One of my readers asked me if it was a good idea to put their wet paintbrushes and rollers in plastic bags tokeep them fresh when you need to stop painting.

Early on in my career, I wrapped mine that way when I had a delay incontinuing the paint job. Well, I was surprised to find that the brushes were pretty dried out in spots and theroller cover was hopelessly stuck to the frame! Was I mad! Did I do something wrong?

Plastic wrap or plastic bags are not the ideal brush and roller wrapping material!

A mixture of warm water and mild soap suds is the best cleaning solution for water-based paints. Prepare soapy water and pour into a clean container. Dip the paint brush into the mixture, working the soap through the brush bristles. Follow with a clear water rinse. Once the vinegar is boiling, take the paint brush by the handle and dip the bristles in the water. Push them back and forth on the bottom of the saucepan, imitating brush strokes. You need to remove the brush from the vinegar every 15 seconds to 20 seconds and see how the bristles are cleaning up. If I am glossing and I want to stop for awhile I will wrap the brush up in tin foil. For cleaning you should put it into a jamjar with white spirit or turps in it. If you preplan this, the best way is to drill a hole in the handle and suspend it so the brush isn't touching the bottom.

To clean bristles with dried-on paint, soak the brush in a solution of warm water and mild liquid soap for about 60 minutes before starting the cleaning process. Never use laundry.

Plastic doesn't work well for a couple of reasons:

• It's hard to seal a plastic bag well unless you put the entire roller or brush inside.
• Even then, the excessive air in the bag still allows drying to take place.
• Wrapping a brush or roller in plastic wrap gives a better seal but is messy to deal with.
• Thin plastic wraps can be slightly porous, allowing moisture (from latex paints) or solvents (from oil-based paints) to escape, hardening the paint on the brush/roller.

My solution? Aluminum foil instead of plastic!

Why foil? Aluminum foil is virtually airtight when folded around a brush or rolled onto a roller and conforms to the shape perfectly, leaving minimal air for drying. A standard width piece cut about 12' long will cover a standard size brush or roller.

Be sure to leave lots of paint on the roller orbrush before wrapping to get the longest storage time!

How well does it work?

I have wrapped rollers covered with Kilz fast drying primer and had them still useable for a few days. I prefer to use thicker heavy-duty foil, which is less likely to tear. It is only a few cents more per roll than regular foil but well worth it. If you think your rollers will be in for some abuse once wrapped double-wrap them!

Want your brushes and rollers to last even longer? Refrigerate them!

If you want those wet brushes and rollers to last even longer, throw… sorry… place them in the refrigerator. Then their useful life can increase by weeks! In fact, I have found month-old rollers still useable, buried behind the veggies in my fridge. Not that it makes my wife very happy… but that's another story!

Cleaning Paint Brushes In Sink

The freezer?? Not for latex paints!

Clean Acrylic Paint Off Brushes

Some folks think putting brushes and rollers in the freezer is even better. For oils, it doesn't seem to have a negative effect. But for latex paints, freezing can cause the paint to become stringy and semi-solid. These little bits of clotted paint will transfer to your work, leaving little lumps on the surface and making a general mess. Stick to the refrigerator!