How To Clean Shellac Off A Paintbrush

Time:A few hours

a group of different colored brush: Multi Colored Paintbrushes Against White Background

Complexity:Beginner

Cost:$20-50

A Good Paint Job Starts With a Good Brush

One expensive paint brush is way better than a handful of cheap brushes. Get a good nylon or polyester brush for painting with latex and a good natural (animal hair) bristle brush for oil paints. Don't use a natural-bristle brush for water-based paints like latex. The natural fibers will swell, lose their shape and eventually lose their strength, too. If you can't get the buying information you need from a home center or hardware store, go to a retail paint store for assistance.

How to Clean Paintbrushes

Cleaning Water-based Finishes & Latex Paint From Brushes

Scrape Off Excess Paint

Use the rim of a can and then work some of the paint onto newspaper before cleaning in soapy water.

Wash the Brush In a Pail of Soapy Water

Work the paint free of the bristles with your hands and a brush comb.

Spin the Brush In a Pail

Remove any remaining paint and water.

Spin flammable solvents only in well-ventilated areas away from furnaces, pilot lights and electrical devices of all kinds. Outdoors is best.

Rinse the Bristles In a Pail of Clean Water

Work the bristles with your hand. After a few minutes, spin the brush again and then rinse it in another pail of clean water.

Wrap the Brush With Heavy Paper

Pre-fold the paper as shown, then wrap it around the brush and tie it loosely with string.
- Pro Tip: This step is critical to retain the shape of the brush

Cleaning Oil-based Varnishes & Paint From Brushes

When learning how to clean oil paint brushes always work in a well-ventilated area when cleaning brushes in solvents such as paint thinner, lacquer thinner, alcohol and ammonia. In fact, it's best to work outside. Don't ever clean solvent-laden brushes around water heaters, stoves or any device with an open flame or potential electrical spark. Keep the solvents in proper, well-marked containers out of reach of children and pets.

Rinse the Brush Thoroughly in Paint Thinner

Work the bristles with your hands
- Pro Tip: Wear chemical-resistant gloves, which are available at your hardware store or home center.
If necessary, use a brush comb to get rid of paint clinging to the brush.
- Note: This is less of a problem with oil paint than with latex.

Spin the Brush for 10 Seconds

Use a brush-and-roller spinner after nearly all the paint solids are out of the brush.

Dip Brush Into Clean Paint Thinner

Work any remaining paint out of the bristles.
- Pro Tip: Agitate the bristles for at least two minutes.

Spin Brush a Second Time

Use a brush-and-roller spinner

Dip in Lacquer Thinner

Agitate the brush for about a minute to remove any remaining paint residue;
Shake the brush onto newspaper to remove the lacquer thinner and residue.

Lacquer thinner is extremely flammable—be sure to do this outside.

Clean the Brush in a Bucket of Soapy Water

Use laundry or dish soap. Work the bristles for only one minute.
- Note: Purists may not want to do this, especially with natural-bristle brushes, but a quick cleaning with water won't damage the bristles.

Spin the brush free of water and then shape the brush as shown above.

Pro Tip: Don't dump the paint thinner when you're finished. Let the paint solids settle to the bottom of the jar, then pour off the rest into a clean container. Let the solids dry outdoors and then dump them in the trash for landfill or hazardous waste. Call your local trash service for proper disposal.

Cleaning Shellac-based Paint From Brushes

Cleaning clear shellac varnish or pigmented shellac paints requires a different solvent than does latex and oil. You must use denatured alcohol or an ammonia household cleaner.

When using an ammonia solution:

Mix it with warm water at twice the strength recommended for cleaning floors;
Rinse the brush in lukewarm water, and spin and wrap it (as shown above);
When using denatured alcohol, follow the same steps as for the oil-based paint cleanup, but use alcohol instead.

Reviving Petrified Brushes

If you find your paint brushes have petrified since the last time you used them, don't throw them away. You can buy either of the brush cleaners shown below to dissolve the crusty hard paint. However, choose carefully.

The solvent-based cleaner is great for any brush (natural or synthetic);
The water-based cleaner on the right is only good for synthetic brushes.

