Brush Care for Miniatures: Cleaning, Soap and Storage
Brush care comes down to four habits. Rinse before paint dries. Use soap. Reshape the tip. Dry the brush tip up. A good detail brush that gets this treatment lasts through many kits. The same brush without it can fail in a few sessions.
This guide covers acrylic paint cleanup, brush soap, drying and storage, brush roles, non-toxic paint, and how to hold a figure while painting. It is written for painters of unpainted resin figure kits at 1/8 to 1/12 scale, 75mm figures and chibis.
Table of Contents
- TL;DR
- What a brush is made of, and what damages it
- Cleaning acrylic paint from brushes
- Brush soap for miniatures: what to look for
- Drying and storing brushes
- Which brush for which job
- Paint habits that protect brushes
- Non-toxic miniature paints
- How to hold miniatures while painting
- Our view on brush care
- Kits to paint with clean brushes
- A quick routine to keep
- FAQ
- Sources
TL;DR
✦ Rinse brushes during the session. Soap them at the end.
✦ Never rest a brush tip down in water. Never let paint dry in the metal ferrule.
✦ Reshape the tip after cleaning. Dry the brush flat or tip up.
✦ Keep old brushes for mixing and dry brushing. Keep the best brushes for detail.
✦ Hold the figure by its base or a handle, not by fragile parts.
What a brush is made of, and what damages it
A miniature brush has three parts.
✦ Hair: natural or synthetic, forms the tip
✦ Ferrule: the metal sleeve that grips the hair
✦ Handle: usually wood, glued to the ferrule
Most brush damage starts at the ferrule. Paint that creeps up into it dries there. It pushes single hairs apart. The tip splits and no longer points. This is hard to reverse.
The second common cause is standing a brush in water. Water gets into the wood and the glue. The handle swells, the ferrule loosens, hairs fall out.
The third cause is rough use. Scrubbing a brush into a base coat, stirring paint with it or dragging it dry across a surface bends the tip for good.
So three rules cover most of it:
✦ Load only the first part of the hair with paint
✦ Keep water away from the handle
✦ Use the right brush for the right job
Cleaning acrylic paint from brushes
Acrylic paint is water-based, but it turns into a plastic film once dry. Water alone does not remove all of it. Soap does.
During the session
✦ Load paint on the first half to two thirds of the hair only
✦ Wipe the brush on a damp towel or paper towel between colors
✦ Rinse in a water cup, then do a final rinse in a second cup
✦ Keep the second cup for the final rinse only, so the water stays clear
✦ Do not rest the brush in the cup. Lay it down or hold it
A brush left in water for a long time swells the handle. A few minutes of resting is not the concern. Leaving it there while the phone rings is.
When switching from a dark color to a light color, rinse longer. Dark pigment stays in the hair and shows up in the next light coat.
After the session
- Rinse the brush in lukewarm water. Hot water can loosen the glue in the ferrule.
- Wet the tip and rub it gently in a small amount of brush soap in the palm of the hand or on a soap cake.
- Roll the brush in a slow circle. Do not press hard. Do not bend the hair.
- Rinse. Repeat until the lather is white and no color remains.
- Reshape the tip to a point with clean fingers.
- Dry the brush on its side or with the tip up.
The lather test is the check. Tinted lather means paint is still in the hair, usually near the ferrule.
The rinse after soap matters as much as the soap. Leftover soap can dry in the hair and stiffen it.
Brush with paint already dried in it
Sometimes a brush is left overnight with paint on it.
✦ Do not scrape the hair or pull on the dried paint
✦ Wet the brush with lukewarm water and work soap in gently, in short sessions
✦ Reshape and check the tip
✦ If hairs stay splayed, the brush becomes a rough-work brush
Do not use harsh solvents on a good brush. Acrylic cleanup does not need them. Dried paint inside the ferrule is where a brush is usually lost, and prevention is the only dependable fix.
For more on technique, the guide to microdetail painting for resin figures covers the fine work these brushes are for.
Brush soap for miniatures: what to look for
Dish soap works for a basic clean. Many painters use it for older brushes and for rough-work brushes. A dedicated brush soap is the better choice for expensive detail brushes.
