would you rather wash a paint roller, spend the time, soap, effort to be able to re-use it or just toss it? They aren't as cheap as they used to be...my recent purchase surprised me!

I used to toss them if I knew I would not get back to them within a few days (then rolled tight in a baggie was fine) Now I wash them.

How tight is money....?

Almost non existing!

(_$_)

right with you!

It is awful. The economy sucks. I was actually thinking of getting a roommate or going back home. I haven't been home in 21 years!


Oh topic. I would wash it and reuse it. I always have anyway.

I usually wash mine out and reuse a couple of times if it's holding up good.

It's just that I question whether tossing them is more economical giving what a half way decent one costs vs. the water and my time. It takes a bunch of both to get a roller clean.

Nah I don't think they really spread the paint that well once they are washed out and dry. I just watch and buy them cheap at a super discounter or off season. Sometimes you can even get them super cheap at Habitat for Humanity ReStores. Always my first stop when I am planning a project.

Use a painters tool with the curved blade to squeeze the excess paint off the roller sleeve back into pail. Then fill a 5 gallon bucket full of water and use a roller sleeve spinner. Dunk and spin. Then just rinse off with clean water. Done.

If only I had a 5 gallon bucket...and a dunk and spin.

oh and thanks

it depends

if its water based paint I just spray em with the garden hose and make em spin clean

if its oil based then I toss em. too much trouble to clean

habitat always has good stuff--good call

If i'm painting the next day. I wrap it up stick it in the freezer. Get it out and paint. Saves on paint too.

Finally. Somebody knows the trick and knows how to paint.

Different color paints, use different rollers. When you're done, have a piece of plastic 4-5 inch wider than the roller and fairly long enough to be able to roll it on the roller 5-6 times.

When you're done painting, leave the roller on then put it on the peace of plastic and roll it once (so it sticks on it), then grab it and pull it off the roller handle (this way your hands don't get paint all over, then grab it roll it up nice and tight in the plastic. Tuck the ends into the roller. tape the end down if you want to, then write the paint code or the name of the paint on it so you remember what it is, put it away in a cool place like a basement or wherever there isn't direct sunlight. It could lasts months..5 months, as far as the longest I kept them like that.

Ohh and never get cheap brushes. Good brushes start at around 15 bucks for a 2 1/2 inch. (Purdy or Corona). Wash them always and shake them out and put them away. I used to have brushes 5-6yrs old, used 10-20 times already.

Try to reuse and save resources, not to mention money.

I get a man in to do that sort of thing.

I have been reading that big time inflation is coming next, another reason to conserve.

Money is tight for me...but only because I am working on a place that I recently moved into. If I was still in my apartment, I wouldn't be having money issues right now.

But I am much happier, although a little more broke than I used to be.

I am not doing laundry as much, I just turn my underwear inside out to get an extra days use out of em.