Pro Tips for BRUSH Cleaning Water Mixable Oils 🎨😯

What brushes to use with water mixable oils and HOW to CLEAN them? I had to learn a new method of cleaning and caring for my brushes. I love water mixable oils, but they create unique problems for your brushes. These few Pro Tips will make life easier for you and your brushes.

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[MalcolmDewey]

A good point is that baby oil is not a medium for painting. It does not dry like regular mediums. Use water or proprietary mediums if you need to. Baby oil will clean the brush at the end of the session, then wipe the brush carefully with tissue. Of course gentle artist soaps can be used for the final clean too. This is simply an alternative when you do not have the special soaps.

[tatyanaptashkina]

Thank you Malcom! You just solved my problem! Going to get Baby oil!

[LynnePriceStudio]

I use food grade walnut oil in a "silicoil" (trade name brush cleaning jar) jar and rake my brushes over the coils. One can also use an empty tuna can with holes punched in it from a screwdriver and place it inside a larger jar or coffee can. For final cleaning, I have used Fels Naptha (found on the laundry aisle), Ivory soap, and Master's Brush Cleaner. I'd say Master's Brush Cleaner works best and it conditions the brushes. If someone can't find Master's, cheap hair conditioner is a nice leave-in; just rinse it out before painting.

Thanks, Malcolm, for a great video.

[seahorse]

This was a super helpful tip. Have just switched to watersoluble oils from acrylics and found that soap and water was not very helpful for cleaning my brushes. Will break out the baby oil right now. Thank you! :)

[librasun]

Thank you for this great advice Malcolm! I've been using water mixable oils for about 4 years and I clean up with olive soap and water, this is a great tip when it maybe difficult to have access to soap and water. For instance I would use this at the end of a plein air session and then use soap and water later.

[rosegardenia]

How timely! Following your demo of Georgian oils, I got some and really like them, except for the residue in my brushes. I'll try the baby oil today. Thank you.

[louisemarks]

Thank you for this tip. I I have always used water soluble oils and never oils. I will try this immediately. So happy you are addressing the use of water soluble oils.

[boomerartist]

Thank you so much for the tip! Really appreciate your expertise. 💕

[frances]

Thank you...I just tried it and it works AND gives a lovely fragrance to my painting area!

[koolkutz]

Great tip with the bay oil Malcolm, it seems to work a treat!

[sallymac]

I have one question, where do you dispose of the water in the jar afterwards? Can you dump it down the drain, or is that not safe?

Thanks for this tutorial, by the way! It really helped a lot!! :)

[leesaunders]

I use the W&N Artisan water based oils and clean the brushes with an artist soap which works very well and re cleaning The baby oil is a good idea for keeping the brushes in good condition

[TheDPStL]

After developing an allergy to turpentine I switched to water mixable oils but found washing the brushes a nightmare. Looking forward to trying baby oil.

[Eva-iyvy]

Very good information for cleaning the brushes. But in the meanwhile I do not know if the method I am using for cleaning my brushes for oils is good and safe for them.I use plane green soap.

[MakiGirl]

Just use warm/hot soapy water and that's it!! Simple as that!! They clean in no time!!
...I use my hand wash: brushes stay nice and conditioned too! ;)
...some use dishwashing liquid/washing-up liquid...

[lisafred]

I am so excited to be following along with your discovery of water soluble oils. Especially interested in how they are different. This was great that you found a cleaning solution.. I
would not have noticed these paints had oil in them. I am especially interested in water soluble oils because the Senior Centers in NY do not allow oil painting. When (and if ) they ever open might invest in them if they are allowed. Now, what can I use the bristle brush you recommended for oils for?
Any ideas?
What synthetic brushes do you like for these paints? I am sure you will try a lot of things in the next few months but right now, what brushes are you using? Keep us posted if you change your preferences in brushes. I have a lot of time before I will buy brushes and paint (broke my foot and in cast) so I will be paying attention if you revert back to regular oils. Do you find the texture of the paint different? A friend of mine tried water soluble oils in an art supply demo booth and she said they seemed “sticky”... not smooth application like oils. But her style of painting is more blended than yours. Any comments?

[DA-wysh]

Thanks for your video. I use water mixable oil, and clean my brushes with water. Is there anyway I can separate the oil paint from the dirty water ?, If I leave the mix even for days the paint does not sink to the bottom. I can't throw away the dirty water to the environment also since it contains the oil paint.

[LydiaRinkArt]

Hi Malcom,
what do you do with the water you used for cleaning your brushes? When I use acrylic paint I clean the brush water with a filter system (like the one from Golden paint) to remove all particle to avoid pollution. So how to do that when using water mixable oils?

[Eva-iyvy]

Very good information but in the meanwhile I dont know if the method I am usingg to clean my brushes for oils is good enough and safe. I use plane green soap.

[Quindr]

Thank you, excellent for beginners. I have white spirit but I don't have any oil... How should I do, cleaning with white spirit first and then with oil? Or just white spirit is enough?
It's my first time using oil.
Thank you in advance