Figure A

Want to make sure you're doing all you can to keep your paintbrushes in tip-top shape? Then check out these simple yet valuable tips from our home-repair expert (and licensed contractor), Brad Staggs.

When working with oil-based (also known as alkyd-based) paint, you'll need to use mineral spirits -- preferably the odorless kind -- to clean your brush. Make sure you do your cleanup immediately after you've finished painting to prevent the paint from hardening and permanently adhering to the bristles.

Simply pour a little of the mineral spirits into a plastic container and immerse the bristles in the solution (figure A). Next, pour a little more of the liquid into a second container and immerse the brush in the clean mineral spirits for a final rinse.

If you're using latex paint, all you'll need is soap (liquid dishwashing detergent works especially well) and lots of warm water. Just wet the bristles thoroughly, apply some soap and work into a lather. Then rinse the brush thoroughly under warm water until all traces of detergent and paint are gone.

If you later find that traces of paint have dried in the bristles due to a less-than-thorough washing, try combing through the bristles with a wire brush comb to remove the old paint. (Brush combs are sold in paint stores and in the paint departments of home-improvement centers and hardware stores.)

One final tip: To protect brush bristles between jobs, save the plastic or paperboard packaging that's sold with the brush. Once your brush has been washed and had time to dry, replace the protective cover.