Preservation of Paint Brushes

Preservation of Paint Brushes – A good workman cannot work without good tools and more paint brushes are ruined by careless handling than by use. If you have good brushes, they will last for years and always be in a first class condition, providing you use a little care and thought in their preservation.

When you start with a new brush, always “work it in” by dipping the hairs in turpentine and painting up and down on old sheets of newspaper. This will soften the hairs and clean them.

When you have had a spell of painting and are finished for the day, always clean the brushes in turpertine and squeeze the hairs with a rag soaked in the liquid. Work the paint from the brush to the point of the hairs and make sure that no sediment is left.

This would tend to become hard and ruin the brush. When you are certain that all the paint is removed from the hairs, hang the brushes up, hairs downwards, as illustrated, in a glass jam jar.

A piece of wire or string is tied across the mouth of the jar and the brushes are hooked on to this with bent paper clips. The points of each brush should be about I in. from the bottom of the jar.

The jar should be filled with turpentine, although some painters consider that water is equally good.