6 Things That Slowly Damage Your Brushes!

Whether you're at art school or in the studio, knowing how to care for your tools is essential. Brushes are the most valuable items in your art supplies. The first rule is to protect your brushes, the most delicate and important part of your supplies!

Don't Leave Brushes in Water

A brush's bristles are attached with glue and pressure. Brushes usually have a varnished wooden handle and a metal ferrule holding the bristles. Leaving glue, metal, or wood in water for a long time can damage them. If your brush spends several hours submerged in water, the varnish on the handle will start to peel, the glue will loosen, and the bristles will begin to fall out. The metal may rust, too. The same applies to turpentine, but since it's a solvent, the damage will happen much sooner. If you need to leave brushes in water or turpentine, submerge only the bristles, up to the metal ferrule.

Never Leave Brushes Unwashed

It's perfectly fine if paint dries on a brush after painting with tempera paints or watercolors. But if oil paint or acrylic paint dries on a brush, you can throw it away right away because you won't be able to wash it. If you don't have time for a thorough wash, at least wipe the leftover paint off with a cloth and wrap the brushes in plastic wrap. They can stay like this for several hours until you have a chance to wash them. Of course, there are cleaners for dried paint, but after this kind of treatment, the brush will never be like new again.

Don't Wash Brushes with Hot Water

Be diligent and wash your brushes right after painting, but never use hot water. The reason is, once again, the glue, which softens and loosens when exposed to hot water. You don't want bristles falling out all over your painting. Use lukewarm water and soap (use turpentine first if you're working with oil paints).

Don't Dry Them Upside Down After Washing

Why? Water left in the brush tip will start running down into the metal ferrule and wooden handle. As we've already mentioned, moisture in the metal part can damage the brush. It's best to squeeze as much water as possible out of the bristles, then lay the brush on a cloth or towel and let it dry horizontally. Or use a brush holder.

Don’t Store Them Upside Down

Once your brushes are washed and dry, store them until their next use. But not just any way! You can store them horizontally or in containers, as we usually do, but never with the bristles pointing down. Always store them with the tips pointing up. If a brush rests with its bristles on the bottom of a container, the pressure will permanently deform them, especially if they are fine natural brushes. This also makes it easier to see what you have and find the brush you’re looking for.