What to look for:
✦ Mild formula, no strong scent or harsh additives
✦ Conditioner, so the hair stays soft and keeps its spring
✦ Soap that lathers in a small amount of water
✦ A form that is easy to use: cake, tub or gel
Types of brush soap:
| Type | Good for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Solid cake or tub | Daily cleanup, conditioning | Lasts a long time, small amounts needed |
| Liquid or gel | Quick cleanup | Easy to rinse out |
| Dish soap | Rough-work brushes | Fine for a basic clean, no conditioning |
Soap costs less than a replacement brush. For a detail brush used every session, the math favors soap.
After soaping, a small amount of the same conditioning soap can be left in the hair to hold the tip while it dries. Rinse it out before the next session.
A useful add-on is a holder for brushes in a drawer or on the desk. A stand with slots keeps the tips up and off the table. Any small stand can work, including a bathroom organizer. Brush care and desk setup go together, and the miniature painting set up guide lists the other tools worth having within reach.
Drying and storing brushes
Water drains toward the lowest point. With the tip down, it drains into the ferrule. So:
✦ Dry brushes flat on a towel, or tip up in a jar
✦ Never store a brush tip down
✦ Do not dry brushes standing on their hair
✦ Do not seal wet brushes into a case or tube
✦ Let them dry in open air before closing a box
The tips need protection in transport. A brush tube or a cap keeps the hairs from bending. The brush must be fully dry first.
A few other points:
✦ Keep brushes away from heat sources such as radiators and sunny windowsills
✦ Do not leave them in a hot car
✦ Store dry brushes in a drawer or a stand, tip up
Damp air is a problem in the Netherlands in autumn and winter. Brushes dry slower, and a closed case holds moisture. Give them time in the open before they go in the case. Humidity also affects priming, covered in the guide to priming miniatures in humidity.
Which brush for which job
One brush for everything is the most common mistake. Brushes wear differently depending on the task.
| Task | Brush type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fine detail, eyes, small marks | Small round with a fine point | Keep clean. Never use for anything else |
| Base coats, large areas | Larger round or flat | Medium quality is enough |
| Layering and glazing | Mid-size round | Good tip, gentle use |
| Dry brushing | Cheap, stiff synthetic | Wears out fast. Expect to replace it |
| Mixing paint on the palette | Old brush | Never a detail brush |
| Applying texture paste or thick paint | Old brush | Thick material is hard on hair |
Keep a small rotation of worn brushes. Painters often call these veterans. A brush that no longer holds a point still works for mixing, rough coverage and dry brushing.
Dry brushing deserves its own brush. The motion is abrasive by design. A fine tip is no advantage there. A cheap, short-haired synthetic does the job. The 7 painting techniques for resin miniatures guide shows where dry brushing fits with other methods, and the page on edge highlighting shows where a fine tip earns its cost.
Larger display figures, such as 1/8 and 75mm kits, have bigger surfaces. A mid-size brush covers more ground there. Save the finest brush for the face, the eyes and small accessories.
Paint habits that protect brushes
Brush care starts before the brush touches water. How paint is handled decides how hard the cleanup is.
✦ Thin paint with water or medium on the palette, not on the figure
✦ Pick up a small amount. Two thin coats are easier on a brush than one thick coat
✦ Wipe the brush on the palette edge to shape the tip
✦ Do not press the brush down so the hair flares
✦ Do not let paint dry on the palette with the brush still in it
A wet palette keeps paint workable for the whole session, which means fewer brush strokes with paint that is already drying. The guide to the wet palette for miniatures explains the setup.
When a brush starts to leave a ragged edge, stop and clean it. Painting on with a tired brush loads more paint into the ferrule.
Paint with the brush tip pointing away from the ferrule edge of the hair. Nobody has to measure it. If paint shows at the ferrule line, the brush was loaded too deep.
Non-toxic miniature paints
Most miniature paints are water-based acrylics. They clean up with water and soap, which is also why brush care is simple. Solvents are not needed.
Points to check:
✦ Read the label and the manufacturer’s safety data sheet
✦ Choose water-based paint if a low-odor setup is the goal
✦ Ventilate the room, especially when using sprays or an airbrush
✦ Keep paint and rinse water away from food and drink
✦ Do not pour large amounts of paint water down the sink without checking local rules. Wipe excess paint on a paper towel first
The word non-toxic on a label is a manufacturer claim. The safety data sheet gives the detail. For specific health questions, ask a doctor or the manufacturer.
Oil paint and enamel need solvents. They are less common for painting figure kits and are outside the scope of this guide.
