How can I reuse or recycle water from washing out paintbrushes?

paintbrush-waterWe had a water week – a week of water themed posts – in honour of World Water Day back in March but I’ve had a run of water-related questions recently so I thought we’d have another wet week. “Water Week 2: This time it’s personal damp.”

A couple of weeks ago, Tyler asked a question on a random old post:

What should I do with the water I use to wash of my paint brushes?

It’s a good question because it uses a surprisingly large amount of water to get paintbrushes clean – and even more if you’ve been using a roller for large scale decorating.

Can anything be done with the very, very watered down paint – particularly the first rinse which is really quite paint-y?

Do you have any tips for reducing the amount of water used to clean them? I try to squeeze out as much paint as possible before washing – old newspaper works well as a wrapping material but quickly gets soaked, plastic bags is less absorbent but you’ll be able to squeeze it for longer.

(Picture by basheertome)

Related Categories

household, items, water

Search for other related items



3 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle water from washing out paintbrushes?”


  1. Bobbie says:

    I’m a little bit off the subject, but you can reduce the amount of water you use in between painting sessions by placing your unwashed paintbrush in a plastic bag and sealing tightly. The next day you can continue as usual.

  2. Lizzy says:

    If you had a bucket or so of pale paint water it may be good to chuck over a slightly discoloured patio? Just make sure it doesn’t run off into any beds or plants etc.

  3. If you use a milk paint with a natural pigment, I think the water is okay to throw in the compost.

    ~Tara



Leave a Reply

Your name
Your email (it will not be published. If you want people to contact you, leave your email address in the message too.)
Your website (if you've got one)