Painting your home can be a rewarding experience. After all, who doesn’t like the feeling of a job well done? And let’s not forget the pleasure of a clean, freshly painted wall. It can be absolutely invigorating. Unfortunately, this joy also comes with a few headaches, for all the tools you used to create your masterpiece now need to be safely cleaned up and dealt with. Here are a few tips to help your cleanup and safety after a paint job.

Clean Up And Safety After A Paint JobStow any ladders or step stools properly

While these objects can be very useful in reaching those high spots on the wall, if they are left out, ladders can be a safety concern. So, before the two year old begins to climb it or your loved ones come around the corner and run into it, put the ladder or step stool away.

Wrap up and dispose of any drip cloths

These things do a great job protecting your floor from unwanted paint splatter, but they serve as poor substitutes for an ice rink. Again, take up the cloths and deal with them (store or trash) as you see fit.

Clean your brushes and rollers

You worked hard on getting your walls to look great. You really don’t want little hands to come along and mess up the fruits of your labor. If you used latex paint, wash your brushes and rollers in warm water and a little soap. If you used oil paints, read the label on the can for the best solvents.

Store or dispose of leftover paint

If you choose to keep the leftover paint, be sure to close the can securely. When storing paint, keep it in an area where it won’t be exposed to freezing temperatures, a heat source, or sunlight.

If you choose to dispose of the paint, make sure you know the proper methods for your safety and the safety of the environment. Latex paint can be dried and disposed of with the regular garbage, but oil based paints must be treated as hazardous waste.