How To Clean a Paint Roller Cover

Properly cleaning a quality paint roller will allow you to reuse it for another project. It takes time to clean a roller cover and it must be done thoroughly. Because roller covers are cheaper than a good brush, some pros treat them as disposable.

Because many communities have rules about disposing of paint, including the paint washed out of a roller, cleaning a roller cover may be more trouble than it is worth. it might be best to simply toss out used roller covers. While it does add to the waste going into landfills, it saves water, reduces contaminants going to water treatment facilities, or worse into the ground water.

If you are using oil-based paint, don't even consider washing the roller cover. The paint thinner, the number of steps, the proper disposal of the used thinner make cleaning oil-based paints out of rollers just too much trouble.

To store a roller overnight for use the next day, use a 5-in-1 painter's tool, which has a curved edge the same size as a standard roller, to scrap paint back into the can or tray. Use a rag dampened with water for latex paint or thinner for oil paint to lightly moisten the roller. Store the roller in a safe, ventilated area.

The roller handle and cage should be wiped down to remove all paint. Scrape off any hardened paint.

When disposing of roller covers, allow the paint to dry and harden thoroughly. Follow the rules in your community for disposal of dried paint.