Falling in Art Paintbrush Cleaner, Effective Airbrush Cleaner and Restoration Solution, Professional Oil and Acrylic Paint Remover for Artists, 16.9 Oz Bottle

I judge brush cleaners by three things: speed, gentleness, and predictability. After several weeks with the Falling in Art cleaner, I’ve got a good read on where it excels and where it struggles. It’s a low-odor, large-format solution that’s easy to live with, especially if you paint frequently in acrylics or oils and need something you can reach for without clearing the room.

What it is and how I used it

This is a clear, nearly odorless liquid sold in a generous 16.9 fl oz bottle. The brand positions it as suitable for both acrylic and oil paint, with instructions to soak, wipe away softened residue, then finish with a wash in mild soap and water and reshape the bristles. That workflow aligns with how I maintain brushes anyway, so integrating it into my routine was straightforward.

I tested it across:
- Fresh acrylic in synthetic rounds and flats
- Semi-dried acrylic at the heel of the bristles and creeping into the ferrule
- Oil paint (a week old) in hog bristle brights and a natural-hair filbert
- A few truly abused “sacrifice” brushes with fully cured acrylic
- Airbrush cup and nozzle cleaning (by soaking/removal, not spraying)

I decanted a small amount into a glass jar and used a brush holder to keep bristles suspended rather than resting on the tips. After softening, I wiped the bristles on a lint-free cloth, then washed with a mild brush soap and reshaped before drying flat.

Performance with acrylics

If you’re coming off a painting session and the paint hasn’t fully set, the cleaner acts quickly. A 3–5 minute swish softened fresh acrylic reliably, and a quick wipe pulled out most of the pigment. For acrylic that had started to bind at the heel (that frustrating band where paint meets ferrule), I saw good results with a 10–20 minute soak. A brush comb or the back of a palette knife helped lift out the softened residue without roughing up the bristles.

On fully cured acrylic—the type that turns a brush into a tiny chisel—the cleaner had limited impact, even with a long soak. It loosened some surface material and improved flexibility a notch, but it wasn’t a miracle restorer. In my experience, that’s fairly typical for “gentle” cleaners; if the goal is resurrecting petrified acrylic brushes, a harsher solvent or a dedicated restorer may be more appropriate, with the usual caveats about fumes and bristle damage.

Bottom line for acrylics: fast on fresh, credible on semi-dry, modest on rock-hard.

Performance with oils

Oil paint came out cleanly but required a touch more patience. I wiped excess paint with a rag, then gave bristle brushes a 10–15 minute soak and a gentle splay-and-swish to help the cleaner work into the bundle. Most of the load released with a couple of wipe cycles, and after a soap-and-water finish, the bristles felt supple rather than dry or stripped.

For older oil residues (several days on a brush that wasn’t fully wiped), I needed 30–60 minutes with a couple of fresh pours of cleaner. It’s slower than a strong petroleum solvent, but notably easier on both bristles and nose, and I didn’t see dye leaching from the filament on synthetics—a small but appreciated detail.

Airbrush considerations

I tried the cleaner with airbrush maintenance in two ways:
- Soaking the nozzle, needle, and cup parts
- Using a pipette to flush the cup and wipe it out

Both methods worked reasonably well, especially for acrylic residues that hadn’t had time to cure. However, atomizing this cleaner through the brush is not something I’d recommend. Although it’s low odor at room temperature, pushing any cleaner through an airbrush creates fine mist and vapor. Even when spraying into a cleaning pot, I noticed visible vapor rising, and while that didn’t have a strong smell, it’s unnecessary exposure. As a part soak/flush agent, it’s fine; as a spray-through cleaner, I’d stick with a product designed explicitly for atomization and always use good ventilation.

Handling, smell, and cleanup

The solution has a slightly slick feel. It leaves a faint film if you skip the soap-and-water step, which is why that final wash matters; once washed and reshaped, brushes dried nicely without residue. Drying rags that had absorbed the cleaner took a bit longer than water to evaporate, another hint that it’s formulated to stay workable while it does its job.

In terms of smell, I’d call it very low, essentially neutral compared to many solvents. Still, I worked with a window cracked and wore nitrile gloves when doing longer soaks. As with any cleaner, avoid soaking above the ferrule line for extended periods; it can wick into the handle and soften glue over time.

Bottle and usability

The large bottle is a plus for studio use, but the cap is basic. I ended up decanting into a small squeeze bottle and a lidded glass jar to control waste and keep my main supply uncontaminated. A built-in spout or measuring cap would be welcome. The clear bottle makes it easy to see how much you’ve used, but also means you’ll want to store it away from strong light.

Where it shines

• Acrylic maintenance: It’s an easy win for day-of cleaning or the “oops, I waited too long” stage before acrylic fully cures.
• Oil paint routines: Gentle, consistent cleaning without the harshness of stronger solvents, especially for natural hair.
• Volume and value: The 16.9 oz size makes it viable as a first-line cleaner instead of something you ration.
• Low odor: Friendly to small studios and shared spaces.

Where it falls short

• Not a heavy-duty restorer: Fully cured acrylic lodged deep in the heel remains a challenge. It can improve, but won’t work miracles.
• Airbrush spray-through: I don’t recommend atomizing it. Use it to soak parts and flush with a pipette instead.
• Dispensing: The cap is utilitarian; plan to decant for best control and to reduce waste.
• Time: Dried-on residues may need multiple cycles and patience.

Practical tips

• Decant small amounts to avoid contamination and slow evaporation.
• For stubborn heel build-up, gently work a brush comb after a 15–30 minute soak; repeat as needed.
• Always finish with a mild soap-and-water wash, reshape, and dry horizontal to protect the ferrule.
• For airbrushes, strip and soak parts rather than spraying cleaner; ventilate well.
• Don’t leave bristles standing on the tips in a jar—suspend or lay flat.

The verdict

The Falling in Art cleaner earns a spot on my bench because it hits a useful middle ground: strong enough to keep daily acrylic and oil work from wrecking brushes, gentle enough to use indoors without a headache, and affordable in a size that encourages proper cleaning habits. It’s not a silver bullet for resurrecting long-neglected brushes, and I would not use it as a spray-through airbrush cleaner. But as a low-odor studio workhorse for routine maintenance—and even light restoration with some patience—it performs reliably.

Recommendation: I recommend this cleaner for artists who work in acrylics and oils and want a low-odor, large-format solution for regular brush care. If your primary need is reviving rock-hard, fully cured brushes, or if you need a cleaner specifically designed to be atomized through an airbrush, look elsewhere. For everyday maintenance, the combination of effectiveness, gentleness, and value makes it a practical choice.