Life Hack: Straightening a Bent Brush
Save the bent bristles of your paintbrush with a little water, heat, and elbow grease!
Have you ever put a paintbrush away while it was still wet? Perhaps too many overlapping home improvement projects got the best of your painting supplies? Then, you know that this can ruin the brush. The bristles become bent and frayed, making it difficult to make neat and clean brushstrokes in future use. However, before you throw bent brushes away, try this basic life hack to bring your brushes back to life!
Note: This is for brushes made of nylon or nylon/polyester blend. Not for natural bristle brushes.
Instructions:
1) Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.
2) Wash out and straighten the synthetic filaments. Then, use your fingers to make them as straight as possible.
3) Over the sink, gently squeeze out the excess water by swirling the brush between your hands.
4) Use a paint brush comb to re-straighten the brush fibres as much as possible. In addition to straightening the filaments, the paint brush comb removes residue that otherwise builds on the filaments making them loose their flexibility and recovery.
5) Put the brush in its original keeper, or use a piece of glossy magazine paper in the shape of the brush.
6) Turn off the oven and lay the brush flat on the middle grate of the oven.
7) Leave in the oven for 15 minutes.
8) Remove from the oven and let it cool down to room temperature. Note: This may take a few hours.
9) Remove from the keeper and the brush filaments will be straight.
Taking care of your Purdy handmade brushes will ensure that they can be used for many projects around the house for years to come. For more information about professional painting tools, visit Purdy.com »
Article Sponsored By: Purdy
