Fig. 239.
Varnish and paint brushes should be cleaned in turpentine. If they are to be laid away for some time, a strong soap suds, or lather made from some of the soap powders, should be well worked into the brush, after the preliminary cleansing. It should then be carefully pressed into proper shape and laid away flat on a shelf. When the brush is to be used again, it should first be washed out, to get rid of all the soap.
Brushes that are used from day to day should be kept suspended, when not in use, as in [Fig. 240], so that their bristles shall be kept moist, without their touching the bottom of the bucket or can.
Fig. 240.
Fig. 241.
Since alcohol evaporates rapidly, shellac cans with cone tops should be used or, better, a can in which the brush handle may extend through the top.
[Fig. 241] shows a can which is made double. Varnish is kept in the inner portion and water in the outer ring. The cover fits over the inner can and into the water space, thus sealing the varnish air-tight but removing all danger of the cover’s sticking to the sides of the can. The brush is suspended from the “cleaning wire” so that its bristles rest in the liquid.