How do I rejuvenate a brush? I thought I cleaned it well last time I used it but apparently I didn’t. It has been used for poly urethane. When I took it out the bristles were stiff. They are not caked together or anything, they are just real course. It is not a cheap brush. So can I save it?
Thanks for any help.
Replies
You may be able to save it by soaking it in Lacquer thinner. Suspended the brush so the bristles are not resting on the bottom and let it soak for a few hours. Work the bristles loose with a brush comb. One problem you may encounter is, the dried poly will flake off the bristles and end up in your finish, even if you are able to loosen it up. You can remove these by vacuuming and repeated washings. I have a fairly expensive brush, that I did a less than perfect job of cleaning varnish out of, and I was able to bring it back, doing as I described above.
I'll go along with Rob's suggestion and further it with a follow up of mineral spirits. If it is a good real hair brush you need to get the oils back into it. The laquer thinner will dry it out severly but the mineral spirits will replenish it. Never, Never, Never use a real hair brush to apply a water based finish.
Steve - in Northern California
Go to the store and get some brush cleaner. I like the water rinseable type but it's not required. Follow the directions on the can. The brush will end up like new.
Here is how to prevent it in the future.
I have a big 3# coffee can. I pour in some mineral spirits and work the brush in it until is is as clean as I can get it. I then twirl the brush handle between my hands to remove the cleaner. Then pour the cleaner into a smaller 1# coffee can. Now pour some more mineral spirits into the large can, work the brush, twirl it and pour the cleaner into a second small 1# coffee can. Cover both coffee cans. The solids will settle out and the next time just pour off the liquid from the first can you used into the large can for the first rinse, then pour off the liquid from the second can for the second rinse and so on. When the first rinse can gets too full of solids, pour off the remaining liquid into can #2 and add some kitty litter and discard the coffee can with the solids. Can #2 now becomes can #1 and you start a new can #2 with fresh mineral spirits. This way you never have to discard mineral spirits.
I final clean my brushes with water rinsable brush cleaner--which I save also--followed by liquid dishwashing detergent. Use warm water, not hot. Shake them as dry as possible and brush them back and forth on paper towels, then wrap in brown paper, fold it over t0 shape the chisel end of the bristles and hold with a rubber band.
Some of my brushes came from my father and are over 50 years old.
You should never have to throw out mineral spirits.
Howie, did you know that you can use a solution of water and liquid fabric softner, (not the sheets), to accomplish the same thing as the final brush cleaning agent that you suggest.
I'm also a bit unclear on what type of brushes you are referring to when you suggest using a water based rinse. I have a couple of high end brushes that have warnings against using them with water based finishes and cleaning them with water. I buy synthetic bristle brushes for use with water based finsihes. Steve - in Northern California
Edited 5/20/2002 1:32:20 PM ET by Steve Schefer
My F-I-L was a professional house painter/decorator and he always kept a 5 gallon can of kerosene and at the end of the day he would suspend his oil paint brushes in the can. The next morning he would use a wire brush on them before starting back to work. His brushes lasted for months.
He once told me to NEVER buy cheap brushes. Purdy brushes have always served me well.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_KatyPlaneWood
the wire brush trick is good, I've been running a very fine brass wire brush through my finish brushes with good results.
Mike, I have several Purdy's. Now a day's its hard to find anything but their synthetic lines. I usually have to special order the china bristle or ox hair brushes.Steve - in Northern California
Have you tried HD? The one near me has both (oil & latex).
PlaneWood by Mike_in_KatyPlaneWood
Yep, the one here only had the synthetics for both types of paint. I prefer the real hair brushes. I can order them through my friend that owns the hardware store down the street. I usually have them in a few days so its not inconvienent. I have one that I recently replaced because there was only about half of the bristle length left. I think it was one of my grandfathers. The replacement was every bit as good as the original, (it holds a little more finish obviously) and the quality is still there.Steve - in Northern California
Steve, I have never run into anything that said not to use water to final clean a brush. I think Flexner's and Jewitt's books they will say the same thing. My brushes are almost all natural brisles, high quality brushes. Some are over 50 years old owned by my grandfather. Three are badger brushes that are reserved for vanishing. These I got when I was doing some marine varnishing and they took a weeks pay. They see water every time they get cleaned. After all, natural brisles are out in the rain when they are on the animal.
For the few times I use a waterborne finish, I use nylon brushes.
The brush cleaner I currently use is Sunnyside Brush Cleaner, water rinseable. There are others.
Huh, I'll have to re read the cover. I swear it said no water but maybe it was just water born finsihes. I also talked to a friend who paints professionally and he said pretty much the same thing that I thought the lable said. In fact he told a story of an apprentice that threw one of his brushes in a bucket of water and it swole up and turned into a something resembling a push broom.
It sounds like its no problem for you though and I have no reason to doubt you. I'm a little bit shy, (and stuborn) about trying it though so I think I'll just keep doing it the way I have. Thanks for the info.
Steve - in Northern California
Edited 5/20/2002 6:01:42 PM ET by Steve Schefer
Don't let them soak and don't use hot water. Only wash, rinse and dry using warm water.
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