Quick answer: To clean paint brushes with white spirit, wipe off as much paint as you can on a rag, then swirl the brush in a small jar of white spirit (sold as mineral spirits in the US), pressing the bristles against the side to work the solvent into the base. Wipe, then repeat in a second jar of cleaner spirit until almost no color comes out. Finish by washing the brush with warm water and dish soap or brush soap until the lather is white, rinse, reshape and dry flat. White spirit is for oil-based paint, enamel, varnish and alkyd primer; it does nothing for dried acrylic or latex, and it should be used with ventilation and kept away from flames.
Oil-based paint does not rinse out under the tap. Once a brush has been through gloss enamel, oil paint, alkyd primer or an oil-based varnish, water simply beads off it, and the only way to get the binder out of the bristles is a solvent that dissolves it. White spirit, the petroleum distillate called mineral spirits or paint thinner in the United States, is the standard choice: effective, inexpensive, and milder than lacquer thinner or acetone.
This guide covers how to clean paint brushes with white spirit in a way that uses very little solvent, protects the bristles and leaves the brush genuinely clean rather than merely rinsed. It also addresses the two questions that come up alongside it: how to clean paint brushes with enamel paint, which is where most people first need white spirit, and whether WD-40 is a reasonable substitute. Good brushes justify the few minutes this takes, and if you are building a set worth maintaining, our guide to the best paintbrushes for painters explains which bristle types suit oil-based work.
What White Spirit Is and What It Cleans
White spirit is a clear, petroleum-derived solvent with a moderate evaporation rate and a characteristic smell. Low-odor and odorless versions have had the more aromatic compounds removed, which makes them more pleasant indoors and slightly gentler, though a little slower acting. In US stores the same product is labeled mineral spirits or, less precisely, paint thinner.
| Paint or coating | Does white spirit clean it? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artist oil paint | Yes | Odorless mineral spirits is the usual studio choice |
| Oil-based enamel and gloss | Yes | The classic use; clean promptly before it sets |
| Alkyd primer and undercoat | Yes | Thick primers need an extra wipe-and-swirl cycle |
| Oil-based varnish and polyurethane | Yes | Dried varnish is much harder; clean the same day |
| Oil-based wood stain | Yes | Pigment lingers; expect several rinses |
| Acrylic and latex (wet) | No | Use water and soap |
| Acrylic and latex (dried) | No | Use hot water, alcohol or a dedicated restorer |
| Shellac | No | Denatured alcohol dissolves shellac |
| Lacquer | Poorly | Lacquer thinner is required |
| Two-part epoxy (wet) | Partially | Acetone or the manufacturer’s cleaner works better |
Safety Before You Start
White spirit is flammable and its vapor is harmful to breathe in quantity. A few precautions make it safe to use at home.
- Work outdoors, in a garage with the door open, or by an open window with a fan moving air away from you.
- Keep it away from pilot lights, space heaters, cigarettes and anything that sparks.
- Wear nitrile gloves. Latex gloves break down in solvent, and repeated skin contact dries and irritates skin.
- Use glass or metal containers with lids. Many plastics soften or cloud in white spirit.
- Spread solvent-soaked rags flat to dry outdoors before throwing them away. Rags soaked in oil paint and solvent can heat up and ignite when piled.
- Keep children and pets out of the area until the containers are sealed and the rags are dry.
What You Need
- White spirit or odorless mineral spirits, about 1 cup
- Two glass jars with lids, or a brush washer with a settling screen
- Lint-free rags or paper towels
- Nitrile gloves
- Brush comb (optional but useful for thick enamel)
- Dish soap or a bar of brush soap
- Warm water
How to Clean Paint Brushes With White Spirit, Step by Step
- Remove the bulk of the paint mechanically. Drag the bristles across the rim of the paint can, then squeeze them firmly between folded rag from the ferrule toward the tip. The more paint you remove here, the less solvent you need and the cleaner your jars stay. With thick enamel or primer, draw a brush comb through the bristles to open them up.
