There’s nothing like great quality brushes to get the best finishes on your painted furniture pieces. Years ago, I used to buy those cheap chip brushes from the local hardware store. I thought it was worth taking out those loose bristles to save money.  My friend that painted houses for a living actually told me about investing on quality brushes. He could not believe I was using chip brushes on my furniture.  So guess what I was wanting for Valentines day...lol.

I bought a couple of higher quality Purdy brushes and was researching "furniture" paint brushes.  I had heard of Cling On Brushes and read up on the quality and decided I wanted to give them a try.

So my hubby got me a bouquet of brushes for Valentines day. O35, F30 and R12.  This was back in 2008 and I still have these babies today. OMG! What a big difference. I fell instantly in love with Cling On.  I pretty much own every brush they have released.  

Cling On Brushes come in a few different shapes and sizes – Flat, Oval, Round, Bent, Wall and Shorties (My favorites).  When Dixie Belle started carrying their own brushes, I started buying those and feel they are of great quality and worth the investment as well. They have a Flat, Oval and Rounds as well.  My favorite is actually the new Scarlet brush. The short handle is great for those deep corners in some of the pieces I have been working on.

Do you have a favorite brush? 

My Five Tips to help your brushes last longer!

Obviously follow the manufacturers instructions. As with most things you purchase that are great quality, you will get the most of the product if you follow the manufacturer's directions. So for both of these brush makers I mentioned, here are my top tips for caring for and getting the most out of your Cling On and Dixie Belle brushes.

1. YOUR BRUSH’S FIRST USE

Before their first use, dip your brush into water to moisten the bristles and help give them a bit of flex. You only want to dampen them, then either squeeze out out the excess water with a cloth or paper towel or give it a good shake. You may notice on the oval or round brushes (Cling-On), the string binding the bristles near the top of the ferrule – do NOT remove these. They are there to help the brushes keep their shape.

2. APPLICATION

When using your brushes, dip the brush into the paint only to about half way up the bristles at the most – there is no need to fully load up the brush to the metal part (ferrule). Trust me it's bad..  It's not the greatest thing to deal with having paint caked up on your brush and worse, drying up in there.

3. AFTER USE

Keep a cup of water nearby.  Don’t allow your paint to dry out on your brush after use. If I know I will need to brush for a second coat, I put it in a Ziploc bag or wrap it in cling wrap to keep the brush from drying out. If you are not going back for a second coat, clean as soon as possible or put in that handy dandy cup of water.

4. CLEANING YOUR BRUSH

Both of these types or brands of brushes, are what I call “self-cleaning”. By this I mean you won’t have to stand for hours rinsing your brush out. And again, I must remind you that these tips are assuming that you are using water based paints such as Dixie Belle Mineral Paint or Silk.

Rinse your brush under cold water to get the main load of paint out from the bristles – only for about 30 seconds. Then sit your bristles in a jar or container and fill with water to just under the metal ferrule.

You can make a brush holder by using a chip clip and a cup. Or invest in a brush holder like the paint puck.

Let the brushes set in water for an hour or so. Majority of the paint will fall out to the bottom of the jar.

Rinse and repeat. Your brushes should be ready to use again.

5. BRUSH SOAP

There may be times when you’ll forget to rinse your brush immediately, which is what happens to me all the time....  Or maybe the paint begins build up and dry at the base of your bristles. It’s always good to clean your brushes with a quality brush soap like Scrubby.  Not only will it clean your brushes it will also condition the bristles. I love this product. I use it every time I wash my brushes.

"A Scrubby is a bar of all natural soap, with a scrubber inside that fills the entire size of the bar. Our bars are made of all natural biodegradable oils. Rather than using harsh synthetic cleaning agents, we use citrus oil. The combination of citrus oil and the scrubber creates the ultimate soap for removing dirt, grease, oil, and paint. Scrubby is not just for your hands, it is also a superior product for cleaning artist paint brushes."

Happy Painting!  ~ Rose