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Cleaning your brushes is an important investment both of your time and your money. The more you look after your tools, the better they will serve you. Extend the longevity of your brushes by following these easy brush-cleaning tips:

Watercolour Brushes: Cleaning watercolour brushes is simple. Take your brushes to the sink and rinse them under running water, allowing the pigment to wash away naturally. Use a bar of soap and gently move the brush back and forth across the palm of your hand to ensure the bristles are thoroughly cleaned. Once clean, gently squeeze out excess water, reshape the brush to its original form, and store it upright. Conditioning your brushes occasionally will help maintain their performance and longevity.

Acrylic Brushes: Acrylic brushes must be cleaned between every use. If acrylic paint is allowed to dry on the bristles, it will harden and permanently bond the fibres together. For this reason, we generally recommend synthetic brushes over natural hair brushes, as they are more durable and easier to clean when working with acrylics. Never allow acrylic paint to dry on your brush—it becomes extremely difficult to remove. Start by wiping away excess paint with a rag or kitchen towel to speed up the cleaning process. Rinse the brush thoroughly with water, working the bristles gently in the palm of your hand to release the paint. Soap can be used to make cleaning faster and also helps condition the brush.

Oil Brushes: Begin by wiping excess paint from your brushes using a rag or paper towel. Wash them thoroughly with a good-quality soap, such as olive oil soap. For a deeper clean, you can also use dish soap—known in England as Fairy Liquid, or elsewhere as products like Murphy’s Oil Soap or Dawn. We do not recommend using mineral spirits or solvents. While they may clean brushes more quickly, they are known to damage and shorten brush life. Since oil dissolves oil, using a non-drying oil is effective and safe. Suitable options include safflower, rapeseed, or linseed oil. A helpful tip is to avoid loading paint all the way down to the ferrule. This is one reason many oil painters prefer long flats, long filberts, or egberts, as the extended hair length keeps paint away from the base. It’s essential to clean the entire brush thoroughly—paint left near the ferrule can cause the bristles to splay outward over time. After cleaning, always reshape the brush. A great tip from Richard Schmid is to fold a piece of card over flat or  brushes and secure it with a peg to help them hold their shape while drying. Truthfully, there are countless methods—find what works best for you.

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Conclusion: Regardless of your preferred cleaning method, always reshape your brushes to their original form before allowing them to dry. If your round brushes come with protective caps, we recommend discarding them. These caps are intended for transport only, and unless you have excellent eyesight and a very steady hand, replacing them often bends the bristles. Ensure brushes are left somewhere they can dry completely, and never store them in an airtight container while still damp. Investing in a brush wrap or protective case is a great way to store and transport your brushes safely.

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