How to Wash and Store Paint Brushes for use with Acrylic Paints

Acrylic Brush Cleaning
To wash acrylic paint brushes I recommend using a cheap shampoo. A dollar store shampoo is fine or one that you tried but didn’t work for your hair. Everyone has some bottles like that around their home. To condition your brushes I also suggest using a conditioner that you have around the house that you don’t use. Use an oil free shampoo and an oil free conditioner. Do not use any conditioners or shampoos containing any oil natural or synthetic at all. Condition your brushes once or twice a month if you paint a couple of times a week. If you are going to buy a cleaner for your brushes I suggest DecoArt Brush Cleaner. It is excellent for removing paint that has dried in the ferule if it has not been dry for too long. Sometimes when painting you forget to rinse the brushes as you go along. Then the paint dries in the bristles because you are concentrating on your masterpiece. Just follow the directions on the bottle.
When cleaning the brushes rinse well in cool to tepid water. Do not use hot water. Hot water will loosen the glue holding the bristles to the ferule and ruin the brush. Then add a few drops of shampoo to 4 ounces of water (varies on the size of the brush), swish the brush around in the cup. Rinse again in clear running tap water until all of the paint and shampoo is removed. Repeat the process but use conditioner this time. After you rinse the final step to cleaning the brushes is to use a few drops to an eighth of a teaspoon of distilled white vinegar to 4 ounces water (varies on the size of the brush) swish the brush around in the cup then rinse well. If you use vinegar every time you clean your brushes it will help you keep the mold in check. This is no guarantee that you will not get mold but it may help prevent it.
Brush Storage
To store your brushes there are several methods you can use to store your brushes. I prefer is to use an old vase or large jar filled with sand filling about 1/3 of the container. A transparent container is best. Put the paint brushes in the jar with the bristles standing up. Don’t allow the brushes to touch one another or the side of the container. The sand helps to dry the brushes. I prefer to purchase the packaged sand in the children’s area of any store that carries crafts. The sand has to meet certain standards for kids so it is more hygienic to use. (Do not use rice or anything that may cause mold to grow). The sand is also inexpensive. After they have completely dried wipe the sand from the handles and you can store them away.
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