If you have decided to do some DIY painting, you will do well to invest in decent painting tools and supplies. And while acquiring the brushes, rollers and other painting supplies is the first step, you also need to take adequate steps to keep them in good shape for the time to come. By following a few recommendations from professional painters and decorators, you can see this exact task. Here is what you have to consider:
Guide on Preserving and Maintaining your Painting Tools
Wrap your rollers and freeze them
While it is true that you can probably clean a paint roller, it is usually very troublesome and probably not worth the effort. And the thing is, you can still use the item within a few days, in which case you just need to preserve it for the time being. You just first need to squeeze out the excess paint and then wrap the roller in plastic or aluminium foil. Then put it in the freezer. This will keep it in usable condition for a few days, considering you wrap it well. It works wonders with rollers that you have used with latex and oil paints.
Ensure your roller frames last a long time
You should not just focus on cleaning rollers and brushes after a paint job. The roller frames should get some attention too. As soon as you are finished painting, you should remove the roller cover off the frame so that it doesn’t stick to it. You should always invest in good quality frames, which will save you time on cleaning and will last you for a good time.
Make use of tray liners
Are you fed up buying new paint trays for your lint rollers? It is possible you don’t need to, as long as you invest in tray liners. They are good to keep things from getting messy and extend the life of your trays.
Clean your brushes
One of the major aspects of caring for your painting tools involves cleaning the brushes. You may think it is a very messy job, but if you do it well, you can spare yourself a lot of trouble and still manage it successfully. First and foremost, always ensure you brush off as much paint as possible on a surface upon completing the job. It could be an old newspaper or another surface. Afterwards, use a rag to remove any remaining paint from the brush. You can soak the rag in solvent and use it to wipe the bristles thoroughly. Rinse with water and repeat if there is still paint on the brush. Afterwards, you can finish the cleaning process by washing the brushes in warm water with dishwashing detergent. That ought to keep them clean and ready for another round when you need them.
Make the most of a crusty brush
If you have not done a good job of cleaning a brush after use and the leftover paint on it has acquired some crust, you can still remedy the situation. You can give it vinegar by placing it in a pot full of the solution for about 10 minutes. Then thoroughly rinse with water and use a comb to remove the remaining paint particles. You can also soften a very stiff paintbrush by using a hair conditioner to soak the bristles in. Put 1 tbsp. of hair, conditioner in about half a litre of warm water and keep the brush for about 10 minutes.
Following all of these tips can prolong the life of your painting tools and equipment pieces and extend their utility for a longer time.