Ivory soap. Purity Soap.

do you all clean your brushes and sponges with these types of soaps?

I use Ivory in the pump bottle. I'm starting to wonder if the bars work better. I looked into the Purity soap, but the price differential is just too high.

Ivory bar soap works better than the liquid (there is more other stuff in the liquid). Purity is more expensive, as it is handmade, but I like it and use it on myself - it is less drying than Ivory.

I was my sponges with Ivory - Purity is used if the Ivory doesn't get it all out. Brushes are done with Purity at home (Ivory on the job.)

how do you clean the sponges with the bar? and is it like the dove brand or any type of ivory soap?

Form DaVinci you can get brush soap. I like it, because you get the colour deep out of the bristles. But any natural soap bar works like the same.

SmileyBee Faces wrote:how do you clean the sponges with the bar? and is it like the dove brand or any type of ivory soap?

Wet sponge, rub on the bar soap, work the soap into the sponge with your hands... you know, squeeze and squish it, then rinse, squeeze, repeat until it is clean...

Shannon - Does the ivory remove all the stains? I think I recall where in the discussion of dying sponges black that you said that your sponges were not stained? Assuming that you have to wash the soap out really well so that it doesn't get in someone's eyes.

My tack sponges are not stained. My FWW green sponges are not stained. Some of the soft white high density have some stains of purple and green but not too many.

This is NOT rocket surgery. The sponges are kept wet, I get home, drain the water, soak them in HOT water, drain, HOT soapy water soak, drain and squeeze and rinse, repeating until all colour is gone from the rinse water. Then I spot clean any lingering colour with the bar soap. Then another HOT water soak. I leave them at least overnight. Then squeeze and drain again. Sometimes then sit in the water for a week if I am busy ... there is often colour settled in the bottom of the bucket. The longer they soak the cleaner they are.

"Rocket surgery" new term for me... but I can understand it...hehe
(sorry Shannon, just had to say it!)

Brain science works too...

All my sponges are in mesh bag meant for socks in the washer.
I throw all my sponges in the washer, they come out good as new.
Some stains of purple and green.

MelindaT0813 wrote:All my sponges are in mesh bag meant for socks in the washer.
I throw all my sponges in the washer, they come out good as new.
Some stains of purple and green.

Yeah I do the same but some of them stain and i use just regular detergent soap but im kind of nervous that soap still stays in the sponge.

Ivory soap bars take out almost everything! They are also great on the job to wash brushes and get them really clean!

It's not so much Ivory as a brand but it is the use of "real"soap. I make cold process soap and nothing cleans as well as my homemade soap I equal it to Masters. So use Ivory (be careful some new Ivory is reformulated with glycerin) or a castile, you want a soap made with lye in a cold or hot process.

I do suggest a brush cleaner like Mehron or such to condition the bristles form time to time.

I agree about staining I have some Wolfe, FFW, and others that have a rare red stain from purples but actual little overall. As for the black dye.... as a batik artist I spent many years dyeing and selling my wares. Trust me all those Rit and hot water dyes will fade and bleed out in washing, regardless of setting the color. In time that dye will fade, but perhaps the sponge will wear out before then. And if you love them that is all that really matters. Like face paints there are tricks to dyeing.

I use purtity on my brushes.... and put the sponges in the laundry.

Thanks Loretta, didn't know that stuff!

I found that the "Masters" soap worked better than dish soap so I posted about it on fb. Then, Linda (I think) suggested Ivory soap. I started using the Ivory soap bars and they work just as well. Sometimes for really deep cleaning, I also use eye makeup remover.

It's good to know that the ivory soap is good for washing brushes! I have so many bottles of it that I got for free thanks to couponing.

I'm not sure of the liquid works the same. I have only used the bar.

I use SARD WONDER SOAP here is Australia. Must be similar to your brands as it gets out almost all paint and removes stains. I simply wash all paint from the brush/sponge under running water, then rub brush/sponge on the soap bar, rub a little and magically, what you thought was clean suddenly produces more colour. Rinse really well and air dry.