How to Properly Clean a Paint Roller

If you’re looking to paint any room in your home, making sure that your materials are in the best possible condition will be key. This is especially true when it comes to your paint rollers. Dirty paint rollers can result in terrible paint application, and really leaving paint on any part of the roller will essentially ruin the device for future use. Unfortunately, many DIY painters find themselves struggling to properly clean their rollers after they finish a project, which ultimately results in them having to repurchase these devices over and over again. However, there is a simple and proper cleaning method that you can use to ensure you have clean rollers ready for you each and every time. Here is the best way to get your paint rollers clean starting today. 

Get Rid of All the Paint 

Once you’ve finished your project, you’ll almost certainly still have paint left on the roller that you’ll need to remove to really clean the device deep down. Take a few pieces of paper or a part of your wall that wasn’t completely finished and make sure you remove as much of this excess paint as you can. The dryer and more paint-free your roller is, the easier it will be to remove all the paint from the roller in the long run. 

Another option you could use would be to scrape off the paint using an old knife or even a plastering tool. Really anything you have with a long, sharp edge will work. Use this to slide down the roller and scrape away any of the excess paint left on the roller back into your paint bucket. Not only will this get rid of that paint, but it will also ensure you have more than enough of the color the next time you go to use it. 

Prepare the Right Solution

Once you’ve removed all the paint from your brush, it’s going to be time to prepare the cleaning solution, which will depend highly on the type of paint you ended up using. If you used latex paint, for example, you’ll want to make sure you clean your roller in a solution of warm water mixed with dishwashing detergent. However, if you used oil-based paint, you’ll need to purchase a specific paint remover, such as acetone, that you will then mix with the warm water to create a nice warm bath for your rollers to soak in. 

The Actual Cleaning 

Once your solution is prepared you’ll want to lower your rollers down into the water and slowly squeeze out and rub the roller down to remove the paint. Once the water starts to look dirty you’ll need to replace the solution with new and continue the process until the rollers are completely clean. Once you’ve removed all the paint, run your rollers under some tap water to remove the solution and then set your rollers out to dry. This will guarantee that the next time you decide to take on a painting project you’ll have all the rollers you could ever need.