Whatever method you choose, make sure that it feels right for you. There are plenty of methods available that allow an alternative to paint thinners. For the sake of preserving your health and the integrity of your brushes, a more natural approach can be beneficial. You will never regret choosing a healthier alternative for your creative process!
2 Best Ways to Cleaning Oil Brushes Without Turpentine
Preserving the lifespan of your oil paint brushes is no small feat. In order to get the most out of your beautiful paintbrushes, you need to treat them well. Taking care of your paintbrushes involves a few key steps. However, the most important factor is knowing how to clean an oil paintbrush. Keeping your paintbrushes clean can be hard work, but it is absolutely worth the effort. Making sure that you clean oil-based paint brushes without paint thinner can allow them to last you for years.
A common approach to cleaning oil paint brushes is the use of turpentine or other oil paint thinner. This is effective but comes with its own set of problems. The majority of people do not like to expose themselves to these harsh chemicals on a regular basis. Oil paint thinners come with moderate risks if you are exposed to them frequently, particularly in areas with poor ventilation. While some do not mind this, others are looking for alternative methods. Knowing how to clean an oil paintbrush without using these toxins is something that every painter should know.
No one wants to be breathing in chemicals on a regular basis. This is problematic when brushes need to be cleaned every single day. While some swear that nothing works better than paint thinner, there are many alternate options available. This gives you the opportunity to preserve your precious paint brushes without necessarily having to risk your health. Results may vary depending on the brushes and paint, so feel free to experiment!
Using baby oil is a great alternative to cleaning your oil paint brushes
The Baby Oil Method
When you think about the process of how to clean oil-based paint brushes without paint thinner, it likely never occurred to you to use oil. This might seem a bit counterintuitive, but it’s actually remarkably effective. The reason why you can’t rinse oil paint brushes off with water alone is because of the oil. Since the paints have oil in them, the oil base naturally repels the water. This is what makes using a secondary kind of oil so brilliant. The baby oil method allows you to clean the brushes without using water until the work is mostly done.
In order to use this method, you will need to purchase some baby oil. Baby oil has a variety of health benefits and is safe to touch daily. In fact, this product is known for having several benefits to the skin. Most variations of baby oil include additional vitamins, which can be nourishing for skin after a long day of painting. This is a useful type of oil to keep on hand around the house. It is even a mild antiseptic that can help keep your brushes combat germs!
How to Use Baby Oil to Clean Your Brushes
To begin this method, you will want to coat your paintbrushes in baby oil. Do your best to make sure that the baby oil is spread across the brush. It is important to work the oil into the hairs to help them push away the paint. Your primary focus here will be to make sure that every bristle has been touched by the baby oil. This will help you get the most paint off quickly.
After you have coated the brush, you will start cleaning the bristles. Begin to use your fingers or a soft cloth to wipe the extra oil and paint from the hairs. Avoid breaking any bristles during this process. The best approach here is to make sure that you are slow and methodical. Focus on wiping from the base of the hairs to their tips in order to get any lingering paint. This will help to ensure that you don’t leave any behind.
It is likely that you will need to repeat the last couple of steps for the best results. After you wipe the bristles, you will need to add more oil and begin again. This will likely take a few rounds of the process before you get to where you want to be. Fortunately, baby oil is relatively cheap, making it an ideal option for this process.
How Do You Maintain and Clean Paintbrushes? Tips & Tricks for Artists
Lauren Marie:“On really stubborn brushes, I soak in rubbing alcohol, rinse and soak in hot water if I think the glue can handle it. I dry mine horizontally so water doesn’t go down into the brush and sit and cause issues with glue, rot, rust, etc.”
Ana Sneeringer:“When my brushes are all dry from oils and hard to wash with brush soap, I soak them in lavandin (hybrid of lavender) essential oil. It also cleans so well dry paint on your painting palette and it can be used as thinner for the paint. This oil goes a long way and keeps your brushes soft.”
Colleen A. Critcher:“You can reshape your brushes by first pouring hot water over them. Then swirl the brush lightly in a brush restorer and pinch them back to their proper shape. Then let them dry flat. Good as new!”
Denice Hobbs Davis:“I use mostly acrylics & I have found that hot water, Dawn dish soap & a cheap makeup brush cleaner does the trick every single time!”
Ellen Holleman:“I’ve made it into a habit to always clean my brushes at the end of each working day; it’s definitely the best to preserve your brushes but I think it’s also a great way to wrap up my day. I have a poem hanging above the sink where I clean my brushes which helps me to turn this into a small meditative and inspirational moment. The bonus is having clean brushes to start with the following day.
I first soak them in linseed oil soap and I reuse my paper towels to wring out most paint residue. Then one more linseed oil soap bath and I end up cleaning with an ordinary dish soap until there’s really no paint left. Leave them to dry lying down, never put them upright to dry!”
Margot Dermody:“My favorite product is Pink Soap (Speedball). I love love the smell, texture, and color. Cleans oils, acrylics, and watercolor paints.”
Joann Renner:“I clean my oil painting brushes after every session. After an initial rinse in turpentine, I wash them in warm water and either “The Masters” brush cleaner or a conditioning hand soap if I am out of the first one. I also like to dip them in lard oil after cleaning as a conditioner.”
Jennifer Faye:“I’ll comment as a watercolorist. Every once in a while, you can give them a little soap clean in addition to water rinsing. If you are new to watercolors and have the synthetic brushes that are white, the paint will dye them. This is normal. The brushes are clean when the water runs clear.”
Paulina Ree:“An art instructor also recommended for us to wrap paper around the brushes on the bristles for them to keep shape as they are drying but I have not done it in a while and I can see my brushes are feeling the need for extra love.”
Liz D’Amelio:“More of a behavioral tip but I am so forgetful when it comes to brush cleaning & having a studio “clean-up song” helps me build a routine that includes cleaning brushes regularly!”
@lisaannsugimoto:This artist suggests always making sure you’re using the right type of brushes for your chosen medium: i.e., watercolor brushes for watercolor paints.
And if you know you’re a procrastinator when it comes to cleaning your brushes you could always do the following:
Cindy Ruskin:“Since I’ve destroyed so many brushes by not washing them immediately, I’ve switched to using really cheap brushes that I don’t mind losing.”
I’m a cleaning expert… here’s my £2 hack for the perfect car interior
A CLEANING expert has revealed a £2 hack to keep your car interior pristine.
A TikTokker used a 10-second video to demonstrate the trick using a surprise item cheaply available online.
The social media user @shihekai impressed by showing how the inside of your motor can be kept immaculate with just a small brush.
She riffled the bristles before sweeping it across a gleaming dashboard and other car interiors.
The 1pc car cleaning brush is available in the UK from Chinese fast fashion online retailers Shein.
Happy customers went online to praise it as “very useful and easy to store in a glove box” as well as “amazing quality and excellent value for money”.
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Another told how it made small areas within the car “easy to reach”.
The advice comes after motoring gurus recommended the best shampoos to maintaining a “sparkling” car exterior.
Similar household items recently recommended to reach tricky corners of cars include toothbrushes and make-up brushes.
An Uber driver described how she keeps her motor clean, while a professional explained how best to remove grime from car seats.
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And there have also been tips on getting rid of spots from windshields, while a self-proclaimed “lazy girl” illustrated how to polish your car interiors with very little effort.
Yet driving organisations have also warned about a supposed 99p car cleaning hack plus others which could cost you thousands.
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