Best Brush Soaps and Cleaners for Miniature Painting
Updated How we research
GENERAL'S The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver - Non-Toxic - Cleans & Restores Art Paint Brushes - 2.5 oz
GENERAL'S The Masters brush cleaner and preserver in 2.5 oz, a non-toxic soap that cleans and restores paint brushes.
The Masters Non-Toxic Paint Brush Cleaner and Preserver, 1 Ounce - Artist Brush Soap Removes Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache and Tempera Paints
The Masters non-toxic paint brush cleaner and preserver in 1 ounce, a small artist brush soap for acrylic and oils.
A good kolinsky sable brush can cost more than the miniature you are painting with it, and the fastest way to ruin one is to skip proper cleaning. Acrylic paint dries in the ferrule, splays the bristles, and kills the fine point you paid for. A dedicated brush soap or cleaner dissolves that buildup, conditions the natural hair, and can even coax a hooked tip back into shape. In this guide we compare the most popular soaps, conditioners, and restorers used by miniature painters, from classic solid pucks to liquid cleaners for stubborn dried paint. We cover how each one handles synthetics versus sable, how long a tin actually lasts, and which options are worth keeping at your painting station.
The short version
We compared 7 picks. Our scores range from 6.8 to 8.3 out of 10.
- Best overall:GENERAL'S The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver - Non-Toxic - Cleans & Restores Art Paint Brushes - 2.5 oz. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.3/10.
- Also great value:The Masters Paint Brush Cleaner and Preserver - 24 Ounce Tub - Lemon Scented. Value score of 9/10, overall 7.7/10.
- Solid build:The Masters Non-Toxic Paint Brush Cleaner and Preserver, 1 Ounce - Artist Brush Soap Removes Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache and Tempera Paints. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 7.9/10.
- Feature-rich:Speedball Art Products 13264 Mona Lisa Pink Soap-4 Ounces. Features score of 7/10, overall 7.6/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.GENERAL'S The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver - Non-Toxic - Cleans & Restores Art Paint Brushes - 2.5 oz8.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.The Masters Non-Toxic Paint Brush Cleaner and Preserver, 1 Ounce - Artist Brush Soap Removes Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache and Tempera Paints7.9/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.The Masters Paint Brush Cleaner and Preserver - 24 Ounce Tub - Lemon Scented7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Pink Soap 12-Ounce Brush Cleaner and Conditioner (00132-66)7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Speedball Art Products 13264 Mona Lisa Pink Soap-4 Ounces7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner & Restorer, 4.0-oz Bottle7.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.The Masters Mini Clean-Up Artist Survival Kit6.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1GENERAL'S The Masters brush cleaner and preserver in 2.5 oz, a non-toxic soap that cleans and restores paint brushes.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Cleans dried acrylic from bristles and conditions the hairs
- + Non-toxic formula is safe for everyday home desk use
- + Preserver reshapes tips so detail brushes keep their point
- - Solid soap tin can get messy without drying between uses
- - Soap residue must be rinsed well before painting again
#2The Masters non-toxic paint brush cleaner and preserver in 1 ounce, a small artist brush soap for acrylic and oils.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Small size is ideal to try the classic brush soap cheaply
- + Removes oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache and tempera paints
- + Helps keep sable and synthetic tips shaped between sessions
- - 1 ounce tin will run out quickly with daily brush cleaning
- - Heavily dried acrylic may need several washes to lift
#3The Masters paint brush cleaner and preserver in a 24 ounce lemon scented tub, a bulk supply for heavy brush users.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 24 ounce tub lasts far longer than small tins for clubs or studios
- + Lemon scent is pleasant compared with unscented soaps
- + Same trusted cleaning and conditioning formula in bulk
- - Large tub is overkill for a single hobbyist with few brushes
- - Open tub is harder to keep clean than smaller containers
#4Pink Soap 12-Ounce brush cleaner and conditioner (00132-66), a larger liquid soap for keeping brushes soft and clean.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 12-Ounce bottle offers good value for frequent brush washing
- + Conditioner keeps bristles supple and less prone to splitting
- + Works well as a daily end-of-session cleaning routine
- - Bigger bottle takes more space on a crowded hobby desk
- - Needs thorough rinsing so soap does not dilute next paint
#5Speedball Mona Lisa Pink Soap in the 4 ounce bottle, a brush cleaner and conditioner that removes fresh and dried oils, acrylics and watercolors.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Listed as removing dried paint as well as fresh paint from bristles
- + Conditions and helps reshape brushes, which extends the life of good detail brushes
- + Works on oils, acrylics and watercolors, so one bottle covers every paint on the desk
- - The 4 ounce bottle costs more per ounce than the larger sizes
- - A liquid soap is easier to spill on a crowded hobby desk than a solid cake
#6Winsor and Newton brush cleaner and restorer in a 4.0-oz bottle, a solvent-style cleaner for reviving hardened brushes.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Restorer can soften brushes stiff with dried paint
- + Trusted art brand known for quality painting products
- + Small bottle is enough for occasional rescue jobs
- - Stronger cleaner is not meant for daily soft washing
- - Needs soap and water rinsing afterward to protect bristles
#7The Masters Mini Clean-Up Artist Survival Kit, a compact brush cleaning kit bundling soap with useful clean-up extras.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 7/10
- + Kit format gives cleaning essentials in one travel-ready package
- + Useful for painting at conventions, clubs or on the go
- + Brand soap is well known for restoring brush tips
- - Check exactly what is included in this survival kit
- - Mini sizes run out quickly for home painting routines
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Solid soap tin can get messy without drying between uses (GENERAL'S The Masters Brush Cleaner and...)
- 1 ounce tin will run out quickly with daily brush cleaning (The Masters Non-Toxic Paint Brush Cleaner and...)
- Large tub is overkill for a single hobbyist with few brushes (The Masters Paint Brush Cleaner and Preserver...)
- Bigger bottle takes more space on a crowded hobby desk (Pink Soap 12-Ounce Brush Cleaner and...)
- The 4 ounce bottle costs more per ounce than the larger sizes (Speedball Art Products 13264 Mona Lisa Pink...)
- Stronger cleaner is not meant for daily soft washing (Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner & Restorer,...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among brush soaps and cleaners for miniature painting?
GENERAL'S The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver - Non-Toxic - Cleans & Restores Art Paint Brushes - 2.5 oz is our top overall pick. GENERAL'S The Masters brush cleaner and preserver in 2.5 oz, a non-toxic soap that cleans and restores paint brushes. It earns our score of 8.3/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
The Masters Non-Toxic Paint Brush Cleaner and Preserver, 1 Ounce - Artist Brush Soap Removes Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache and Tempera Paints is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. The Masters non-toxic paint brush cleaner and preserver in 1 ounce, a small artist brush soap for acrylic and oils.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Mini Paint Lab independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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