Oil paint can be messy. If cleanup is put off, it gets harder and harder (and can even ruin your paint brushes).

There’s no trade secret here—mineral spirits are a universal solvent for oil-based paint. They emit less odor than paint thinner and are considered more effective as a paint brush cleaner.

How quickly do you need to clean your paint brushes after using them? Oil paint takes longer to dry than water-based paints, but don’t let that fool you—cleaning the paint off brushes should ...