Paint Thinner Uses | HomeSteady

Paint thinner can do more than just thin paint. In addition to thinning oil-based paints, paint thinner can be used for many other things. At less than $20 a container, as of March 2011, paint thinner is inexpensive to purchase. Learning the different uses for paint thinner can make your life easier.

Paint thinner makes paint cleanup easy.

Tool Cleanup

Oil-based or alkyd paints cannot be cleaned up with just water. Instead, rinse your brushes with paint thinners. Pour the paint thinner into a can, and dip the brushes into the can to clean them. Get the paint from between the bristles of the brush. Wipe away the extra paint thinner from the paint brushes with a newspaper or paper towel.

Personal Cleanup

Getting oil-based paints off of your hands or arms can be difficult. Many people try to scrub the paint off their skin but don’t have a lot of luck. Scrubbing the skin can dry it out and leave sores on the surface of the skin. Use a small amount of paint thinner to get the paint off your skin. Rinse away the paint thinner with soap and water.

Thinning Oil-based Paints

Some oil-based paints are really thick. Thicker oil-based paints are difficult to apply and take longer to dry. You can thin down the oil-based paint with paint thinner. Dump a small amount of paint thinner in with the oil-based paint. Mix the two together with a paint stick. Check the consistency of the paint, and repeat as necessary.

Removing Oil Stains From Concrete

Oil stains plague many driveways and garage floors. Paint thinner can be used to remove the oil stains from the floor. Mix a small amount of paint thinner with some sawdust. Spread the sawdust mixture over the oil stain on the floor. The paint thinner will draw the oil stain out of the floor, and the sawdust will soak up the oil and paint thinner mixture.

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