How to hold miniatures while painting
A steady grip keeps fingers off wet paint and keeps hands relaxed for fine work.
Options
✦ Hold the figure by its base
✦ Mount the base on a cork, a wooden block or a bottle cap
✦ Use a purpose-made painting handle
✦ Use a pin vise or clamp for small parts
For 75mm and 1/8 figures, a handle under the base works well. The figure is heavy for its size, and the base gives a solid grip point.
Attach the figure to the handle with removable putty or poster tack. Keep the fixing soft and easy to release. Do not use hot glue, since heat warps resin. Do not force a figure off a handle by pulling on a thin part such as a sword or an ankle.
Kits from Remerlinds arrive unpainted, ready for the brush. Details are sharp, so fingers touching wet paint is the main handling risk. A handle solves it.
DIY painting handle
A basic handle needs few parts.
✦ A wine cork, a wooden dowel or a pill bottle
✦ Removable putty or poster tack
✦ Optional: a flat wooden disk or a bottle cap for a wider base
Steps:
- Press a small ball of putty on the top of the cork or bottle.
- Set the base of the figure on the putty.
- Press gently until it holds.
- Check it by tilting. The figure should not shift.
- Hold the cork, not the figure.
A heavier base, such as a bottle with coins or a small weight inside, stops the stand from tipping.
Keep finished and part-finished figures out of direct sun. UV yellows resin over time, and heat warps it. A shelf away from the window and the radiator is the right place.
If an earlier paint job needs to be redone, the guides on removing primer from miniatures and stripping paint from 75mm resin miniatures explain how to do it without losing detail.
Our view on brush care
We sell unpainted kits, so we see the painting end of the hobby every day. Our view is simple. The kit is the starting point. The brush is the tool that decides how it looks.
We print resin kits with 16K detail, and each kit is hand-checked. That detail is only useful if the brush can reach it. A brush with a split tip loses fine lines, eyes and edges that the sculpt already has.
Three points we repeat:
✦ Spend on one good detail brush before many mid-range ones
✦ Soap every brush at the end of every session
✦ Keep a box of old brushes for the rough jobs
The kits arrive unpainted, ready for the brush. The sculpts are unofficial fan art made by independent sculptors. The painting is yours, and the brushes are how it happens.
— Nyx
Kits to paint with clean brushes
Remerlinds makes made-to-order, unpainted 3D printed resin figure kits in the Netherlands. Delivery goes to the EU, and exceptionally outside it.
✦ Movie and TV resin figure kits
✦ Fantasy and tabletop resin figure kits
A chibi is a good first project for a new brush. The surfaces are smooth and the proportions are forgiving. A 1/8 figure gives more room for layering and detail.
A quick routine to keep
Before painting:
✦ Brushes within reach, tip up
✦ Two water cups, one for the final rinse
✦ Wet palette ready
During painting:
✦ Load the first part of the hair only
✦ Rinse between colors
✦ Stop and clean when the tip frays
After painting:
✦ Rinse in lukewarm water
✦ Soap, rinse, repeat until clear
✦ Reshape the tip
✦ Dry flat or tip up
FAQ
How do I clean acrylic paint from brushes?
Rinse the brush in lukewarm water, then work a mild brush soap into the hair with a slow circular motion. Rinse until the lather is white. Reshape the tip and dry the brush flat or tip up.
Do miniature brushes need special soap?
Dish soap handles a basic clean, and it is fine for old or rough-work brushes. A dedicated brush soap with conditioner is the better choice for detail brushes, because it keeps the hair soft and holds the point.
Can I leave a brush in water during a session?
Resting a brush briefly is fine, but a brush should not stand tip down in a cup. The weight bends the hair, and water reaches the ferrule and the wooden handle. Lay the brush down on a towel between strokes instead.
How do I hold a miniature while painting?
Hold it by the base, or mount the base on a cork or bottle with removable putty. A handle keeps fingers off wet paint. Avoid hot glue, because heat warps resin.
Sources
Guides on the Remerlinds site used for this article:
✦ Microdetail painting for resin figures
✦ 7 painting techniques for resin miniatures
✦ Miniature painting set up: 10 essentials for 2026
✦ Edge highlighting miniatures
✦ Priming miniatures in humidity
✦ Removing primer from miniatures without losing detail
✦ Strip paint from 75mm resin miniatures
