Keeping my rollers clean. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

metomeya · 06-09-2007, 10:50 AM

You guys have any good techniques to keep your rollers from drying out and cleaning them out?

I put them in plastic baggies, but I always get paint dried on the inside of the roller, making it impossible to put a frame in them.

**ProWallGuy** · 06-09-2007, 11:43 AM

Get a clean 5 gal. bucket with a lid. Fill the bucket with a gallon or 2 with water. Drop the covers in there, and cap it off until you get a chance to clean them. Plus the sloshing motion the moving vehicle creates will have them half washed by the time you get home.

firemike · 06-09-2007, 11:46 AM

Are you talking about just overnight, or long term storage???

Baggies have too much air in them. If I'm working out of 5 gallon buckets, I just knock them off right into the bucket of paint. If not. I just put them in a bucket of water and spin them out when I need them again in the morning or a day or two.

Overnight I have good luck wraping them tightly in plastic, like saran wrap or even the the plastic "thank you" bags.

**slickshift** · 06-09-2007, 12:15 PM

I don't like to "keep" them with paint on them
If I'm going to use the same paint the next day I might try
I use the same plastic sleeve they came in
I open them only on one end so I can use them like that

Keeping them clean, I prefer to throw them in the washing machine before I do my whites...and when the wife's not there
In that case they have to be good ones, with the plastic tube

I might do a rooster tail with the hose out back if it's a warm sunny day (and the wife is home)

I have a spinner, but rarely use it for sleeves

MakDeco · 06-09-2007, 03:57 PM

Overnight wrap in plastic tightly no problems with dried paint. When I job is done, garbage. Buy em in bulk online its takes more time (money) to clean then to replace.

BMAN · 06-09-2007, 04:08 PM

The best way to keep them clean is to always use anew one!

DelW · 06-09-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slickshift

Keeping them clean, I prefer to throw them in the washing machine before I do my whites...and when the wife's not there
In that case they have to be good ones, with the plastic tube

I might do a rooster tail with the hose out back if it's a warm sunny day (and the wife is home)

Same thing here, she hates it more when I wash my tarps in the washing machine than anything. BTW Don't ever try to wash a 18 in cover in the washing machine

daArch · 06-09-2007, 10:34 PM

For overnight storage, if you MUST store instead of cleaning, wrap in whatever (plastic, aluminum foil, condum) and place in the refrigerator. (Customers love THAT - if you wrap in aluminum foil, you will get a kid opening it thinking it's a sub sandwich

)

mjay · 06-09-2007, 10:55 PM

freezer works as well................ i just leave it on the cage if i'm using next day. take out of freezer a good hour to thaw out.

**slickshift** · 06-10-2007, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelW

...Don't ever try to wash a 18 in cover in the washing machine

Lol...yeah I tried that a few years ago
oops

metomeya · 06-11-2007, 07:44 PM

I still prefer lambskin, as it always gets more paint on the wall (last synethic i tried was Purdy White Dove, good produce, but it took me 3-4 coats to cover what the lambskin did in 2).

I still think that plastic bags over my roller covers is the best way to go. I just have to discipline myself to take care to cover them right away and clean them at home.

The 5-gallon with water is a great idea, but i THINK i've read somewhere you shouldn't soak those rollers in water as it'll cause lambskin to lose it release power.

Woz the Painter · 06-12-2007, 12:09 AM

Always, I must repeat always, take the plastic off of the hide you paint with, it is not meant to be left on................................