Bongo
Well-known member
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The common way to clean a brush washer is to remove the strainer, and carefully pour out the clean solvent that is on top, leaving all the nasty paint residue at the bottom. But when you go to wipe up the residue you discover the opening is smaller than your hand, so you futz around wadding paper towels in, or digging around with your fingers, etc. Then there will still most likely be a fine film left that will have to settle once you refill the washer.
But there is another way. I saw this on youtube but can't remember where to give credit - but this is what you do.
Take out the strainer then securely fasten the top to the washer. Vigorously shake the brush washer so all the solvent and paint residue mix. Take off the top and pour the slurry into an empty mayonnaise jar (or something similar). The brush washer is now spotless and shiny inside. Replace the strainer and fill the washer with clean solvent and you're good to go.
The slurry you poured into the mayonnaise jar will settle, leaving clean solvent layer on top of paint residue - just as it did in the brush washer. Now you can re-use the solvent, and at some point when the mayonnaise jar is too full of paint residue - toss it and grab another (empty) one.
