Understanding Synthetic Brush Curling

[AWaichulis (Anthony Waichulis)]

Master Brush Soap is GREAT for getting dried paint out. However, be aware that the reason that Masters Brush Cleaner is so good at getting out old paint is that they use particulates in the soap. While these tiny particles can be VERY useful in removing paint–they can also embed themselves in the hairs/fibers leading to some brushes feeling “scratchy” after washing. Here is a magnification of the cleaner compared to regular Ivory bar soap and water:

Embedded particulates in the hairs of a brush after being washed in Master Brush cleaner:

If you are interested you can read more about some brush cleaning materials/soaps here:

Brush Cleaner Particulates

Cleaning my brushes after a painting session has always been a very simple process. Ivory soap and lukewarm water have been my brush cleaning supplies since since day one. In fact, there is a video resource in the materials section which walks you through my brush washing and tying process. However, a good number of my colleagues find success with commercial brush cleaners. One of the most common is the “The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver”. This commercially available brush-cleaning cake c…