Mop Brushes are wonderful for softening your painting design, but here are a few more tips for these great brushes!!

Removing Loose Hairs

Mops by nature shed hairs. This can be very frustrating when you are working with them. Before using a new mop, wrap your hand with tape [scotch, masking, or blue painter's tape will all work] sticky side out. Lightly wipe your mop brush on the tape and the loose hairs and dust will be removed from the brush. Don't rub the mop...just a gentle tapping will do!

Cleaning the Mop Brush

When you are working with a mop and are going to be mopping a variety of colors, here's a quick cleaning tip! From your local drug or large food store, purchase a box of alcohol wipes. They are generally used to clean an area prior to a shot...but now they have a new use! They will come individually wrapped which makes them super to add to your painting bag. Lay the opened wipe on your palette, and clean your mop by rubbing it over the damp wipe. It will remove the paint from the tips of the brush bristles. Since it is alcohol, it quickly dries and you are ready to continue painting and mopping.

I've also used Purell hand sanitizer in a small squeeze bottle, although the students tell me that any brand of liquid sanitizer will work. Squeeze a little into the palm of your hand...work the bristles of the mop brush through the sanitizer and then dry the brush on clean paper toweling. Again, the alcohol in the sanitizer makes the brush dry really fast and you can continue to use the dry brush to soften your painting techniques.

The Best Varnish Brush

This suggestion and tip comes from Judy's husband Dave! He loves to varnish...what a gem!! Dave varnishes with a large mop brush...1" to 1 1/2" mop brush. Besides holding a lot of varnish, it does not leaves ridges on the sides of the brush that can happen with flat or foam brushes. Slowly and smoothly apply the varnish as fast strokes may make the varnish bubble.