The 'Load-And-Go' Paint Hack Pros Use For Perfect Application

Not prepping your paint tools properly can cause an uneven-looking paint application, which is by far one of the most frustrating outcomes. There's no special method to painting, but certain DIY paint hacks will make sure your paint job comes out so smoothly people will think you hired a professional. Even if you only have paintbrushes and paint to handle, it's still possible to make an excellent job of painting (though you might want to buy a paint roller for the higher sections of your wall). 

The following painting tip takes hardly any time but will ensure you're ready to paint without running out of paint mid-brush or seeing annoying patchy sections on your wall. If you have ever heard of the "load-and-dump" paint approach, i.e. dipping your brush into the tin fully and then wiping off the excess, you'll probably feel it's accurate to your painting experience. However, this technique could be putting you at a disadvantage — here's what to do instead.

Instead of dipping your paintbrush into the paint tin fully and then scraping off the excess, try dipping in the very bottom section of your brush before tapping each side against the top of the tin. The first method will lead to most of the paint coming off your brush, setting you up for patchy painting due to the dryness of the brush and lack of paint, whereas the second will banish your brush of any excess globs of paint without leaving the brush overly dry.

This hack works because it disperses the paint more evenly. By dragging your brush along the sides of the tin to release excess, you're actually ridding your brush of the paint it needs for the smooth application of paint to furniture or wall. The tapping method is much better, as a gentle tap won't disperse most of the paint you need but will get rid of any annoying blobs that could wreak havoc during the painting process.

Now that you know how to get your paintbrush set up with the perfect amount of paint, here are a couple of other helpful paintbrush hacks. Once you have finished painting, soak you your brushes in vinegar for about 30 minutes to get the excess paint off your brush so you're not left with any paint crust or residue. If using vinegar isn't your thing, try fabric softener instead for brushes that look brand new. All you need to do is submerge your brushes in a mix of fabric softener and warm water for a minute or so and then rinse them with clean warm water.

If you're the type of person to get paint stains and splashes where they shouldn't be (it happens), all you need is another paintbrush. This brush should be clean, with no residue and stiff bristles. Dip the brush into a warm soapy water mix and then quickly dab at the splashed spot until it disappears. It's best to keep the spare brush and soapy water to the side when painting so you can get rid of any mistakes before they start to dry. With these hacks, the next time you paint will be a much smoother process.