The brushes should be washed every day

The brushes should be washed every day, after painting, and not carelessly stuck into a jar of water, oil or turpentine until needed again, as sometimes recommended. If left too long in water the handles will shrink when dry and fall off from the brushes.  If soaked in turpentine the hairs become stiff and gummed together, and oil will in time produce a very similar result.

If a large bristle brush is very full of paint it may first be dipped in turpentine to loosen the color and then wiped off with a rag, but must always be well washed in soap and water afterward.

It is also practicable, if one is pressed for time, to leave the bristle brushes over night in water.

This, however, must never be done with the sables, as if allowed to stand in water any time the hairs become rough and lose all elasticity.

The best and simplest way of washing brushes is to use soft soap and waterwhat the French students call " savonnoir" is the best.  If that can not be procured the softest bar of common brown washing soap will do very well. Put this into a pan of soft water, and, holding several brushes in the right hand, rub them well with the softened soap; then holding the sticks in an upright position, scrub the brushes round and round in the, center of the left palm, making a lather; this will eventually clean the bristles thoroughly, but takes some little time. The sables should be washed separately and need not be rubbed hard. Rinse all the brushes in clean water and then dry thoroughly with a clean rag; shape the hair of the sables into a point with the mouth or fingers so that the hairs will not spread and catch the dust.