the excess evenly, let dry, peel off


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## johnpaint

In light of all things being green these days, who will step up and say.


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## painting247

johnpaint said:


> In light of all things being green these days, who will step up and say.


Thank you, that's my point. Does anyone know the PROPER place to clean up? Its water based paint, if the paint has dried such as in a tray I believe it's okay to trash the "Dried paint". However, if your cleaning wet brushes and rollers whats proper procedure?


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## mistcoat

In my sink at home normally, after scraping as much latex out as possible back into the can. Cleaning at work takes time from the job. 

If the client doesn't mind (and I always ask permission) I will clean out my gear at their house.

I always leave the sink and the surrounding area spotless. Even if the area is as greasy as hell and rotten food is in the plug-hole, etc. (And that is just in my house... :jester.


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## johnpaint

As much other really toxic stuff that goes down the drain, water base paint is almost clean in comparison.


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## Workaholic

I use the deep sink at my house for brushes and rollers in my yard. 
Waste management facilities are set up to break latex paints but solvent based are another story.


EDIT: Just to be clear I was not suggesting you use the drain as a paint disposal, was talking about the clean up of tools.


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## johnpaint

yeah: I have been thinking about adding a utility sink to my garage.


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## Workaholic

johnpaint said:


> yeah: I have been thinking about adding a utility sink to my garage.


You will be glad you did. Major difference.


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## Mantis

Home owner's kitchen sinks are perfect!!

Just kidding. Although our contract says that the jobsite must have working water for us to clean tools, I keep a 5 gallon bucket in the truck to hold dirty rollers and brushes. Once a week I'll take the bucket and empty it in my slop sink in the laundry and spend 30 minutes cleaning everything.


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## Last Craftsman

I clean tools at the residence.

And I charge for it.

For brushes I just use a 2 gallon bucket set ideally in a utility sink, but if not, I put it in the tub. I do all the actual cleaning in the two gallon bucket, and pour the dirty water right into the toilet which is usually near by.

Nothing even splashes into the tub.

If a painter can't figure out how to do that without getting paint/paint water all over the place, then God help them.

And if a painter is spending a quarter of a billable hour cleaning out a 3 dollar roller then, also God help them. 

Unless I am in a hurry, everything goes back into my van clean.

Most municipalities ask that you put your rinse water into the sewer and let their treatment take care of it.

Which I actually am not convinced is best, but I do it that way because they ask me to.

I figure with the amount a house gets painted, that once every ten years if some waste water goes into the ground that most of those particles get trapped by the soil acting as a natural filter, and eventually break down, where as when you dump waste water down the toilet, it will DEFINITELY make it to the treatment plant, and as everyone knows, treatment plants aren't even close to 100% when it comes to removing toxic elements.

So that means when you dump your paint down the toilet a percentage is definitely going into the ocean.

Peeling buckets, and using liners is the only way to clean a roller pan. Translation, if a painter is cleaning wet paint out of a bucket, or cleaning wet paint out of a roller pan, God hemp them.

:w00t: ( That was accidental, but I think I'll leave it in. )

Translation, I don't plan on cleaning wet paint out of a bucket or roller pan, ever again, as a long as I live.

In the future disposal facilities should include a section for dried acrylic paint that has been peeled from buckets/trays etc, and dried up rollers, and hopefully they can break it down and somehow reuse the components for something.

Prediction:

Scientists will program nanobots for this purpose in the future to reclaim any kind of material, and return the components to their original state on a molecular level.

:yes:

I am a futurist. Trust me. It will happen

Since you are already trusting me on my command, might as well write me a check for all of the liquid assets in your bank account...

NOW!!!!


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## mistcoat

Last Craftsman said:


> Since you are already trusting me on my command, might as well write me a check for all of the liquid assets in your bank account...
> 
> NOW!!!!


The cheque is in the mail. :lol::lol::lol:

I've heard that one before :yes:


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## [email protected]

In my shop except for a odd-ball touch up brush that has been dip just a couple of times. And then make sure it is all clean up. Rollers I use a tube that pushes water through it with the roller frame still on the skin. In a min or so it is clean. I have a bigger problem with sprayer clean up, but most time that water ends back at the shop to.


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## Last Craftsman

[email protected] said:


> Rollers I use a tube that pushes water through it with the roller frame still on the skin.


If you can clean these than Kudos. I never liked the idea of wasting the roller. When I first started painting we would clean out our rollers when we were done with them.

My other problem with cleaning rollers other than the time it takes, is that it messes up the nap in a way that makes it lumpy and not effective for how I like to roll.

I have found that rollers that have been cleaned don't put paint on as uniformly, or tip the paint off as smoothly so I actually spend a little more time applying/feathering out the nap while I am rolling, thus I can't fly quite as fast as I can with a new roller.

Also, I find that the edges of the rollers no longer make a straight line quickly, and I can't get the same finish I am looking for where the roller meets the cut line. This also slows me down a little.

This issue mainly comes into play on smoothwall, which I do a lot of. If I did a lot of texture, this wouldn't be an issue, and pretty much any roller would work.

So for me using a new roller isn't just an issue of the time it takes to clean the roller, it affects the actual process of painting as well.


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## ProWallGuy

Brushes: customer's slop sink (or where ever they direct me to do it at) or in my shop. Rollers: usually in my yard with a hose, sometimes in the customer's yard if it isn't much to do. Just depends on the situation.


