How to Clean Your Face Paint Brushes
Face paint is a fun way to paint that's enjoyable for the whole family. But, whether you're a hobbyist or professional, face painters everywhere can agree that there is more to face painting than colorful creations. Building your face paint kit and clientele, as well as maintaining your products, is hard work. At Silly Farm, we’re here to help keep face paint as fun and effortless as possible, and that includes maintaining clean brushes.
Are you the kind of face painter that dreads bathing their brushes after applying face paint? Maintaining the quality of your face paints and brushes all starts with clean brushes. If you’re looking for ways to elevate your face paint brush cleaning regimen to be faster and more effective, follow our guide to cleaning your face paint brushes.
Sanitizing Face Paint Brushes
When you're working with face paints on various clients, cleanliness should be of the utmost importance. Sanitizing your face brushes after every job is not just a recommendation but a necessity. Face paint brushes can carry bacteria, oil, and other debris after use on the face. This is why it’s so important to clean your brushes.
To prevent an overgrowth of bacteria, painters should practice proper sanitization and cleaning. To make sure that you're always on top of your brush cleaning game, we recommend setting up a brush bathing routine. Thoroughly cleaning, sanitizing, and drying your tools will make sure that you're ready to go for your next gig.
Maintaining clean brushes will also help to keep your tools in excellent condition and help to extend the life of your face paint brushes. Keep reading to learn about which face paint brush cleaning supplies will help make sanitation much easier.
Must-Have Supplies for Bathing Brushes
When it’s time to clean brushes after face painting, you only need a few simple supplies - a gentle soap and clean water. When it comes to soap, you have many different options. Here are a few types of soaps that face painters prefer for bathing brushes:
For easy scrubbing, you can use a Brush Tub. The textured surface helps to scrub the face paint brush hairs quickly and effectively. A brush tub is easy to travel with too, so you can clean on the job as you go. There are also holes to keep your wet brushes upright when you are not using them.
To keep your sponges clean we recommend using a Paint Pal Mesh Sponge Bag to store and rinse your sponges. You can throw this bag directly in your washing machine for an easy and effective way to sanitize your sponges and have them looking brand new!
How To Clean Face Paint Brushes Step by Step
The first step to cleaning your face paint brushes is setting up a clean, clear area for sanitation. Gather your face paint brushes and soap of choice near a sink and follow this step-by-step guide to achieve clean brushes:
Step 1: Swirl brushes in a small amount of soap
Step 2: Using your hand or a brush mat, work the soap and water into your brush
Step 3: Rinse the brush under clean lukewarm water.
A lather, rinse, and repeat process is optimal for cleaning brushes, making sure to continue cleaning until brush water runs clear. When your brushes have had their final rinse, pat dry any excess water and lay them flat to dry completely, ideally overnight.
Bathing Brushes: How Often Do They Need to be Washed?
The process of cleaning face paint brushes isn’t always convenient when you’re on-site performing face painting or need to jump from gig to gig. So you may be asking yourself, just how often do I need to clean the brushes then? The answer is simple: after every use.
Brush Bath is the perfect way to keep your brushes sanitized between uses. Put a few drops in your water and your brushes are cleaned and sanitized with a few swirls. Brush Bath is organic, safe to use on the skin, and works as a wonderful makeup remover as well.
Another way to ensure you're only using clean brushes is to have multiple sets in your face paint kit. Then, whenever it's time to reach for a new brush or sponge, you have more clean tools available. Check out our collection of face paint brushes and sponges and stock your face paint supplies with all of the extras you may need.
Tips to Maintain Cleanliness
At Silly Farm, we are avid face painters who understand how messy the job can be. When you're working with multiple paint colors and so many different tools, things can quickly get out of hand. However, with our hygiene tips for face and body painting, you can maintain clean brushes and a sanitary environment throughout the face painting process.
Check out some of our favorite tips to stay clean and sanitary while face painting:
- Carry hand sanitizer with you to ensure you are always starting every face painting with clean hands.
- Keep the work area clean and free of clutter.
- Designate one sponge applicator per person and avoid double-dipping into paints
- Keep paper towels, cotton swabs, and wet wipes at your station to clean up any misplaced paint.
Whether you're applying face paint to playful children or festival-goers, these clean habits are sure to go a long way with all of your clients.
The Right Time to Replace Face Paint Brushes
Bathing brushes to maintain sanitary, clean brushes with no face paint residue is a surefire way to make these paint tools last longer. Unfortunately, sometimes even the cleanest brushes and the best care can’t help some brushes from starting to fray, split, and shed. When this happens, you’ll know it’s time to replace your face paint brushes.
At Silly Farm, we have you covered with a large selection of face paint products and tools so you can quickly replace any lost brushes without missing a beat. When it comes time to replace your brushes, we can help you pick a brush set for every face painting need.
Airbrush Face Paint
Airbrush face paint is an excellent alternative for face painting with brushes and sponges, especially when you're looking to minimize direct contact with another person. Of course, airbrush machines are an investment, but if you're a painter with multiple gigs, you likely spend a lot of time cleaning brushes, sponges, and other face paint tools.
Airbrush paint is easy to apply and long-lasting. One of the best parts about airbrush painting is that you don't have to worry about bathing your brushes after a long day of face paint application using this method. Learn more about why you should try airbrush paint for yourself!
Stay Cool and Clean
Our Silly HandySani Kit is the perfect way to keep yourself clean on the job. It comes with one all-purpose spray, one gel hand sanitizer, and one spray hand sanitizer, so you have everything you need in a neat bundle together. The hand sanitizers also come with a silicone keychain to easily attach them to your paint supply bag!
Our sanitizing kit is just one of the great face painting products we carry. So whether you're looking for great products to bathe your brushes or for new stencils and glitters, we've got you covered. For a wide variety and even more significant savings, come check out our blowout sale.
