Why is it necessary?
One of the least liked parts of taking on a home painting renovation is the part where you need to clean your tools. There are lots of one time use tools you can just throw away after one use, and maybe that’s the right choice for you.
But, chances are if you are doing a paint renovation it is in your house, and as we all know house renovations don't ever stop, they just change location.
A quality painting tool will come in handy and save you money, rather than continually running to the store to buy and then throw away single use brushes and rollers.
Ask any professional painter why they use high quality painting tools and you will find out its not just because they will be using it again, but because it provides the highest quality application of paint.
When done correctly, a quality brush like that available from ROLLINGDOG can last for years.
Cleaning the brush
Wipe away and remove as much paint as you can from the brush with a rag or paper towel to prepare for cleaning.
If water based paint was used you should clean the brush with water.
Fill a container with warm, soapy water. Work the paint out of the brush head between your fingers. A brush cleaning tool like ROLLINGDOG’s #50019 with long spiked metal teeth can also be very helpful for cleaning. Once the majority of the paint has been removed you can begin to rinse the soapy water out of the brush.
If oil based paint was used you should clean the brush with the solvent recommended on paint can, such as mineral spirits. A good way to ensure the brush is properly cleaned is to add solvent to three different containers. Let the brush rest in solvent of first container while working the paint out. After about a minute you can move the next container and repeat the process again, and finally move to third container to repeat.
If your brush has natural bristles you can blot out excess solvent and hang to dry. If you brush has synthetic filament you should rinse the solvent from brush with warm water, then blot out water and hang to dry.
If brush came with a paper case, after brush has dried store it in case to keep clean and protected
Another option would be using a brush/roller cleaner like ROLLINGDOG item #80609 can be very helpful to spin dry the brush
Never store your brushes vertically in water or solvent.
There are a few good reasons not to do this. The pressure on the brush can permanently misshape the bristles, bending them or spreading them out so they no longer come to a point. If they are left too long to rest on the bristles, most brushes will never regain their original shape.
Cleaning your roller covers
Rollers are cleaned differently than brushes. Depending on
the paint you've used, you'll have to choose an appropriate
method to get the paint off.
Cleaning techniques will differ depending on whether
you use a latex-based or oil-based paint. As long as you
use the proper method, you should be able to completely
clean your rollers.
Gather your materials: Latex gloves, a 5-in-1 tool, used roller cover and cage, paint container, paint solvent or mild liquid soap, newspaper, paper towels.
Prepare the area. You don't want to get your space dirty when you clean the rollers. You may want to toss some old newspapers on the floor where you will be cleaning the paint rollers. Or, you may want to
consider cleaning the rollers over paint trays. Any space that you can clean easily should work as well. For example, you might want to clean your rollers in your garage or basement, or outside if possible.
Note: If you aren't going to immediately clean your rollers, then you need to keep them in a sealed off space. To keep the roller fresh, place the roller in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.By preserving your
rollers, you can avoid the hassle of trying to clean a dried roller. This is a good option for when you are completing a multi-day project.
To begin cleaning you need to remove as much paint as possible from the roller. You can leave the cover on the frame as you use a Painter’s tool to scrape away paint. Any flat surface like a putty knife can work also, but the concaved shape designed in Painter’s tools will be much more effective for removing paint. ROLLINGDOG has several options for this tool such as #50219 or #50217.
water based paint
Once you have removed excess paint from cover you can
remove from frame, and set frame aside
If you have a large enough bucket you can fill it with
warm soapy water, or you may also be able to use your
sink. Work the cover back and forth in your hands while
under water to remove paint.
When you feel you have most of the paint out of the cover, change the water and repeat the process again. Rinse with warm water
Stand cover on end to dry.
Rinse and scrub roller frame clean in soapy water. Wipe off with paper towel or newspaper.
To begin cleaning you need to remove as much paint as possible from the roller. You can leave the cover on the frame as you use a Painter’s tool to scrape away paint. Any flat surface like a putty knife can work also, but the concaved shape designed in Painter’s tools will be much more effective for removing paint. ROLLINGDOG has several options for this tool such as #50219 or #50217.
qil based paint
Once you have removed excess paint from cover you can
remove from frame, and set frame aside
Fill two or three trays with enough solvent to submerge
cover (refer to paint can to ensure you have the right
solvent). Place cover in first tray and let it rest for a few
minutes, and then begin gently moving it around to remove
paint. After around 5 minutes in first tray you can add it to the next tray. Repeat the process this time for a total of about 3 minutes. If you can still see paint in cover you may want to repeat the process a third time. Use solvent from one of the trays to wipe clean roller frame with a rag or paper towel.
Rinse cover in tray of water to remove any leftover solvent. Stand cover on end to dry
Please note that the solvent will need to be properly disposed of after cleaning away oil based paint.
A Roller/Brush Spin cleaner like ROLLINGDOG item # 80609 is one of the best ways to clean both brushes and rollers. If you know you will be painting again it may be something that is worth adding to your paint tool collection.
rinse and Dry
Rinse and dry the roller. In order to rinse the roller
cover, you should place the roller cover in the tray
full of warm water. You can use paper towels or
newspaper to dry off the roller cover.
One of the most effective and efficient methods of
drying roller covers and brushes is to use a spin dryer tool,
like that offered by ROLLINGDOG. These tools spin the brush or
roller very quickly forcing any water to be removed from the tool.
After you dry the roller cover, you should stand the roller cover up in a dry place. You should rinse the roller cage in the same manner. You can also dry the roller cage with paper towels.
Take care of your tools will
help take care of your house!
