The Best Method For Cleaning A Paintbrush With Wood Stain On It

If you've recently stained a new piece of furniture or changed the color of the wood in your home, your work doesn't suddenly end once your project dries. It's necessary to properly clean and dry your paintbrushes after using them to apply stain if you want to keep them in good condition. Thankfully, if you're willing to do a bit of research, cleaning your brushes after staining wood is actually a fairly simple process. By learning how to properly remove soaked-in stain, you can reuse your brushes again and again and avoid the annoyance of having to bring your hard paintbrush back to life. All you'll need to accomplish this task is a can of either mineral spirits or paint thinner, a cup or small container, and a rag.

While it might be tempting to just clean off your brushes with water, this likely won't get you very far. Wood stain is a combination of volatiles, pigments, resins, and other additives designed specifically to soak into wood and provide a long-lasting finish. These tough ingredients are great for staining a wooden deck like a professional or bringing new life to an old piece of wood furniture, but can present a bit of a challenge when it comes to cleaning. Because of this, it's best to stick with recommended cleaning methods so you're not left with an unusable brush after putting in all that effort.

After you're done staining, you're going to want to clean your brushes quickly for the best results. If you look on the side of your can of stain, there should be recommendations for which product you should use for cleanup, usually either a standard paint thinner or mineral spirits, such as Klean-Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits. These products are fairly similar in application, but there are differences between mineral spirits and paint thinner that could make one better for your specific situation. Pour a small amount of your liquid into a cup, then dip the brush into it, making sure to fully saturate it wherever it soaked up stain. Once you notice the stain starting to thin out and leave the brush's bristles, dry it off on a rag. Let everything fully dry for a bit, and your brush should look brand new.

When you're handling heavy-duty products like paint thinner, stain, and mineral spirits, it's important to take the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe. Whether you're staining a surface or cleaning your brushes, make sure you're doing it in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors. Inhalation of these chemicals could leave you feeling disoriented, and in severe cases, can even cause organ damage and death. While proper ventilation might seem like a minor consideration, it can turn into a major issue if you don't err on the side of caution.