Acrylic paint cleaner?

[hellonwheelz3]

What is a good substitution for cleaning acrylic paint off of my brushes? I forgot to get thinner/cleaner at my LHS. I know this may sound stupid but I'm just not sure. This is my first time using acrylic paint

[Gregg]

I have used Windex, I don't know what the others will say.

Lacquer thinner always works on everything, and that is what I use for almost everything.

[Harry P.]

Acrylics are water based, so if you're talking about how to clean wet acrylic paint off your brushes, the simplest way is soap and water. I use dishwashing soap and clean the brushes in the kitchen sink.

[charlie8575]

If your paint dried, Testors offers Model Master Acryl dried acrylic paint remover. It smells a bit like hand-sanitizer gel and has the same consistency, but other stuff besides alcohol in it. It works well on parts, but have never had occasion to use it on brushes.

Word to the wise- follow the directions on the bottle to the letter.

Charlie Larkin

[Mike Kucaba]

Ammonia. Get the lemon scented type.

[my66s55]

I paint mostly acrylic and what I've found to be the best cleaner and stripper whether the paint is wet or dry is 91% isopropyl alcohol. You can buy it at most pharmacies including Walmart.

[Dr. Cranky]

Auto Air Colors has a wonderful cleaner for both brushes and airbrush.

Gregg is right, I also use Windex.

[MikeMc]

Auto Air Colors has a wonderful cleaner for both brushes and airbrush.

Gregg is right, I also use Windex.

Windex has ammonia....I use the Auto Air cleaner....works well and not smelly

[Wayne Buck]

I just keep one of those testors 1.75oz thinner bottles on my bench filled with lacquer thinner. I swish the brush around in there a bit and then do a few "brush strokes" on a clean paper towel and leave it to dry. It's relatively cheap to buy a big container of it, and like Gregg said, it will clean anything. When the bottle starts to get icky looking inside, I dump it out, pour a little bit of lacquer thinner in it and shake it (with the lid on ) to clean it out, and then fill it again with new thinner.

Sometimes, for acrylics, I use good ol' Ajax & water when I'm cleaning a "delicate/expensive" brush or paint off of a part that didn't come out right (definitely don't wanna use lacquer thinner for that... It'll turn your plastic into mush in short order).

[Bruce Poage]

Wow, how timely--I was doing some research on that question myself. I have read of a product for artist acrylic called "pink soap". I was wondering if lacquer thinner is best for use while spending several hours at the workbench. But as you prepare to leave close a work session maybe a good washing with "pink soap" would prolong the life of the red sable brush. Thoughts?

[Bruce Poage]

Oh yes, that 91% is good for stripping lacquer that "purple power" won't touch.

[Dave Ambrose]

I use a 50/50 mix of Windex and denatured alcohol. It will remove both wet and dry acrylic. Works decently well on latex paints too.