Thanks for taking your time to read our information on the best paint brush cleaner.
Basically, for cleaning paint brushes, you can either use water or you might need some sort of solvent depending on what type of paint you are using. The technique is pretty much the same but you need to know what type of paint you are trying to clean before you start.
Most paint for walls is water based so usually you can get away with just using water but always check. You will know pretty quickly if you try to clean an oil based paint with plain water !
Bartoline 19925020 2L Spirit - White
92% customer satisfaction based on 2,500+ online buyer reviews
- This is a petrol based solvent that's the most popular brush cleaner
- It is used to clean brushes for any non water based paints
- Can also be used for thinning paint and varnish
- Most households will have some of this in their garage
- This is highly flammable and also can be harmaful to the skin so care is required when using this product
This is your basic paint remover or brush cleaner. Most people will have used this at some time or another and it does a great job removing paint from brushes or surfaces. I tend to pour some in a glass jar and clean my brushes that way. It's especially good on gloss paint when you are doing skirting boards and door frames.
Polycell Brush Cleaner, 500 ml
90% customer satisfaction based on 1,000+ online buyer reviews
- Again this is a petrol based solvent the same as white spirits
- It is used to clean brushes for any non water based paints
- This product contains strong detergents that aid the white spirits cleaning capability
- It's still flammable and as it has strong detergents you need to be even more careful with getting this on your skin for long periods
- Dosn't work well on hardend paint brushes, white spirits alone is better at softening hardened paint
Opinions vary on this type of product. Some people thing the detergent gives this a bit extra power and certainly all the buyers seem to be pleased with it, 90% satisfaction is a very high rating. For me it's around 5 times the price so I cant see that its worth that.
Hammerite 5084918 HAM6721501 250ml Brush Cleaner and Thinners
90% customer satisfaction based on 250+ online buyer reviews
- Again this is a petrol based solvent the same as white spirits
- It is used to clean brushes for any non water based paints
- Works on all paints but is sepcifically made for Hammerite paint
- Can be used as a paint thinner as well as a cleaner
- Very expensive
I would only ever use this for Hammerite paints as it's just so expensive. Even then I think that white spirits will do a pretty good job.
ROLLINGDOG 4 in 1 Paint Brush Comb
90% customer satisfaction based on 200+ online buyer reviews
- This is the best paint brush cleaning tool
- High quality 420 stainless steel blade will never rust
Mini and standard Roller Cleaner to effectively clean all size covers from short to long - Fine tipped, long toothed comb works great to separate bristles and allow deep cleanse/removal of paint from brush head
- The long, pointed teeth comb will allow quicker and cleaner washing of brushes
Absolutely brilliant tool for around £10. I had never used one of these before but now I'm converted. If you are in any way particular about your tools then I suggest you buy one of these. It is amazing on rollers and gets more paint out of brushes than you would imagine.
Good brushes are expensive and should last a long time if kept properly. This is definitely worth the small investment.
Dandy Pro Paint Brush Cleaner and Paint Roller Cleaner
86%customer satisfaction based on 500+ online buyer reviews
- Paint Brush Cleaner and Paint Roller Cleaner that cleans in under 60 seconds.
- Cuts out any mess, which is brilliant
- Uses centrifugal force (via your electric drill) to clean paint brushes and paint rollers
- Cleans paint brushes (10 -125mm) and paint rollers (50 -450mm long both 38mm(1½”) and 45mm(1¾”) diameter)
- Needs an electric drill to power it
This is also new to me, I had never heard of these before. It's a great idea that works realy well, especially as it cuts out any mess. It works on almost all paint; oil based glosses, undercoats, primers, acrylics, emulsions, polyurethanes & varnishes.
Having no mess, alone, would convince me !
A very quick video review
We have looked over all the video reviews and found this great short presentation on how to clean brushes properly. It gives you an instant idea of what to expect as well as telling you all the tips of the trade.
I hope you enjoy watching it as I always think its much better to see a tool in action rather than just reading about it or seeing pictures. These guys are particularly good at explaining the technique and the results are great.
How to Clean a Paint Brush Properly
On a long painting job you may need to keep your brushes fresh overnight. There’s actually no need to give them a total clean. You can just wrap the head of the brush or roller in cling film or put them in plastic bag. Seal around the handle with an elastic band and they will stay fresh for a couple of days.
Once you’re totally finished painting, you will need to give your brushes and rollers a proper clean. Get as much paint as you can off to start with a scraper or proper tool.
For most water-based paint, you can just leave your brush or roller in warm water for about half an hour then dry off with a clean cloth and it's ready to go for the next time.
Solvent-based paints are a bit more complicated. I normally put a some solvent-based cleaner like white spirits into a small jar or tin and work the brush against the sides to work the cleaner well into the bristles. It's best to then leave it for a couple of hours, then dry with a clean cloth.
Solvents don't go down the sink, so after you’ve finished cleaning you can leave the solution to settle and the paint will sink to the bottom. You can then pour the solvent cleaner into a new container for future use.
Thanks for reading our article on the best paint brush cleaner and I hope that it will be some help to you in making your choice.