Both solvents will remove hardened latex and oil-based paint. The brushes must soak overnight (cover the container on the left with foil in a well-ventilated area). If the paint isn't softened after 24 hours, let the brushes soak another day. You must suspend the brushes as shown or the bristles permanently bend as they soften and settle into the bottom of the jar.

Once the bristles are supple, remove the brush and comb away any solids.

If you're using the solvent-based cleaner, soak the brush again for an hour in a clean solution to remove any more solids, then follow the procedure for cleaning oil-based paint from brushes.
If using the water-based cleaner, wash the brush in soapy water and follow the directions for cleaning latex paint from a brush.

Best Side-By-Side: Kenmore, with Grab-N-Go Door

The benefit of a side-by-side refrigerator is its accessibility. People find the design incredibly functional in comparison to a French door refrigerator because the freezer compartment is more accessible. If accessibility is important to you, you'll love this beauty from Kenmore.

The refrigerator offers a slim design with a 26.1 cu. ft capacity that allows you to store fresh groceries or leftovers while still providing room for party trays. The adjustable glass shelving is particularly helpful, as it lets you customize your organization based on what you're currently trying to accommodate in your fridge. You'll also find a gallon jug door bin and clear crisper drawers. And, bright LED lighting allows you to take stock easily.

Perhaps the coolest feature is the Grab-N-Go door that gives you easy access to your snacks, leftovers, drinks and more at the touch of a button. Along with being functional, the door adds an aesthetic appeal guests will love.

The GeniusCool technology is another benefit to this side-by-side. It moves clean air throughout the fridge, while working in unison with an electronic temperature management system and an air filter to help maintain proper temperatures and food freshness.

Furthermore, the freezer provides ample space thanks to the in-door ice dispenser.

These six maintenance steps will prevent most refrigerator breakdowns.

Best WiFi Enabled: LG French Door Smart Refrigerator

This stainless steel beauty is a smart home lover's dream because it incorporates SmartThinQ technology. Download the app, and then you can take advantage of all of the smart functions. Here are some of them: monitor the contents of your fridge; get notified if you left the door open; voice support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can order food from Peapod or add to a shopping list.

Plus: Learn the best way for how to clean stainless steel refrigerators.

Within the fridge you'll find four split glass shelves, a four-compartment crisper system, nine adjustable door bins and a three-tier organization freezer system to help keep food organized and accessible. There's even a smart-pull freezer handle that makes opening and closing the freezer a breeze.

Other notable features include the door-in-door feature that makes it easier to access snacks and drinks without letting cold air out, and Smart Cooling Plus that's designed to monitor and maintain conditions to help keep food fresh. Check out these 14 cool tech gadgets that turn your home into a smart house.

Best Luxury: Sub-Zero Side-By-Side

If you're building your dream kitchen, then dream appliances are a must. The Sub-Zero 42-inch built-in side-by-side refrigerator features the most advanced food preservation technology on the market, so your greens won't wilt and your fruit won't wrinkle even weeks after you've brought them home, according to the manufacturer. Inspired by NASA, the technology ensures everything from ethylene gas to airborne bacteria, molds and viruses are continuously removed.

Within the refrigerator you'll find four adjustable glass shelves, three adjustable door shelves and an adjustable dairy compartment.

The freezer's design ensures things remain organized and in clear view. There are three adjustable wire shelves, three storage drawers and five adjustable shelves along the door. Get inspired for your kitchen remodel with these incredible ideas.

Best Budget: Insignia Top-Freezer Refrigerator

Maybe you're more interested in something simple for your home. Perhaps you just want a backup refrigerator in your garage or basement. Or, maybe you're looking for an affordable yet reliable fridge to give your adult child who is moving into their first home! Whatever the case, if you want quality on a budget, you'll find it with this Insignia model.

This entry-level refrigerator features shelves that adjust to accommodate tall items and self-leveling legs that make installation easy. You can expect plenty of space for your produce, meats, leftovers and more in this refrigerator and freezer combo, which is 30 inches wide and has a full 18 cubic feet of space. Check out these cool tips for a garage refrigerator or freezer.

