If you need to paint, investing in a good paintbrush is a wise decision. Make the most of your investment by properly cleaning the paintbrush after each use.

If you need to paint, investing in a good paintbrush is a wise decision. Make the most of your investment by properly cleaning the paintbrush after each use.

Step 1: Choose the right cleaning agent for the job. Use warm, soapy water to clean synthetic-fiber brushes used for water-based products. To clean natural-bristle brushes and brushes used for oil-based finishes, use product-specific solvents: mineral spirits for paints and varnishes, denatured alcohol for shellac and lacquer thinner for lacquers.

Step 2: For latex paints and water-based finishes, start with a bucket of warm, soapy water. Hand or dish soap works best. Dip the brush into the bucket and work the soap into the bristles. Rinse with clean water and repeat.

For oil-based finishes, start with a bucket full of the appropriate solvent. Dip the brush up and down in the solvent to work the solvent into the bristles. Remove the brush from the solvent and use a quick wrist snap to shake the solvent from the brush in a waste receptacle or other appropriate space. Repeat the process, using clean solvent each time, until the brush is clean.

Step 3: Remove the residual paint deep inside the center of the brush and the paint accumulated around the base of the ferrule (the part of the brush that holds the bristles and the handle together) by raking the bristles with a brush comb during the cleaning process.

Step 4: Use a cloth or scrubbing pad to remove paint residue from the ferrule and the brush handle. Avoid soaking the ferrule or handle in the cleaning solution.

Step 5: Once the brush is clean, knock away the excess moisture from the bristles and use a brush comb to reshape the brush.

Step 6: Hang the brush to dry and then store it away in a protective cover.

Leaving a brush standing in solvent or soapy water will deform the bristles and ruin the brush. When attempting to remove stubborn, dried-on residue, suspend the bush in solvent for no more than 20 minutes at a time.

Storing wet brushes in the refrigerator in an attempt to forego a proper cleaning is a bad idea. The cool temperatures will actually make the paint at the center of the brush dry faster. Instead, purchase an airtight brush cover to keep the brush fresh between coats. Then give the brush a proper cleaning once the project is complete.

— Have a home improvement question for the Fix-It Chick? Email it to Linda Cottin at features@ljworld.com.