Tip 1. Start with a clean paintbrush!
Sound obvious? Painting with a brush that’s not as clean as it should be is one of the most common mistakes DIY painters make.
Using a paintbrush you already have instead of buying a new one is a great idea – it’s cheaper and greener, and the brush is broken in. BUT if it isn’t properly cleaned after the last job, you won’t get the finish you want on this one.
How do you get paint brush bristles clean and soft again?
Rubbing and rinsing in soapy water is one way, but you risk damaging the bristles.
The easiest and most effective way to get brush bristles back to new is in one of these. The BruKon Brush cleaner is a purpose-designed brush cleaning container that does the job in a couple of minutes.
A surprisingly simple idea, it suspends your paintbrush in just enough fluid to create a natural wick action that cleans right up into the bristles, and allows the sediment to settle in the bottom, away from the brush itself.
BruKon cleans oil-based paints and acrylic paints
The nifty rubber lid slides down the brush handle and then snaps onto the container, holding the brush firmly at the desired level inside the container. It also keeps the liquid inside from splashing out or evaporating.
You can use citrus solvents and bio-thinners for oil-based paints just as easily as you can water for acrylic; the BruKon container is impervious to commonly used mineral turps along with many other cleaning substances.
Stop paint drips running down the handle
The units also come with a pair of ingenious CollarWashers, that slide over the brush handle first, tighten the fit of the brush to the lid and help hold it in place. They’re good to leave on any brush all the time, because they also act as a rather effective drip-stopper!
TIP 2. Use a conditioner on your paintbrushes
We’re not joking. Master painters know that a well-primed brush gives a silky flow to paint application and a better finish. If you want to get an absolutely AMAZING result, and you’re using natural fibre brushes, try soaking them in ordinary hair conditioner.
The BruKon Brush Cleaner is ideal for this. Just ensure the bristles don’t touch the bottom, and soak overnight if you can. You’ll be amazed at how supple the bristles are – and how beautifully it works for high gloss enamel.
If you using pure bristle brushes, you can achieve the same effect using linseed oil in the BruKon brush cleaner.
Tip 3: Rotate your paintbrushes when it’s hot
Hot dry weather dries out brushes fast. When caking paint has built up on the upper brush bristles, pop it in a BruKon container and let it clean itself while you press on with a clean brush from another container. You need two or more BruKon Brush Cleaners for this, but it’s worth the investment to keep the standard of finish high from the beginning of the job to the end.
TIP 4: Have a six pack ready when the painting’s done.
If you hate the cleanup as much as we do, you’ll love this advice: grab a six-pack and forget about it! We’re talking about the BruKon six-pack of brush containers, of course.
Cleanup is right up there as the DIY painters least favourite part of the job – along with prep. But the fact is, it’s got to be done. Which is why we love the BruKon six-pack. It basically does it for you. The individual units snap together and form a sturdy little brush cleaning ‘station’ that can handle up to six brushes at once – or as many brushes as you have containers. We’ve found the six-pack is ample for most DIY guys.
Solves the paintbrush storage problem too
With a BruKon six-pack handy, you can clean all your paintbrushes at once, and in minutes. But as we found out, they’re not just for cleaning; you can actually store brushes in them indefinitely. As long as the cleaning fluid is touching the bottom of the bristles, your brushes will stay soft and supple and ready to use for days, weeks, months – until you need them again.
At around the cost of a medium sized brush per single unit, we call the BruKon brush cleaner exceptional value. They’re also available in a three-pack that includes a free carry-handle, or the trades six-pack, which retails for around the cost of… a six-pack!
