cleaning paint rollers

georgia4321 · Post by **georgia4321** » Mon Apr 03, 2023 5:34 pm

Hi all for my design technology NEA i have to find a solution to a problem. My uncle is a painter and decorator and he says cleaning paint rollers is a nightmare. He says that even if you scrape off the paint you have to wait for the residue to dry before switching colours. When using a new roller the fluff all sticks to the wall until it is worn in. Therefore, I was thinking about creating a roller cleaner with jets to spray the roller clean while spinning to avoid water build up which would attach to a hose pipe. If you could give me your opinions on this. Thankyou

Tom d'Angler · Post by **Tom d'Angler** » Mon Apr 03, 2023 5:59 pm

Hi Georgia. I'm afraid you would be reinventing the wheel as there is already a contraption that easily cleans rollers and brushes - https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/products ... er-cleaner.

toolbox · Post by **toolbox** » Tue Apr 04, 2023 12:07 pm

Keep them in a damp plastic bag till the end of the job then stick all of them them in the washing machine, tiny bit of soap and no conditioner. Works a treat

spottie · Post by **spottie** » Tue Apr 04, 2023 7:39 pm

Bung em in the washing machine

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Tue Apr 04, 2023 7:54 pm

Bung them in the bin. Cheap enough if you keep them live for the job in cling film.

DWD

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Tue Apr 04, 2023 8:06 pm

I roll them back'n'for in the kitchen sink under running water until it runs nearly clear. Then spin them out against a brick wall. Then stick the handle on a broom handle, lean it up against the gate, and spray with a nozzle on a hose pipe (standing well back, of course). Nearly dry by now, put away for next time.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Tue Apr 04, 2023 8:36 pm

as Tom d'Angler says, the thing you are thinking of has been out for years, I remember watching on QVC many years ago, any way, here is a variant of it.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Tue Apr 04, 2023 9:16 pm

A Harris roller is £3.49 from Screwfix, bin it after

DWD

Argyll · Post by **Argyll** » Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:57 am

Tom d'Angler wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 5:59 pm Hi Georgia. I'm afraid you would be reinventing the wheel as there is already a contraption that easily cleans rollers and brushes - <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">https: ... ner</span>.

Yep a painter told me the same thing. I bought mine a good few years ago although mine is yellow. Great thing.

dynamod · Post by **dynamod** » Wed Apr 05, 2023 1:38 pm

So many gadgets are often solutions to problems that never really existed in the first place IMHO.

That said, it doesn't stop some of these things selling, and if you can sell something that competes with existing products, without infringement of any copyright matters, then good on you.

It's not something the trade would necessarily use, but the public love all that QVC stuff.

Tom d'Angler · Post by **Tom d'Angler** » Wed Apr 05, 2023 2:24 pm

Argyll wrote: ↑Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:57 am Yep a painter told me the same thing. I bought mine a good few years ago although mine is yellow. Great thing.

I'm on my third one now. The first two were yellow and my latest one is red. Each one lasts me about a year. Mind you, I only use it for brushes as I bin rollers after each use (apart from the white ceiling one which I keep in a tie-handle bag) as they're relatively heap.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Wed Apr 05, 2023 3:03 pm

Someone will invent a condom washer next

DWD

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Fri Apr 07, 2023 7:08 am

I tend to scrape and rinse then soak rollers in a bucket of soapy water which seems to release any residue , run under the tap and all done. I will also clean the small rollers too . Probably not worth it some will say but a previously used small roller is fine for spreading glue or for using with things like fence paint.
Many a word and all that dwd..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2jOSmhRJY4o
I also seem to recall from history that condoms were originally made of animal gut and were washed and reused.

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Fri Apr 07, 2023 8:45 am

Good point G

Washing rollers I suppose depends on whether you are constantly using your rollers. The average Joe only uses rollers on one job with a period in between. When I washed rollers in the past they tended to dry with a hard pile and were not great on second use. As rollers became cheap I bought and dumped them as I went. The mini rollers have largely replaced brushes for me as they get paint coats on quickly and evenly, something that water based trim paints require I find. These are always dumped. I do keep rollers alive for the job duration by wrapping cling film around them to stop drying out and this works well. If you are a pro dec then this might not be a system for you but it suits me.

DWD