Paintbrushes are your main tool... they can be expensive and you will soon have a few favourites ones so it pays off to clean them properly and as soon as you have finished painting.

• Remove as much paint as you can by wiping the brush on a cloth or some kitchen paper.
• Using hot water can damage your brush so just rinse it under warm water.
• Put a bit of soap in the palm of your hand then make circular motions with your brush in the soap until you get a bit of foam.
• Rinse and repeat until all the paint goes and the water is clear.
• Gently reshape the bristles on the brush and leave to dry in a glass so the hairs are not resting against anything.
• If you are not going to use it for a long time, you might want to wrap the brush in brown paper to help it to keep its shape and stay free from dust.

Notes

• It is advisable to have separate brushes for painting, applying gesso and varnishing.
• It is almost impossible to remove acrylic paint once dried off so make sure you clean your brushes as soon as you are done. Do not leave them standing in water as they will  start rusting and losing their shape.
• If the bristles are a bit stiff, soak them thin in warm water, it should help softening them. If your brush is made from natural bristle, you can soften it by rinsing it with hair conditioner.