Taking a Break
During short breaks in work, professional decorators wrap their brushes in plastic bags, clingfilm or tin foil, so the paint doesn't dry on the bristles. You can also use a rag moistened with the appropriate solvent to keep out the air and stop the paint from drying out.
During longer breaks, to save the process of cleaning oil-based paints from brushes, decorators suspend their brushes in a jar filled with water so the level covers the bristles. The brush has a hole drilled through it, just above the metal ferrule, through which you can insert a nail or wire which lays across the mouth of the jar. This stops the bristles from becoming bent out of true.
Cleaning Up and Storing Tools
At the end of each job, brushes should be thoroughly cleaned. When stripper is used to remove excess paint from bristles, decorators always wrap the handles of their brushes in plastic bags secured with rubber bands so the stripper doesn't remove the varnish from the brush handle. Afterwards, brushes are hung up to dry and then, to help maintain their shape during storage, a rubber band is placed around the bristles.