Best Bottom Freezer: Samsung 4-DoorFlex

Bottom freezer refrigerators are ideal for those who don't depend on the freezer portion nearly as much as the rest of the refrigerator. They allow the most used items in the fridge to remain easily accessible. The Samsung 4-DoorFlex pulls out all the stops, with its French doors on top and a freezer on the bottom offering two separate compartments.

This model's versatility is incredible, especially for those looking for more fresh food space, but with the option to boost frozen storage when needed. Turn the bottom right freezer compartment into a refrigerated section for when you need more storage for fresh foods. Later, when your frozen food storage needs increase, you can set the compartment back to freezer mode.

Other notable features include the tall external filtered ice and water dispenser, digital touch controls and a triple cooling system.

Straighten a crooked fridge door in less than five minutes. Or, replace a damaged door gasket.

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Best Top Freezer: LG Top Freezer with Ice Maker

Top freezers are great for those who like to use their freezer regularly. LG's 23.8 cu. ft. refrigerator allows you to store plenty of food in the fridge, and provides easy access to frozen items you use regularly.

Notable features include tempered glass shelving and a variety of bins and drawers to help you keep everything organized for easy access. You can also expect LED panels located on the rear of the refrigerator that make for a bright interior.

The freezer is complete with an automatic ice maker so you'll always have ice on hand. Here's why you should put an envelope in the freezer!

Best French Door: GE Refrigerator with Door-in-Door

There's a lot to be excited about with this GE French door refrigerator! As aesthetically pleasing as it is functional, it's packed with features, like an innovative door design that provides quick access to food and drinks, a second ice maker option, advanced water filtration that uses RPWFE replacement filter that reduces trace pharmaceuticals from water and ice, showcase LED lighting and five spill-proof glass shelves.

The evaporators in this refrigerator separate climates in the fresh food and freezer sections, and with the right settings, provide a boost of cold air to restore interior temperature for optimum food freshness. Here's how to reverse a refrigerator door so it opens from the other side.

Best Aesthetic: Frigidaire with French Doors

The best looking refrigerator is definitely in the eye of the beholder, but often the sleeker the better! This Frigidaire four-door refrigerator with adjustable storage options is a sight for sore eyes. The lack of door handles gives it a clean, classy, minimalist look.

The glass shelves can be adjusted to fit your needs, the dual crisper drawers keep fruits and vegetables fresh longer and everything is easy to see thanks to the bright LED lighting. The freezer portions can also be adjusted to fit various frozen items. Replacing a refrigerator? Read this first.

Best Large Capacity: Super Capacity 4-Door with CustomChill Drawer

Big families with big appetites require a large capacity refrigerator to keep things organized, fresh and accessible. This LG fridge is a topnotch option. Featuring a French door design, its unique design is matched by its supreme functionality.

The CustomChill drawer provides extra, adaptable space, serving as an additional refrigerator or soft freezer. It also has adjustable dividers that help keep things organized and accessible.

You'll also love the easy-to-reach compartments that are right in front and ideal for storing small snacks, the two humidity-controlled crisper drawers, a full-width Glide-N-Serve drawer and a bonus drawer for fruits and vegetables. Here's how to install a refrigerator water filter.

Best Overall: Maytag 36-In French Door Refrigerator

For a French door refrigerator that marries style and functionality, Maytag's 36-inch 25 c.u. ft. French door refrigerator tops the list. The fingerprint-resistant stainless steel makes for a beautiful aesthetic that stays clean without effort.

Dual crispers feature a humidity-controlled system that keeps your fruits and vegetables fresher longer. The Power Cold function brings food back to safe temperatures after long grocery trips, while the dedicated deli drawer offers convenient storage for cold cuts and specialty cheeses. It also features a slide-out function that makes it perfect for storing party trays —and it's deceptively large!

You can organize contents with ease thanks to the three adjustable half-width shelves and three adjustable gallon-capacity door bins.

The full-width lower freezer drawer is equally impressive, with its upper and lower wire slide-out freezer basket and LED lighting. The layout feels organized and roomy.

Bottom line: This refrigerator offers you a little bit of everything. It's affordable, aesthetically pleasing and spacious. You should also check out the 10 best reviewed refrigerators on Amazon.

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