Description

The silicone cleaning mat has become one of the standard pieces of equipment in professional watercolour studios over the past decade — and with good reason. Swirling your brush vigorously in a water jar, is both less effective and more damaging than it appears. Vigorous swirling forces the bristles sideways against the wall of the container, bending the hairs at the ferrule and gradually weakening the point.

Cleaning with a brush cleaning mat is gentler on your brushes and removes paint more effectively. A small amount of brush cleaner is placed on the mat’s surface. The brush is drawn across the ribs in the natural direction of the bristle , from heel to tip — using light, consistent pressure. This motion follows the alignment of the hairs rather than fighting against it, working paint out from the belly toward the tip without stressing the bristle structure. The ribs reach deep into the hair bundle in a way that swirling simply cannot match.

The three format options cover different studio preferences and working styles. The pink rectangular and purple circular cleaning mats both offer a wide flat surface that accommodates all brush sizes from fine liners to wide wash blenders. The Mat + Water Cup Light Blue offers an integrated water reservoir alongside the cleaning surface, providing a self-contained cleaning station without needing a separate container.