{"id":1428641,"date":"2021-07-20T15:38:39","date_gmt":"2021-07-20T14:38:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/?p=1428641"},"modified":"2026-03-31T15:51:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T14:51:41","slug":"brush-cleaning-guide-for-all-mediums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/20\/brush-cleaning-guide-for-all-mediums\/","title":{"rendered":"Brush Cleaning Tips For Painters"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Brush cleaning is imperative for painters, and keeping these important tools clean will extend their life and maintain the quality of the marks they produce. This guide sets out some brush cleaning methods for each medium, and gives tips for keeping your brushes in their best condition for longer.<\/p>\n

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\"brush<\/a>
Turpenoid Natural<\/a> and Bristle Magic Brush Cleaner and Restorer<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brush Cleaning Tips For Painters<\/h2>\n

List of Contents:<\/h2>\n

What is Brush Cleaner?<\/a><\/p>\n

How is Brush Soap Different from Regular Soap?<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleaning Oil Painting Brushes (traditional and water-mixable oils)<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleaning Acrylic Painting Brushes (including acrylic inks and acrylic gouache)<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleaning Watercolour Brushes (and those used with traditional gouache)<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleaning Drawing Ink Brushes<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleaning Alcohol Ink Brushes<\/a><\/p>\n

How Do I Dispose of Dirty Painting Water?<\/a><\/p>\n

Can I Restore My Dried Oil and Acrylic Brushes?<\/a><\/p>\n

When cleaning brushes for any medium, you want to return your brush as close to its original state as possible in between painting sessions. Brush cleaners and brush soaps can help do this. <\/p>\n

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What is Brush Cleaner?<\/h2>\n

Brush cleaners are designed primarily for brushes used for oil and acrylic paints. They have a strong solvent action (though they are usually solvent-free) that removes wet and dry paint from brushes. For oil painters they are a good alternative to using oil painting solvents, like turpentine or mineral spirits, to clean brushes. Brush cleaners can also be used to remove dry, hardened paint from brushes (I tested that here).<\/p>\n

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Rinsing a brush using Bristle Magic<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After removing as much paint as possible with a brush cleaner, the brush should be rinsed with brush soap to remove the brush cleaner and any remaining paint residue.<\/p>\n

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How is Brush Soap Different from Regular Soap?<\/h2>\n

Many painters find that regular washing up liquid works well to remove paint from their brushes, but specialist brush soaps contain oils, like vegetable or olive oil, that condition the brush while it cleans. A well-conditioned brush will last longer and hold its shape better. <\/p>\n

\"brush<\/a>
Left to right: Leonard Clean Brush Liquid Black Soap (now discontinued), The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver<\/a>, and a silicone brush cleaning egg<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some brush soaps, like Speedball Pink Soap<\/a>, are liquid soaps that can be worked into the brush hairs with the fingers. A silicone brush cleaning egg is also a useful tool for working the soap into the bristles.<\/p>\n

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A sillicone brush egg<\/a> in action.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hard brush soaps, like The Masters Brush Cleaner<\/a>, and Da Vinci Professional Brush Soap<\/a>, and Escoda Olive Oil Brush Soap<\/a>, are hard cakes of soap that you can swirl the brush onto: <\/p>\n

\"brush<\/a>
Cleaning with The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marseille Brush Soap Pellets<\/a> are a convenient and economical way of cleaning brushes. Read this article<\/a> to find out more. <\/p>\n

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Return to top of page<\/a><\/p>\n

Cleaning Oil Painting Brushes (traditional and water-mixable oils)<\/h2>\n

Oil painting brushes can be synthetic or made with natural hair, often hog hair. Here is a method that we recommend:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> Remove excess paint from the brush with a rag or a paper towel.<\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\n

2.<\/strong> Rinse the brush to remove as much paint as you can. There are several things you can use to rinse your oil brushes:<\/p>\n