Q&A for How to Clean a Paintbrush

Use water for water-based paints like acrylic, watercolor, latex, and also most white glues and wood glues. If the paint is caked on, it may help to break it up with a wire brush, but keep in mind that this can damage your brush.

You are going to need mineral spirits or paint thinner to clean a brush that was used to apply paint stripper.

Set up 3 cans of paint thinner next to each other. Swirl the brush in the first can and try to remove as much of the paint as you possibly can. Then, repeat the process in the second and third cans. Spin the brush to get any residual paint that might be left, then rinse the brush with water.

You should clean the paint brush with warm/hot water, no matter what paint you use. Cold water makes the paint harden up, making it harder to clean.

Clean it with more acetone. Acetone is the solvent to keep the paint dissolved; you can use it straight to dissolve dried paint on a paintbrush.

Use warm water with dish soap. Use your fingers to scrub the glue from the bristles.

I have had success using a small drop of toothpaste before, so I would recommend using that with some hot water and a sponge.

If it's still wet, clean as you normally would, taking extra care to clean between the bristles. If it's hardened, Winsor & Newton makes a brush cleaner and restorer that brings nearly any hardened paintbrush back to life.

If you don't have any paint thinner around, you can clean latex-based paint out your paintbrushes with just some warm water and a dryer sheet. Most dryer sheets have some acetone in them, the main active ingredient in paint thinner and nail polish remover, and it will mix in with the water while it soaks.

Keep it in very hot water (not too hot) for about half an hour. Once the time is up, pick up the brush and scrub it in warm water with your fingers, use a comb if the bristles are still stiff.