Remember the last time you painted? You will if you try using the same brush for your next project and you never cleaned it properly. Chances are that the bristles are stiff and the only worthy purpose of the brush now is to hold down your garbage can. Here are the steps for making sure the brush you bought is just as good the second time you use it:
Remove the paint
Make sure to get the paint thoroughly out of the bristles with a rag. Remember to get to it while the paint is still wet.
Clean the bristles
The ingredient that will keep your bristles like new is paint thinner. You definitely want to make sure that you get it deep in the bristles and keep moving them around to make sure they stay malleable. Wipe it down with a rag afterwards.
Rinse
At this point, rinse the bristles under lukewarm water, just to make sure that everything is out.
Storage
If you store your paintbrush in an upright position with all of the weight on the bristles, all of the cleaning you just did will be for naught. Make sure you lay it flat in a place where it can stay dry.
