How to Clean Dried Paint Rollers

How to clean dried paint rollers involves a bit of know-how and even more elbow grease. Can you save a dried paint roller?

Have you ever been painting and gotten so busy that your forgot to rinse and clean your paint roller? Leaving your paint roller to dry can be a big disappointment the next morning when you go to finish off your project. 

We’ll show you how to rescue your sad, dried up paint rollers so you can reuse them and get back to painting. 

How to Clean Dried Paint Rollers: Water Based Paint

This is going to be the easiest clean of the whole post.  Water based paints, whether you are using them with paint brushes, rollers or a paint sprayer, are a breeze when it comes to clean up.  Soap and water and you’re laughing.  Not so much when the paint has dried hard as a rock. So, how do you clean dried paint on rollers?

Basic Tools and Supplies for Cleaning Dried Paint Rollers 

• Large Bucket, maybe even 5 gallons 
• Paper towels 
• Gloves 
• Fabric softener 
• Grease fighting soap 
• Rags 
• Paint stripper 
• Mineral spirits  (or an alternative we talk about here)

How to Clean Dried Oil Paint Rollers 

You might think that cleaning oil-based paint out of dried paint rollers was impossible and thrown away your old stiff dried up rollers.  You can actually get those rollers nice and soft again without too much hassle. 

You will need an old glass jar or container that can hold liquid, like a big pickle jar.  Then, you grab your mineral spirits or paint stripper and fill the jar.  There are also natural citrus and soy-based paint strippers you can try, but we haven’t used them yet to remove dried paint from a paint roller.   

Place your rollers in the jar and soak them, checking every few minutes to see how it’s progressing.  Keep soaking your roller until all the paint is removed. 

Massage dish soap into your roller, work in through and then rinse thoroughly with water once all the paint is removed.  You might need to do this a few times until the water runs clear. 

Cleaning Paint Rollers with Fabric Softener: Fake News? 

Is it true that you can use fabric softener to clean dried paint rollers or is it just a myth?  Can you reuse a dried paint roller?  We are happy to report that using fabric softener actually works!  Here is our step by step method for cleaning up your dried paint rollers.   

Mix about 1/8 cup of fabric softener with 4 cups of water in a bucket or an old glass jar. Stir well to combine.

Place your paint roller into the solution and let it soak for a few minutes. Then start swishing the roller around in the fabric softener mixture.

You should notice the roller fibers softening and paint starting to loosen and come off. Keep dipping and swishing the roller until it’s clean.

Finally, wash the roller thoroughly with gentle soap and water to remove any fabric softener residue. This will prevent it from affecting your paint the next time you use the roller.

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How do you Fix Stiff Paint Rollers? 

A stiff paint roller usually happens when you don’t rinse it well enough after cleaning off wet paint. Some paint residue dries on the roller fibers, making them stiff.

The good news is it’s much easier to fix a stiff roller than one covered in thick dried paint. To soften your roller again, follow the cleaning steps we shared earlier for water- or oil-based paint.

How Do You Keep Paint Rollers from Drying out Overnight? 

Some painters say you have to clean your roller every night, but that’s not always practical. It can also waste paint, water, and cleaning supplies.

Instead, wrap your roller tightly in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a plastic bag and store it in the fridge. Doing this occasionally won’t cause any problems.

Just remember to let the roller warm up to room temperature before you use it again the next day.

Preventing Dried Paint Rollers

Paint rollers help you get a smooth, even coat, but cleaning them can be a hassle—especially if the paint dries on the roller. To avoid dried paint rollers, you need to do a bit of cleanup right after painting.

Scrape off as much excess paint as possible using a paint scraper or putty knife. This makes cleaning much easier.

Rinse your roller with warm water. You might need to use your hands or a soft brush to remove any leftover paint. Make sure to rinse thoroughly to get all the soap and paint out.

Don’t forget to remove the roller from the frame and clean the frame too.

Conclusion 

Follow along with our tried and true methods of how to clean dried paint rollers and you’ll restore those dried up paint rollers in no time.  By following these simple steps, you can effectively clean your paint rollers and get them ready for your next project.

With a little bit of patience and elbow grease, you can keep your paint rollers in great condition.

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