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Caring for and Cleaning Your Chalk Painting Brushes

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March 1, 2022 by Elizabeth 2 Comments

Brushes used for chalk painting are cared for similarly to other brushes. If you invest in high quality brushes, your chalk painting brushes can last a very long time. Usually, all you will need for chalk painting is a round natural or high-quality synthetic brush, plus a wax brush. On occasion, you may need artistry brushes or foam brushes, depending on the job. Let’s cover the most common brushes used while chalk painting.

common brushed used when chalking painting and how to clean and care for them.

Tips on Caring for Your Common Chalk Painting Brushes

High-quality paint brushes can last a long time when cared for properly. Country Chic Paint offers beautiful, high-quality brushes such as their oval paintbrush, wax brush, and artist brushes. 

Caring For and Cleaning Chalk Painting Brushes

These brushes are either synthetic, which is made from nylon or polyester. The other option is natural, which uis made from animal hair.

The best school of thought for using brushes is:

  • Natural brushes are best used for oil-based paints and stains.
  • Synthetic brushes (nylon or polyester) are best used for water-based paints and stains.

Most chalk paints are water-based paint. Therefore, the best paintbrush to use would be a synthetic paintbrush.

chalk painting brush sitting on a can of chalk paint

How to care for them:

Chalk paint is usually non-toxic and fairly easy to clean, especially if it’s still wet. When cleaning your chalk painting brush, be sure to wring most of the paint out of the brush before cleaning.

Clean your brush with warm water in the sink, and basically rinse the brush until the water runs clear and the brush looks clean.

If there is a lot of paint on the brush, feel free to use a mild soap to clean the brush. When drying, do your best to hang the bristles facing down so all the water drains from the bristles.

There are specialty soaps made for chalk paint if you desire, I haven’t had to use them, but it’s always an option.

Caring For and Cleaning Wax Brushes

Natural wax, dark wax, antiquing wax, are all different types of wax used to seal chalk painted pieces. Although there are different ways to seal chalk paint, waxing is one of the most common.

Wax brushes are very round with blunt ends to fit into nooks and crannies. If not washed properly, wax buildup can occur in the brushes and the bristles become stiff and very difficult to work with (ask me how I know!)

Wax Brush sitting on a can of furniture wax

How to care for them:

There are different kinds of wax brush cleaners out there. Although they work, I find that using murphy’s soap tends to offer the best level of “clean” on my wax brushes. Just as is done with the chalk paintbrushes, make sure to wash the bristles out completely.

You will know the wax is no longer in the bristles when the bristles are soft, and no longer stiff or tacky. Let the brush dry while the bristles are facing downward.

Related: Chalk Painting for Beginners

Caring For Your Wood Staining Brushes

Many times, chalk painting and furniture restoration require sanding and staining wood. It’s not always the case when chalk painting a new piece, but it is fairly common. Wood stains come in both water-based and oil-based forms.

How to care for wood staining water-based brushes

If your stain is water-based, as was discussed above, you’ll want to use a synthetic brush. It is recommended to use a 100% polyester brush, although I have used nylon/polyester blends and have had no problem.

Cleaning a water-based stain is easy. In a bowl, pour warm water with mild soap, place bristles in the soapy water and allow to sit for a few minutes.

Shake the brush back and forth to allow the water to penetrate through the bristles. Using a wire brush to comb through the bristles, make sure all the stain has been removed. Repeat this step until the bristles are soft and clean. Allow the brush to dry, bristles down.

Wood Stain Brush sitting on a can of wood stain

How to care for wood staining oil-based brushes

If your stain is oil-based, you’ll want to use a natural bristle brush. There are plenty on the mark, but I know Purdy makes high-quality brushes that can be used for wood stains.

Cleaning an oil-based stain is a bit more complicated. In a bowl, pour turpentine or mineral spirits and submerge the bristles of the brush. Allow the brush to sit in the solvent for a few minutes.

Gently shake the brush back and forth. As done with the water-based stain, use a wire brush to loosen and remove all stain from the bristles. Continue this step until all bristles appear clean.

Dry the bristles with a rag. Then take your brush over to the sink and wash the bristles under running hot water, using soap to thoroughly clean the bristles. Feel free to use the wire brush again to get the soap through all the bristles. Rinse the soap from the brush and dry the bristles with a rag. Allow the brush to dry with the bristles down.

Chalk paint brush care and cleaning guide.

Investing in and caring for your chalk painting brushes will give them a long life. Immediately cleaning your brushes after use is the best way to maintain them. Take care of them properly, and you can enjoy them for years to come! 

Want More Chalk Painting Tips?

  • How to Chalk Paint Furniture For Beginners
  • Tips for Finding Furniture to Chalk Paint
  • How to Use Antiquing Wax

PIN THIS FOR LATER
How to clean and care for chalk paint brushes pinnable image with text overlay.

Related posts:

How to Chalk Paint Furniture - Chalk Painting for Beginners
The Benefits of Gardening With Children
How to Pick Out Furniture to Chalk Paint for Beginners

Filed Under: Chalk Paint, DIY Tagged With: chalk painting tips, paint brushes, wood stain brushes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Annette Lamb says

    October 25, 2019 at 8:09 pm

    I HAVE A VERY OLD OAK ROUND KITCHEN TABLE, I WANT TO CHALK PAINT IT, DO I JUST PROCEED AS YOU DECRIBED IN THE ABOVE PROCESS. I,M THINKING OF DOING IT IN A COUNTRY BLUE.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      October 26, 2019 at 7:16 pm

      Hi Annette, please check out my “Chalk Painting for Beginners” post and it’ll give you an idea of how to get started! The most important part is to prep the piece. Make sure it’s clean and clear of dirt and debris. I always lightly hand sand the piece because it offers better adhesion for the paint!

      Reply

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