- Set up two jars. Pour white spirit into the first jar to a depth of about 1 inch, just enough to cover the bristles without reaching the ferrule. Pour a slightly smaller amount of clean spirit into the second jar. The first jar does the heavy lifting; the second is the rinse.
- Swirl and press in jar one. Dip the brush and move it in circles for 20 to 30 seconds, pressing the bristles against the side and bottom so the solvent reaches the base where paint collects against the ferrule. Flex the brush; do not jab it straight down, which splays the tips.
- Wipe hard. Lift the brush out, let it drip for a moment, then squeeze it through a clean section of rag. Pigmented solvent will come out. This wipe is doing as much cleaning as the swirl.
- Repeat in jar one until the rag shows only faint color. Two or three cycles are typical for enamel; a lightly used artist brush may need one.
- Rinse in jar two. Swirl in the cleaner spirit for another 20 seconds, then wipe. The rag should come away nearly clean.
- Wash with soap and warm water. White spirit alone leaves a thin oily film that stiffens as it dries and attracts dust. Work dish soap or brush soap into the damp bristles with your fingers, lather, rinse with warm water, and repeat until the lather is white rather than gray or tinted.
- Rinse and squeeze. Press out water with a towel from the ferrule to the tip.
- Reshape and dry. Form the bristles into their original chisel edge or point, then lay the brush flat or hang it with the bristles down. Do not stand it on its bristles, and do not stand it upright while wet, which lets water drain into the ferrule.
- Cap the jars. Both jars of solvent can be reused many times. See below.
How to Clean Paint Brushes With Enamel Paint
Enamel is where most DIY painters meet white spirit, usually after painting a door, trim or a piece of furniture. Oil-based enamel is thick, levels slowly and starts to set on the bristles within an hour or so in warm conditions. The method above works, with a few adjustments.
- Clean sooner. Do not leave an enamel brush for the end of the day. Clean it as soon as the coat is finished.
- Comb before soaking. Enamel packs into the center of the brush. A comb pulls it apart so the solvent can reach it.
- Allow an extra cycle. Expect three or four swirl-and-wipe rounds in the first jar.
- Watch the ferrule edge. Enamel that cures against the metal makes a hard ridge that splays the brush permanently. Use a fingernail or an old toothbrush dipped in spirit along that line.
- Mid-job storage. If you will use the brush again tomorrow, you can skip cleaning: wrap the loaded brush tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store it in a cool place, or suspend it in a jar of white spirit with the bristles just covered and the ferrule dry. Wipe the spirit out before resuming.
Water-based enamel, which is increasingly common for trim, cleans with water and soap. Check the can; if it says to clean tools with water, skip the solvent entirely.
Reusing and Disposing of White Spirit
Dirty white spirit is not waste. Pigment and binder settle out if the jar is left undisturbed.
- Cap the jar and leave it for a day or two. The solids sink and the solvent above clears.
- Carefully pour the clear solvent into a clean, labeled jar for reuse. Leave the sludge behind.
- Let the sludge dry out in the open jar (outdoors) until it is solid, then dispose of it according to local rules. Dried paint sludge is often accepted as household waste; liquid solvent is not.
- Never pour white spirit down a sink, toilet or storm drain.
A brush washer with a built-in screen automates the settling process: pigment drops through the screen and the brush never touches the sludge. It also seals, which stops evaporation and keeps the smell contained between sessions.
How to Clean Paint Brushes With WD-40
WD-40 comes up as a substitute because it is a petroleum-based spray that most households already own, and it does loosen wet oil paint. It is not a good primary cleaner, for three reasons: it is mostly lubricating oil rather than solvent, so it dilutes paint without carrying it away; it leaves a heavy oily residue that must be washed out with soap or the brush will contaminate the next coat; and it costs far more per ounce than white spirit.
If it is genuinely all you have, spray it generously into the bristles, work it through with your fingers, wipe hard on a rag, repeat, and then wash thoroughly with dish soap in warm water, twice. WD-40 is somewhat more useful for softening a brush that has partly stiffened with oil paint, since the oil penetrates the semi-cured film; follow with a proper solvent wash. For dried acrylic it does nothing useful.
