Paint cleanup

dmradulescu

aDVICE ON CLEANUP. SEMI GLOSS BRUSHES WASHED IN SINK sEPTIC TANK IS CONCERN.

ric knows paint

Not to worry, DM...I'm assuming, of course, you're talking about cleaning latex out of brushes (as opposed to oils)...Obviously, you want to scrape all excess paint out of your brush or roller prior to throwing 'em in the sink to clean - But once you start rinsing your brushes and rollers, whatever residual paint remains will be so diluted that the only trace of film, or resin concentration, will be nothing but a micro film float on the surface that'll continue to be further diluted with every flush...

Brushjockey

I have been told that waterbased paints washed up isn't good for septic systems, but not having one I don't know too much.
If you only did a couple of brushes it probably isn't enough to do much harm.
Another way is to get 3 buckets of water- do a rough clean in one ( most of the paint), mid rinse and final in other two.
Let them sit and in not too long most of the paint solids will drop to the bottom.

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"It's better to come here with questions before you screw up than to come here after and ask how to fix them."- JS

DrHicks

If this were my choice, I'd use an outdoor tap/hose to clean the worst of the paint out of the brushes. Then clean them in the sink.

There are things that are far more harmful to your septic system than washing out a few paint brushes. But if you're concerned, you might think about flushing some "septic system bacteria" down ye olde crapper.

Matthewt1970

I would just clean them outside. I do brushes all the time on the side of my house mostly in the same spot and if anything the extra water makes the grass grow more. Keep the paint out of your septic system. Paints have algicide in them and that can upset the balance in your septic tank.

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Latex Primer: Good for Drywall, that's about it.
Behr Paint: The plastic buckets are good, that's about it.

noquacks

I agree with matthew- wash them outside, period! Use a 5 gal pail, fill 2-3 X and youre done. No need to take the mess inside/kitchen/agitate the wife, eh??

Trace algicide in a stinkin septic tank is insignificant- wont last. Septic putrid goo filled with cagillions of bactrial cells will overwhelm any trace algicide/mildecide.

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Alexander Pope: [a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing]

jeffnc

Agree with Matthew. It's true that very trace elements won't matter, but there are a lot of factors - how much paint, how much use is the tank getting, etc. Don't mess with it. Also, prime your brush with water to begin with for easier cleaning. I just throw out the roller covers, but mess with them if you want.