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## JNLP

Brushes: If they have a slop sink & don't mind me using it, then in there it goes. No wire brush to their sink though & leave it cleaner than it was before I got there. Majority of the time though it's in my own slop sink in my shop aka basement which is right next to where I park my truck.

Buckets: Been getting in the habbit of leaving a nice even film of paint on them & just peeling them the next day. So much easier.

Naps: Can't remember the last time I washed one out. Every time I toss one it the trash it's $3 well spent. 18"s I keep soaked & wrapped until done with the color & into the garbage as well.


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## Last Craftsman

JNLP said:


> Naps: Can't remember the last time I washed one out. Every time I toss one it the trash it's $3 well spent. 18"s I keep soaked & wrapped until done with the color & into the garbage as well.


I keep my 9's and 18's also soaked and wrapped until done with the color.

Not that I think it would be a big problem to throw away a 3 dollar roller after a full day of rolling, but if I can keep them all the way through, then it's less wasteful, less complicated.


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## George Z

Some of what we do

http://www.ecopainting.ca/dispose.art.html

Washing even latex in the yard is illegal in most places
and environmentally the wrong choice.


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## DelW

Usually I'll scrape excess off the rollers and clean the rollers and brushes at the customers house. If thats not practical I'll usually throw them into a five of water or pitch them, I never clean them at my house, I'm on a septic system and I dont need paint messin up my system.


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## Workaholic

DelW said:


> Usually I'll scrape excess off the rollers and clean the rollers and brushes at the customers house. If thats not practical I'll usually throw them into a five of water or pitch them, I never clean them at my house, I'm on a septic system and I dont need paint messin up my system.


Good to see you logged on Del. :thumbsup:


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## DarthPainter

I prefer to clean on site, if possible, since it costs me time and money to do so at my house or at our offices. Cleaning up is part of the bid, as far as I'm concerned. Also, I prefer to keep a five of water and dawn detergent on site so I can throw my brushes in to let them soak before I clean them more thoroughly. The dawn does a good enough job pulling paint from down in the ferrule that I usually only have to do a quick rinse and spin to final clean them. I also don't use a wire brush unless I really have to. I use a brush comb and some scouring pads to clean dried up paint the heel and bristles. It works well and is much easier on the brush itself. It also negates the risk of scratching up a customer's sink.


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## Wolfgang

Never *in* a customers home. Most of the time, after the excess paint is stripped out, I'll soak them in a 5 of water with dish detergent, and then finish and spin them. Any paint that is in the bottom of the 5 after the water is poured off goes into a waste 5, and is disposed of according to law when full. Not as much work as it sounds.


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## Last Craftsman

DarthPainter said:


> I prefer to clean on site, if possible,


It's good to know we agree on something. 



DarthPainter said:


> It also negates the risk of scratching up a customer's sink.


I carry around a 5 by 10 inch piece of masonite. I lay my brushes on it when using a wire brush.


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## MAK-Deco

I always clean my stuff out off site unless its new construction. If I have an issue with multiple color changes on site I will ask to use a slop sink etc in a clients home.

I have clients tell me all the time oh use the sink if you need to clean out your tools and I always tell them we do it off site and they say "oh ok, thanks" like they were expecting me to dirty up there sinks...

We wrap sleeves for multiple days and sometimes brushes if they don't get to clubbed up... and toss rollers in trash when dried. Brushes cleaned out in my slop sink and yes i figure my time at home or shop cleaning tools into my overhead!


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## Msargent

I am with you mak I clean at home as well easier to clean up at my home then spending 10m ins to clean a brush then another 20 cleaning up clients sink. I will clean at my home in my slop sink in my basement .


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## DarthPainter

Last Craftsman said:


> It's good to know we agree on something.


 

I'm sure we'd probably agree on a bunch of stuff outside of artistic license 




Last Craftsman said:


> I carry around a 5 by 10 inch piece of masonite. I lay my brushes on it when using a wire brush.


That's a pretty sound plan. I actually busted out a wire brush for the first time in a while today to revitalize some older brushes. It's definitely hard on bristles, but every once in a while, you really need it to soften up the heel and remove dried in paint.


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## BrushJockey

I have found that a stiff nail brush works as good as a wire brush with much less tear on the bristles


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## jmda

We try to clean on site with a hose in the yard if possible.

Two or three years ago I installed a utility sink in my storage room and that is where I clean brushes, roller covers and buckets when it isn't OK to clean on site.

We occasionally use trays, but they are a work site hazard IMO. So its buckets and grids or 18" troughs.

We clean oil brushes in my garage using mineral spirits and finish rinse with diesel. Was using only diesel, but it does not clean itself out like mineral spirits, so waste was becoming a problem. Diesel conditions the china bristle brushes and makes them really soft.


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## speedy472

I always use the laundry sink...............If there's not 1 I take the stuff home................


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## Marion

I save those plastic grocery bags my wife brings home. Wrap everything in those to take home to clean.


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## pintin

I wrap the rollers & take the brushes home to clean. Once in a while I'll clean a roller. It seems like it usually costs more in time and water than it's worth.


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## Paint and Hammer

Marion said:


> I save those plastic grocery bags my wife brings home. Wrap everything in those to take home to clean.


I always keep Saranwrap for this purpose. The wrap is stronger than a bag, its easy to wrap, and less storage space before you use.


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