I use odorless paint thinner to clean brushes, etc. I keep two jars going near my palette: one to dilute the brush when it is most loaded with oil paint (after wiping on a piece of paper towel or cloth); and another to give the brush a thorough cleaning.
Frugal as I am, I recycle the paint thinner. After sitting between painting sessions, mostly overnight, the paint residue will settle to the bottom of the jar, leaving clear thinner above it. I carefully pour off the thinner, into a clean third jar, until I see the paint residue; I then pour off the residue into a fourth 'catch' jar.
I do this for each of my cleaning jars separately, making sure to pour back each particular thinner into its jar. When the thinner in the jar used for the primary, first wiping, becomes too murky, I'll simple pour off the thinner from the other jar and use it. Then I'll just refill the jar I use for the secondary wipe.
Tip from: Rghirardi
I recycle the paint thinner I use for oil paints. Before beginning each new painting, I will strain my used paint thinner by placing a paper coffee filter into a strainer, and then setting the strainer on top of an empty coffee can, pour the dirty paint thinner into the filter which catches the residue and provides you with clean paint thinner once again. This way you can use your paint thinner many times over.
Tip from: Peggy Gould
Use kitchen towel too if you haven't got coffee filter paper. Make a cone shape filter from cutting a circle of paper and cutting a segment out of the circle and then forming the cone.
Tip from: Steve
To recycle the paint thinner I have used for a painting, I let the residue settle out to the bottom of the bottle I used during the painting. It generally settles out in a day or two, leaving relatively clear paint thinner on top of the residue. Then I carefully decant the clear paint thinner into a different clean bottle, and dispose of the old bottle and sediment in it. Then I use the recycled paint thinner for my next painting.
Tip from: Kevin Cross.
Keeping brush cleaner clean was a chore for me until I began using a gallon zip-lock freezer bag in a coffee can. (I use the freezer bag because it is made of thicker plastic.) I place the bag inside the coffee can and then place my wire mesh thing in and I pour in the brush cleaner.
The day before I salvage the cleaner I take out the wire mesh thing. The next day I zip the bag about an inch from one side, carefully remove it from the coffee can, and pour it slowly into another coffee can with new freezer bag in. The inch zipped part of the bag serves as a little dam that holds back the sludge.
After pouring the clean brush cleaner into the new container I just zip the old bag closed and toss it in the trash. Works for me.
Tip from: Mack Anderson
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