Cleaning Up Glass Paint
Cleaning Up Glass Paint
Cleaning up glass paint from your sprayer, brushes and rollers
As a general rule, paint is easier to clean up when it’s wet, so the more quickly you clean your painting tools after use, the easier the job will be. Solvents also make the job of cleaning up glass paint easier, so you should have protective gear to cover your hands, eyes and clothes, and you should work in a well-ventilated area and away from open flames or other ignition sources.
If you use a high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) paint sprayer, you’ll want to make sure that all of the sprayer parts have been cleaned thoroughly after you’ve finished using it. Cleaning up glass paint from a sprayer is best done immediately after you’ve finished your painting project. Glassprimer™ glass paint dries to the touch in about 2 hours, but in small quantities – like what you’d find left in a paint sprayer – drying can occur much quicker.
Acetone will soften and dissolve drying (and dried) glass paint on your sprayer parts. To clean the canister of your sprayer, use an acetone-soaked cleaning cloth or brush. This will thin and dissolve any glass paint in your sprayer canister. Once the canister is clean, spray a steady stream of acetone through the sprayer nozzle for 30 to 60 seconds. This should clean all of the nozzle parts. You can repeat this process until all parts of the sprayer are clean. You can also disassemble the sprayer and clean the individual parts with acetone as needed.
You can also use acetone to clean paintbrushes, provided that the brushes are high quality and can withstand acetone. Some painters also “prime” the brush with acetone and allow it to drip dry prior to use. When using the brush, don’t dip it farther than about halfway into the paint. This will help prevent paint from accumulating and hardening at the base of the brush – which makes it very difficult to clean! Pay attention to the materials that comprise the body of the brush, as acetone fumes may damage plastic. Once the brush has been cleaned
Acetone can also be used to clean solvent-resistant rollers. Many less expensive paint rollers have a plastic core, which won’t resist a strong solvent like acetone. You can also damage the nap of the roller by using acetone on a roller that isn’t solvent-resistant. Choose your paint rollers carefully and make sure that all parts of the roller can withstand acetone.
If you’d like more information about working with glass paint, please visit us at glasspaint.com.
Photo Credit: Penny Matthews, via FreeImages.com
