# Paint clean up



## peacefulone61 (Nov 19, 2016)

I am not sure if this is posted in the correct area. I work at a university and the health and safety depart have decided that we need to clean all paint brushes, rollers, stir sticks, etc with a parts washer and Citrius based cleaner. I have been searching the web looking for jnstructions on how to do this and have come up short. Have any of you had to implement this yet and if so ho do you handle it.


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## Amiers (Nov 19, 2016)

Dish soap and Orange Goop. I wouldn't mix them together per say but lather up with one then the other rinse and repeat til clean.


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## venuetech (Nov 19, 2016)

likely would need a three stage cleaning station.
First you would roll or brush as much paint out of the roller/brush as you can onto some scrap. 
Station One would be the first wet rinse of brush to get most of the paint out.
Station Two would be would be where you add the citrus cleaner directly to the brush and get most of the paint out. 
Station Three would be a final cleaning rinse. 
This would be three 5 gallon buckets of water. Once the clean third stage becomes too dirty it is moved to the second stage and likewise the second stage is moved on to the first stage.
The displaced first stage is then set aside for a period of time to let the contents settle. a day or two later the water is poured off the top and the sludge in the bottom of the bucket is spread out on a scrap chunk of plywood to dry
you would want to cover each bucket in the evenings.


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## Van (Nov 21, 2016)

I'm not certain why you would want to clean brushes in a parts cleaner. 
Most paints used in Scenic Painting are Water Based, either acrylics or latex's or acrylic latex's. All of them are traditionally dealt with using a trap system, depending on local environmental regulations. A Citrus based cleaner introduces a caustic element into the process of brush cleaning that then requires, gloves and emollients, creating a much larger carbon footprint and Waste Stream. The best cleaner for Scenic brushes is something like Murphy's Oil soap and lots of water.


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## venuetech (Nov 22, 2016)

It sounds like health and safety may have a concern with the waste water you produce when you clean brushes. you may want to ask them for further information on the subject. You could call the waste water treatment plant and describe your normal paint cleanup and the paint products you use, they would be able to let you know if you need any required permits or if any pre-treatment of the waste water needs to be done. It looks like they would be concerned if you were using paint with metals such as bottom paint for a boat.


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## peacefulone61 (Dec 4, 2016)

I have no clue why they are requiring the use of a parts washer, I do not think they do either. They are just telling me it has to happen.


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## MikeJ (Dec 31, 2016)

Good way to ruin nice brushes. I would put all your brushes into a bucket of water, and clean them at home.


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## Les (Jan 1, 2017)

peacefulone61 said:


> I have no clue why they are requiring the use of a parts washer, I do not think they do either. They are just telling me it has to happen.



Of course they have a reason, you just need to find out what it is. Maybe a little education on their part or even on yours will help all parties arrive at a satisfactory compromise. I do think they should have educated you on the purpose of the change, as that is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate its perceived value, but in lieu of that, I see no harm in being proactive in finding the answers since they didn't meet you halfway.

I have a feeling it is one of two things and maybe a little of both:
• Wastestream management concerns, which may be coming from above their heads (i.e. the municipality)
• An assumption that you're using oil-based paint and they're trying to minimize exposure

Assuming the root cause is one of the above, it sounds like a little additional training or equipment (which doesn't involve a parts cleaner) will make the issue go away.


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## peacefulone61 (Jan 3, 2017)

Les said:


> Assuming the root cause is one of the above, it sounds like a little additional training or equipment (which doesn't involve a parts cleaner) will make the issue go away.



Any suggestions or pointers for equipment for latex paint or procedures would be greatly appricated. I feel if I go to them with an alternative and can back it up they will accept that. I think it is a waste water issue and we are an oil free shop since we my shop is constant fire trap due to being a 200 year old wooden barn.


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## peacefulone61 (Oct 13, 2017)

So I have gotten more clarification after a host of town meeting and meetings with the EPA. 

Our University is operating under a wastewater permit that limits what can be disposed of in any drain on campus. The pigment is one of the items we cannot dispose of. So the school is requiring the parts washer to wash the pigment(paint) out of the rollers and brushes before items are washed in the sink. 

My understanding is that a Paint well put in line with the drain would also handle this but am not fully sure if it will or not. I am researching this now. If anyone has any thoughts it would be appreciated.


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## venuetech (Oct 13, 2017)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...9CB8QFggmMAA&usg=AOvVaw0Y6TS2P0XtKJyRKQ_TVlYL

A search for "pigment disposal in wastwater" turned this up, along with other items of interest.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Oct 13, 2017)

I love the oil painters will not dump it down the drain remove it from the site where they'll probably dump it down their drain.


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## peacefulone61 (Oct 20, 2017)

venuetech said:


> https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...9CB8QFggmMAA&usg=AOvVaw0Y6TS2P0XtKJyRKQ_TVlYL
> 
> A search for "pigment disposal in wastwater" turned this up, along with other items of interest.


Thank you I handed this information over to the school.


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