The Fastest Way to Rinse Out a Paint Roller

Paint rollers make short work of painting large, flat surfaces, but the roller covers may require replacement after each new use if they aren't properly rinsed. Frequent disposal and replacement of roller covers isn't just costly. It also means more waste is sent to the landfill. Properly cleaning and storing the covers ensures you have a supply ready for your next home improvement project, but cleaning doesn't have to be time-consuming. The proper paint-removal method depends on the type of paint that needs to be cleaned from the pads.

Step 1

Hold the roller above the paint tray. Use the rounded cutout on the backside of a painters 5-in-1 tool to scrape gently down the sides of the roller cover to squeeze out the excess paint (that's what the cutout is made for). If you don't have a 5-in-1 tool, you scrape the cover with a paint stir stick or similar tool. Removing the excess paint allows you to rinse out the roller more quickly.

Step 2

Pull the roller cover halfway off the roller frame if you used latex paint. Rinse the paint from the cover with warm water. You can rinse in the sink if your home has public sewer lines; otherwise, rinse it out in a bucket of hot water so the paint won't seep into the groundwater. Squeeze the excess water out of the cover after rinsing.

Step 3

Fill a clean paint tray with paint solvent if you used oil-based paint. Roll the paint roller through the solvent several times until most of the paint residue is dissolved.

Step 4

Empty the old solvent from the tray and replace it with fresh. Clean the roller a second time in the solvent, then rinse it out with hot water.

Step 5

Remove the clean roller cover from the frame. Stand it on end in a protected area to dry completely.