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Serious question, why does everyone say to use vinegar to clean paint brushes?
I saw this tip all over the place, so after I finished painting my kitchen cabinets last week, I filled an old mason jar with white vinegar and let my good Purdy brush soak overnight. Big mistake. Woke up to a brush that felt like straw, and the bristles were all splayed out and weird. The vinegar totally dried it out instead of softening the paint. I had to throw out a $30 brush. I think maybe it works on cheap brushes or different paint, but for my water based cabinet paint, it was a disaster. What do you all use to clean your good brushes that actually works?
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mason2091mo ago
Yeah, the "soak overnight" part is what got you. I used to think vinegar was this magic soak too, but leaving a brush in any liquid that long is just asking for trouble. It ruins the glue holding the bristles and dries out the material. For a good brush like a Purdy, you want to clean the paint out right away with brush cleaner or soap and water, then reshape it and let it air dry. A quick vinegar swirl might work for a little dried paint, but hours in the jar is a death sentence.
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