Home Forums Explore Media Watercolor The Learning Zone What do you use to wash your kolinsky (or squirrel) brushes?

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  • #989288

    Thank you for reading my question, oh wise ones!

    My apologies if this is a repeat question, but I’m having trouble with the search function on this site and I don’t have a lot of time to poke around.

    I recently acquired an Arches pocket squirrel quill mop and an Escoda kolinsky pocket brush (thank you Santa!). I’m pretty clear on what to do and what not to do as far as the actual cleaning process goes, but I’d like to know what you use to clean your natural hair brushes? Will repeated washing affect the quality of the brush hair/performance of the brushes in the long run? Would it be a bad idea to use nothing but plain warm water to clean them? All I know is, if I washed my hair with hand soap and didn’t use any conditioner, it would be insanely frizzy. I don’t want that to happen to the brushes I’m hoping will serve me for years to come. Thanks in advance for any advice you might have for me.

    #1153888
    CJMonty
    Default

        I have always used, ” The Master’s Brush Cleaner and Preserver” it comes in several different sizes, but I have found it is cheaper in the larger sizes. What I do, is clean off any paint in your brush, then swish your brush around on the surface of the cleaner in your pot, when you have a good covering, just paint it around the palm of your hand once you think it has had a good clean, wash it off and gently reshape your brush with your fingers. I have been using this now for 10 years and am also still using my original brushes ( the ocassional new one along the way). I haven’t found repeated washing to damage my brushes. Basically you are only washing your brush with the conditioner at the end of a days painting session. There are also clear instructions on the underside of the tub of cleaner, however the one I have in my hand just now is pretty much washed away.

        Good luck with whatever you decide to use.

        Take Care and Welcome to the Wayercolour Forum here at WC, come and join us in the Wash someday where you will make lots of friends and get lots of help a guidance.

        Love Carolynn. :thumbsup: :clap: :wave:

        :wave:

        #1153895
        virgil carter
        Default

            Sniff, I just use tap water. I have two buckets of water when painting. One for cleaning previous paint from the brush and one to pick up clean water thereafter. I have well water that is “conditioned”, so it’s got it’s share of minerals in it, but it doesn’t seem to affect either natural hair or artificial fiber brushes.

            Some folks seem to prefer to use distilled water, but that’s never been necessary for me. Good luck!

            Best,
            Virgil

            Sling paint,
            Virgil Carter
            http://www.virgilcarterfineart.com/

            #1153898

            Carolynn, so you don’t rinse the brush after you use the cleaner?

            Virgil, using two separate containers for water never occurred to me, and that is good advice. Thank you both for taking the time to answer my question.

            #1153890
            Barb
            Default

                I mostly just rinse with tap water, but if I’ve been using staining colors (pthalo or reds), I use Master’s Brush cleaner cake. I do rinse the brush after using it and hang my brushes tip down to dry (I tie a rubber band on the brushes, and hang them from a hook). I’m always amazed at how well that cleaner works- I’ve even used it to get wine stain out of a tee shirt before- it worked perfectly!

                Barbara

                #1153899

                I’ll go with that, then. I’d be more comfortable using a cleaner that’s actually designed for my brushes. Thanks!

                #1153893
                Mayberry
                Default

                    I generally just use tap water. My tap water is pretty soft, so there’s no mineral buildup or anything. If some pigment is being stubborn, I sometimes wash with just a touch of liquid moisturizing hand soap (that I use for washing my hands). So far this has worked for me.

                    #1153892
                    Marcio C
                    Default

                        I use the Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver too, and yes, you need to rinse that off the brush. It can also wash stains off your palette.
                        I find that synthetic brushes can just be rinsed with water, but natural hair retains more pigment, so the cleaner is necessary in my opinion.

                        #1153887
                        juneto
                        Default

                            I never clean my brushes ,as they only touch the paint palette and clean water ,when I am finished ..
                            There is nothing to clean ,as they are in clean water, Last ,at all times .
                            I have used some of my brushes for over 40 years
                            June:confused:

                            Follow your Bliss and the Universe will open doors for you , where there were only walls. Joseph Campbell


                            http://blogmomcom.blogspot.com/

                            #1153891
                            noge
                            Default

                                I use simple water for all my brushes :wave:

                                #1153886
                                Aderynglas
                                Default

                                    I use just water for brushes normally, we have very soft water here so very little mineral content.

                                    However, I found that using some of the Natural Pigments Watercolours my brushes got a little dry hair, so I washed them with Hair Shampoo for dry hair and conditioned with a drop or two of Conditioner and rinsed. They were back to normal the next time I used them.

                                    I’ve also used this method for an older sable brush of my OH’s which was looking a bit tatty and it was like new afterwards :)

                                    #1153894
                                    FLNH
                                    Default

                                        I use tap water to clean and I also use Virgil’s 2 container method. I use only staining colors and some of my brushes are more than 10 years old with no problems.

                                        Karl
                                        Florida, New Hampshire
                                        USA

                                        #1153889
                                        Tattau
                                        Default

                                            I picked up a bad habit in art school: After cleaning the brush, I always (absent-mindedly) put the brush in my mouth to shape it.

                                            My teachers did it. All the “cool” kids were doing it. I guess I just wanted to be a part of the in-crowd. Next thing you know, I’m “hooked” and I’m having a hard time trying to stop nowadays.

                                            I guess I never should’ve quit smoking.

                                            Artwork does not become "Art" until someone buys it... until then, it's just an obsession... and a storage problem.
                                            I welcome constructive critiques and comments from anyone and anywhere.
                                            My website

                                            #1153896
                                            virgil carter
                                            Default

                                                T, as you know, cobalts, cadmiums and many other paint ingredients are really not so good for growing big and strong!

                                                Hope you can break your habit.

                                                Sling paint!
                                                Virgil

                                                Sling paint,
                                                Virgil Carter
                                                http://www.virgilcarterfineart.com/

                                                #1153897
                                                graesea
                                                Default

                                                    T, I agree with Virgil. Have you ever heard of the Radium Girls? That story has kept my brush out of my mouth for years!

                                                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Girls

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