How to store the paint rollers for reuse ?


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Old 03-18-10, 07:58 AM
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How to store the paint rollers for reuse ?

I have them in air tight zip lock bags. Haven't cleaned the water based paint off of it yet. Can I throw them in the refrigerator and re-use them months later ?

Or do I need to wash the paint off and dry it before storing

Or is it better to throw it out and buy new when I go back to repaint the next set of rooms

I have about 6 rollers x $3 = $18

Thanks
Shaw
 
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Old 03-18-10, 08:32 AM
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The plastic bags alone won't prevent the paint from drying, there is also air inside the rollers. The only way I have been able to reuse them is to wash them immediately. I use a hose with spray nozzle to give me a high velocity stream of water. This spins the roller and really gets the leftover paint out. It still takes some time to get them down to where you would call them clean, but alternating between washing and spinning works well. Of course you have to hold them the right way or you will get the washing, and the paint.

I then set them outside to drain and dry.

Bud
 
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Old 03-18-10, 10:15 AM
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I have heard (only heard!) that you can freeze them. But then you will have to wash them before use later on. Personally...I wash them when I'm done with the job.

I have also seen/read/heard that you CAN seal them up and put them in the fridge for say a few hours or overnight maybe. But what happens then when you can't get back to the job when you planned? I'd only do that if I was sure of my schedule.
And for cheaper rollers...I toss 'em when the job is done and buy new for the next one. The Pro's don't buy cheap roller covers..so that doesn't apply to them. They also paint every day...I paint every few years...maybe....lol.

For the cleaning they make an attachment that fits on a utility sink faucet or a hose and sprays water into a ring the size of a roller cover. Kinda looks like a gimmick but it really does work well...but it also wastes a few gal of water. It worked esp well when I had a slop sink in the garage and could use hot water...a few passes of the cover through the ring...then a quick rince in cool water...fluff it and let dry. I also found a brush comb with the notch for cleaning roller covers a big plus.
 
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Old 03-18-10, 10:50 AM
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As noted, it is best to wash the roller up at the end of the day. If I'm going to use the same roller in the morning and don't have the time [or energy] to wash out the roller I'll generally leave it submerged in the paint. You do need to seal the 5 gallon bucket up well enough to keep the paint from skimming over. Usually you can take the tint plug out of the lid and let the roller frame handle stick thru and take a rag or plastic to seal around it.

Wrapping up in plastic also works. You need to wrap the cover up tightly - any air left will start to dry out the paint. This works well for overnight providing the roller cover isn't subjected to a lot of heat.

A roller cover wrapped tightly in plastic and put in a refrigerator would keep for a month [maybe longer] Don't put a cover with latex paint in the freezer! It will harm the paint providing the potential for paint failure [just with the paint on the roller and a little of the paint it gets mixed with] It is ok to freeze a wrapped oil base cover.

I wash my latex covers in the manner that Bud described. You do need to be careful as to how you hold and spin the roller with the hose - or you'll take a bath sooner than you expect I usually take the cover about halfway off of the frame and then use the water to spin it. That both puts the spinning water farther from you and also allows you to clean up the paint that seeps in to the roller frame core.
 
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Old 03-18-10, 12:32 PM
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I did a little checking and what marksr said is absolutely right...I should have been more emphatic in that I didn't know if it was good or bad.

I don't think even a thorough cleaning would eliminate all the problems it could cause.

Should have done the checking BEFORE posting, I guess.
 
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Old 03-18-10, 02:38 PM
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Vic, you doubted what I had to say?

I reread your 1st two sentences, and technically that would be correct since after you thaw the cover and clean it - the frozen paint would be gone..... besides anyone that totes a flaming throwing machine gun - we give them the benifit of the doubt


Oh, I should have added that it's rarely cost effective to clean a roller cover used with oil base paint. The solvent needed to adequately clean the cover usually costs as much [or more] than the cover did.
 
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Old 03-18-10, 02:44 PM
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Didn't doubt you mark...just hate when I put kinda incorrect or possibly misunderstood info out. I may be sloppy when I paint...but I try better with my advice...lol.
 
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Old 03-21-10, 05:13 PM
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Thanks Everyone.
I will clean and store it
 
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Old 03-28-10, 08:12 AM
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I've had good luck with 1 gallon zip lock bags. Roll the bag to get all the air out and store in the fridge. Get the roller out a few hours before painting to warm up.
 
 

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