Alternatives to White Spirit
- Odorless mineral spirits: Same job, less smell. Standard in art studios.
- Turpentine: Traditional for artist oil paint, stronger smell, more irritating; many painters have moved away from it.
- Citrus-based solvents: Made from orange peel oil; effective on oil paint, slower to evaporate, pleasant smell, but still flammable and still a solvent.
- Plant-based brush cleaners: Non-flammable, low odor, water-rinsable. Slower, but excellent for studio oil painters who want to avoid petroleum solvents.
- Linseed or safflower oil: Oil paint dissolves in more oil. Swirl the brush in a little oil, wipe, then wash with soap. Solvent-free and gentle on natural hair, though it takes longer.
- Brush soap alone: For lightly used artist brushes, a thorough wash with a solvent-free brush soap can be enough if the paint is fresh.
Caring for Natural Bristle After Solvent Cleaning
Hog bristle, the usual choice for oil-based paint, has a natural oil content that white spirit strips over time, leaving the hairs dry and brittle. After the soap wash, work a small amount of conditioning brush soap or a drop of hair conditioner into the bristles, shape the brush and leave it in while it dries; rinse before the next use. Synthetic brushes made for oils do not need conditioning but should still be reshaped while damp. Brushes used for fine work, such as lettering or detail on small panels, deserve the same care; a brush that keeps a sharp edge is worth more than a new one every month, and anyone doing precision work may also want to look at the mixing surfaces covered in our guide to the best palette for calligraphy.
Common Mistakes
- Soaking the brush for hours. White spirit softens ferrule glue and swells wooden handles. Brushes should be in solvent for minutes, or suspended with the ferrule dry.
- Standing the brush on its bristles in the jar. The tips bend and the brush never paints straight again.
- Skipping the soap wash. The solvent film stiffens and the brush feels greasy. Soap finishes the job.
- Using one jar for everything. A second, cleaner jar is what makes the brush actually clean rather than coated in dilute paint.
- Trying white spirit on dried acrylic. It will not work. Use hot water, alcohol or a restorer.
- Piling up wet rags. Dry them flat outdoors before disposal.
FAQs
Is white spirit the same as mineral spirits?
Yes. White spirit is the UK and European name; mineral spirits or paint thinner is the US name for the same petroleum-distillate solvent. Odorless versions have the aromatic compounds removed.
How long should you leave brushes in white spirit?
Only as long as it takes to swirl and wipe, usually a minute or two per cycle. Do not leave a brush soaking for hours unless it is suspended with the ferrule out of the liquid.
How do you clean paint brushes with enamel paint?
Comb out the thick paint, swirl in a jar of white spirit, wipe, repeat until little color comes out, rinse in a second jar of clean spirit, then wash with soap and warm water. Clean enamel brushes as soon as the coat is finished.
Can you clean paint brushes with WD-40 instead of white spirit?
It loosens wet oil paint but leaves a heavy oily residue and costs more. Use it only as a stopgap, and wash the brush thoroughly with soap afterward.
Do you need to wash the brush with soap after white spirit?
Yes. The solvent leaves an oily film that stiffens as it dries. A soap wash removes the film and the last traces of pigment.
Can you reuse white spirit after cleaning brushes?
Yes. Let the jar sit until the pigment settles, pour off the clear solvent into a clean jar and reuse it. Dispose of the dried sludge according to local rules.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning brushes with white spirit comes down to a short routine: wipe hard first, swirl in a small amount of solvent, wipe again, rinse in a cleaner jar, then finish with soap and water. Two jars, a rag and five minutes leave an oil-based brush ready for the next coat, and the solvent itself can be settled and reused for months. Well-made brushes repay that care for years, so if you are choosing bristles for oil paint, enamel or varnish, start with our rundown of paintbrushes that hold a clean edge through every stroke.
