U.S. Art Supply Brush Cleaner and Restorer, 16 Ounce Bottle - Quickly Cleans Paint Brushes, Airbrushes, Art Tools - Cleaning Solution to Remove Dried On Acrylic, Oil and Water-Based Paint Colors

Why I reached for this cleaner

I’m not gentle on my brushes. Between fast-drying acrylics, long oil sessions, and a neglected airbrush cup, I end up with tools that need more than soap and water. I picked up this 16-ounce U.S. Art Supply brush cleaner as a rescue solution for exactly those “uh-oh” moments—when paint has dried in the heel, bristles have stiffened, or a nozzle is glued shut with pigment. I’ve used it now on a mix of natural and synthetic brushes and on a couple of airbrush parts, and it’s earned a dedicated spot on my cleaning shelf.

What it is

At its core, this is a powerful brush and tool restorer designed to dissolve and loosen dried acrylic, oil, gouache, inks, and other water-based paint residues. It’s a bath-style cleaner: you soak the brush or the affected airbrush parts, let the solution do the heavy lifting, then wipe, comb, and wash with mild soap and water before reshaping. The 16-ounce bottle is enough to set up a small jar for regular use and still have reserve for deep cleanings.

How I tested it

• Acrylic flats and rounds with one week of dried heavy-body acrylic near the ferrule
• A couple of oil brushes with a stubborn ring of dried paint at the heel
• An airbrush needle/nozzle with dried ink and acrylic remnants
• A beat-up 2-inch nylon house brush used with exterior latex (as a worst-case trial)

For each, I followed a consistent workflow: short soak to test the surface softening, mechanical agitation with a rag/toothbrush or a brush comb, another soak if needed, then a warm water wash with a mild soap and a final reshape.

Performance on artist brushes

• Dried acrylic: For brushes that had clearly dried near the ferrule, a 15–30 minute soak noticeably softened the paint. After a wipe on a towel and some light scrubbing with a toothbrush, a second 10-minute dip got the remainder. A final wash with soap and water removed the slick residue and returned the bristles to flexibility. Staining remained (as expected with certain pigments), but functionally the brushes felt revived and responsive.

• Dried oil: Oil-laden brushes needed more time. An overnight soak loosened the compacted ring at the heel; by morning, most of the paint wiped out easily. A follow-up wash with soap left the bristles surprisingly supple. I wouldn’t call it a miracle for a brush that’s been abused for months, but it had no trouble rescuing brushes neglected over a few sessions.

• Natural vs synthetic hair: I didn’t observe swelling, frizzing, or splaying attributable to the cleaner on either natural or synthetic bristles. The key was a thorough soap-and-water rinse and a careful reshape while damp. Leaving brushes to dry horizontally helped them keep a crisp edge.

Airbrush use

For day-to-day maintenance, filling the airbrush cup with a small amount of the cleaner and spraying until it runs clear between color changes worked well, especially with acrylic inks. At the end of a session, a final flush prevented overnight drying. For parts with dried paint, I disassembled the airbrush and soaked the needle and nozzle separately; an overnight soak cleared away stubborn buildup. Do not soak the entire airbrush—treat only the affected metal parts and avoid prolonged exposure to seals or finishes. After soaking, a rinse with water and a light lubrication of moving parts restored smooth action.

Workflow tips that helped

• Decanting: I poured a small working amount into a squat glass jar with a tight lid. This made it easy to dip just the bristles and minimized evaporation and odor.

• Agitation: A toothbrush and a brush comb make a huge difference. Let the cleaner do the bulk of the work, but expect to wipe, comb, and repeat for deep-seated paint.

• Rinse and reshape: After the cleaner, soap-and-water is mandatory. I like a mild brush soap to remove the last traces and condition the hairs before reshaping.

• Reuse: The solution can be reused several times. When it gets cloudy with pigment, I strain it through a coffee filter to extend its life.

• Time management: For slightly dried acrylic, think in minutes. For fully dried oil or acrylic, think hours, up to 24 if needed. Patience pays off.

Smell, safety, and surfaces

The cleaner has a noticeable solvent-like odor. It’s not eye-watering, but I keep a lid on the jar and use it with a window open or under a fan. Gloves are a good idea for longer sessions.

It’s also potent on surfaces—don’t let it sit on finished wood or coated benches. I work over a silicone mat or metal tray and use a glass container. A quick wipe-up of any drips prevents accidental damage. Keep it away from plastics of unknown compatibility and from rubber seals that aren’t meant for solvents.

Where it shines—and where it doesn’t

• Strengths:

  • Reviving artist brushes used with acrylic, gouache, and oils, especially when paint has crept into the heel
  • Clearing dried pigment from airbrush needles and nozzles
  • Serving as a between-color flush for airbrushing with acrylics and inks
  • Restoring softness without leaving an oily film once rinsed

• Limits:

  • Heavily loaded brushes used with exterior latex or house paints are hit-or-miss. I tested a 2-inch nylon brush that sat overnight with exterior latex; despite a long soak and combing, some sticky residue remained deep in the heel. For those, immediate cleanup with the appropriate paint cleaner is still your best bet.
  • It’s not a mid-stroke cleaner during live painting; it works best as a restorative bath, not as a cup of “dip and keep going.”

Longevity and care of brushes

After cleaning, the bristles on my problem brushes stayed soft and responsive across several sessions. Reshaping while damp is crucial, as is avoiding aggressive scissoring motions during combing that can break hairs. For natural hair, I finish with a tiny bit of conditioner or brush soap lather before drying, which pairs well with the cleaner’s deep-clean effect.

Importantly, I didn’t observe ferrule looseness or glue failure from the soak times I used, but I avoid submerging handles to keep water and cleaner out of the ferrule base over long periods. A partial dip that targets the bristles is plenty.

Value and bottle size

A 16-ounce bottle goes further than you might expect. Because you can decant a small working volume and reuse it multiple times, a single bottle comfortably handles routine maintenance plus several deep rescues. Beyond the cleaner itself, the real value is in saved brushes: one or two revived rounds or flats can cover the cost in short order.

Pros and cons

• Pros

  • Very effective at loosening dried acrylic, gouache, inks, and oil residues
  • Useful for both traditional brushes and airbrush parts
  • Restores bristle softness when followed with a proper rinse and reshape
  • Reusable working jar extends the life of the bottle

• Cons

  • Noticeable solvent odor; ventilation recommended
  • Can damage finishes if spilled; requires care with surfaces
  • Limited success with fully cured exterior latex in large house brushes
  • Not intended for soaking an entire assembled airbrush

Final take

The U.S. Art Supply brush cleaner has become my go-to for triaging brushes and airbrush parts that normal soap can’t save. It doesn’t excuse bad habits, but it absolutely softens the consequences: dried acrylic and oil break down reliably with reasonable soak times, and the post-clean feel of the bristles is as close to “new again” as I’ve found from a bottled solution. The odor and surface sensitivity mean you need to treat it like the strong cleaner it is—ventilate, contain, and clean up promptly. And if your world is mostly house paint and big hardware-store brushes, temper expectations.

Recommendation: I recommend this cleaner for artists working in acrylic, gouache, oils, and for airbrush users who want a dependable restorative option. It’s particularly worth it if you occasionally forget to clean a brush or need a deeper clean than soap provides. With sensible safety practices and realistic expectations around latex house paints, it’s a practical, effective addition to a studio toolkit.