To clean acrylic paint brushes effectively, follow these steps:
- Remove Excess Paint: First, wipe off as much acrylic paint as possible from the brush using a paper towel, rag, or old telephone book pages by pressing and gently squeezing the bristles. This reduces the amount of paint you need to wash out and helps prevent clogging.
- Rinse in Cold Water: Use cold water (not warm or hot) to rinse the brush thoroughly, swirling it gently and pressing the bristles against the bottom of the container or your palm to loosen paint. Acrylic paint sets quickly with warm water and can damage brushes.
- Clean with Mild Soap: After rinsing, apply mild soap or a specialized brush cleaner to the bristles, swirl it gently on your palm or a ridged surface to create a lather, and continue working out the paint.
- Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse in clean cold water repeatedly until the water runs clear and no paint or soap residue remains.
- Reshape and Dry: Gently reshape the bristles with your fingers, remove excess water with a cloth, and store the brushes with the handle facing down or upright until fully dry.
If paint has dried on the brushes, soaking them overnight in a specialized acrylic brush cleaner can help loosen the paint for deeper cleaning. It's important not to let acrylic paint dry on brushes because it becomes plastic- like and difficult to remove. Always clean brushes promptly after use to maintain their lifespan.
