Painting tips
Use new brushes first with primer or undercoat so that loose bristles are worked out on coats that can be lightly rubbed down. Then, when a brush has matured, use it for fine finishing coats. This does not apply to artificial filament brushes made for use with water-based paints. Their bristles are permanently locked into the ferrule so do not work loose during use.

If you take a short break while painting, or want to store the brushes or rollers overnight for use the next day, there's no need to clean them. Just load with paint and wrap the wet bristles or roller in plastic food wrap or kitchen foil.

Soak a paintbrush that's stiff with dried emulsion in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for 10 minutes.

To protect cleaned brushes for long-term storage, wrap the bristles in brown paper and secure with a rubber band or tape. Store brushes flat or hang them by their handles.

After cleaning a brush, slip a small elastic band over the bristle tips to keep them in shape as the brush dries.

To paint awkward objects, such as wrought-iron fences and narrow pipes, make a painting glove. Put a plastic bag over your hand and cover it with an old towel. Secure with a rubber band around your wrist, but don't make the band too tight. To discard the plastic bag cleanly, simply turn it inside-out and throw it away.

Don't throw away an old paintbrush with ruined bristles. Snip about 1in/ 25 mm off the tip and use the brush for dusting. Or cut the bristles to stubble -about ¾in/19mm long-for a handy scrubbing brush.

Brushes which have been left with paint in the bristles and have become hard can be softened with a brush-restoring fluid and then cleaned in the normal way. But such brushes are best kept for rougher jobs, such as applying primers.