2 painting related questions

[Salty]

Before I forget...Happy New Year to all!

First....
Has anyone here ever painted grout?
LOML insists that the grout paint pen she saw advertised is the answer to the tile in the kitchen. The grout is probably original from the 70s when the house was built. I'm not sold on the idea of a paint on the grout to renew it. I did both the bathtub surround in 1 bath and the shower stall in the other by sawing out the old grout and putting in new. It's a lot of work but it looks good.

Second......
Do any of you clean out roller covers?
I've tried it recently and had limited success.
Aside from the time and gallons of water needed to get them relatively clean, they are just never the same after they dry. And every time I use one again I get these little pieces of the thing sticking to the wall.
My thought is that for the price of about $2 each, I'm just going to throw them away.


Thanks all!

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Nope. I toss the roller. I usually buy the better rollers, but I still end up tossing them due to problems you outline. I will save rollers by ziplock bagging and putting them in the freezer until a project is done, but after I am finished with a color the roller is usually tossed. I can't imagine how many HOURS of my fathers life he has wasted cleaning rollers.

[lcm1947]

Amen on the cleaning.

[Salty]

Saving them just gave me an idea.
I have an old foodsaver machine somewhere that I could use to vaccuum seal the thing until I need it again.
Great idea Jeffrey............now where is that old machine???

[thiggy]

I hate the clean-up after painting, but I hate even more using cheap brushes and rollers. Since I purchase premium quality applicators, I do clean them. The exception is the rare occasion when I use a roller for an oil-based finish. I zip the roller in a baggie and put it in the freezer till that particular project is completed then toss it in the trash. I do thoroughly clean rollers when using water-based finishes.

[eddy merckx]

We lived in a early 80s condo which had tiled counter tops in the kitchen. They got dirty really easily, so I tried the grout paint pen. As I recall, it worked fine.

[offthemark]

Wet Roller=Pringles Can

I've kept rollers in the fridge for 3-4 weeks when working on a project with no ill effects (latex paint). I just pop them in a Pringle's can (eat the chips first). The cans are a perfect size. I drop about a teaspoon of water in to keep things moinst. Put the lid on and stick in the fridge.

It's also pretty funny to have your 6 year old ask "Why does Daddy keep his potato chips in the fridge?"