Helpful tips for storing and disposing of paint

If you're careful about how you seal and store your leftover paint, you'll be able to use it later for touch-ups and patch-ups. Don't forget to dispose of paint properly too! Here are some helpful storage and disposal tips.

• To prevent a skin from forming on oil-based paint, use a cosmetics sprayer to apply a thin film of mineral spirits over the paint before sealing the can . Five millilitres (one teaspoonful) is all you'll need to seal a half-empty 3.8 litre (1 gallon) can of paint, so there's no need to lay it on thick. To keep the film over your paint intact, take care not to shake or agitate the can as you seal and store it.
• As an alternative for preventing paint from making a skin, take a deep breath of fresh air and then exhale into the paint can before you snap on the lid. The carbon dioxide you blow out will make it less likely that the paint will form a skin.
• You could also try this to keep your stored paint skin free: when putting the lid back on the can, tap it in securely and then place the can upside down on the shelf. This produces an airtight seal and stops the paint from forming a skin.
• Before you store paint, use a little to mark a line on the outside of the can at the level of the paint inside. The line will remind you what colour the paint is, and how much is left.
• Funnel any leftover paint from trays or buckets into clean milk jugs at the end of a job. You can see the colour of the paint through the plastic, and it's easy to pour paint from the jug when you need it.
• A small amount of paint will keep better if you decant it into a jar with a screw-top lid. The less air in the jar, the better, so try to match the size of the jar to the amount of paint you'll be storing. Rub petroleum jelly around the neck of the jar before pouring in the paint. This layer of lubricant will keep any paint that spills down the outside from making the lid stick fast. Label the jar with the date and shade of paint.
• When you open the lid of an old paint can that's been sealed up with dried paint, you'll usually be left with uneven, paint-clogged surfaces on both the lid and the rim that will make it difficult to seal the can again. To make resealing the can a bit easier, grab a marker and draw a line across the lid and the rim at two different places before you open the lid. Then, when you go to replace the lid, simply align the marks and press the lid down for a quick and easy seal.

Your local waste authority can tell you how to dispose of waste paint responsibly in your area. In the meantime, don't let it get into the natural environment.

• Never flush your brushes, rollers or trays under running water that will end up in the sewer, stormwater network or natural waterways.
• Never pour used turpentine, thinners or any other solvents onto the soil or down drains.
• Never throw any paint waste into your home's waste bin
• Never burn-off paint cans.

Keep these helpful storage and disposal tips in mind, and your paint is more likely to last longer and have less of an impact on the environment.