Imagine something like a thin oven Mitt with multiple layers that are lined to prevent Paint from getting on you when you go to use your hand as a paint brush. It wouldn’t be surprising if you’ve never heard of a painters mitt. Most people haven’t used one because they only need to paint a wall where a simple roller would do, but for certain challenging surfaces, there is definitely a faster and easier way.
The mitt goes over your hand and keeps your skin from getting in contact with the paint from a moisture proof plastic lining.This allows you to use the fabric exterior to apply paint to tight areas where a normal paint roller or brush can’t get to. As long as the paint doesn’t get over the cuff, your hands and arms will be dry and paint free thanks to the protective lining.
Depending on the type of mitt you use, you can rinse the remaining paint off and leave it to dry for later use or you can throw away the non-reusable ones once you’ve completed the job.
What are the types of Mitts?
There are two types of Mitts that we’ll go over and were hinted at before. Both have their pros and cons compared to each other, but both have clear benefits over the traditional brush and roller. The type you get is largely dependent on the frequency and scale of the projects you are working on.
Single Use
These are great for one off needs such as restaining the staircase spindles at home or an art project of painting chair legs in different colors. The material used in this type of mitt might be of poor quality and leave fuzz behind. As the name implies, you won’t have to worry about these after you’re done, you simply dispose of them in the trash after use.
Multi-Use
Multi-use painter mitts are usually made with higher quality like lamb skin and are meant to be cleaned after every use. They are also used for more of a general purpose than just painting, they can be used to clean or dust hard to reach places like a grill or radiator. How long they last depends on how often you use them and what you need them for.
How do you use a painter’s mitt:
Since this tool is not commonly used, it might not seem like all that practical at first. It’s actually not that different than using a roller or brush when it comes to actually applying on the paint. Once you’ve gotten used to it, you’ll wonder how you got along without it before.
Follow these simple steps:
- Open the packaging and remove the mitt, be sure to brush off any loose particles.
- Wipe the surface off with a clean rag prior to painting to remove all dust or debris and ensure a smooth surface and a clean finish.
- Place mitt over your dominant hand, pulling it as far down as it comfortably goes.
- Dip the mitt into paint or stain making sure you don’t get too much paint at first and that paint doesn’t get too close to the cuff.
- When you notice the paint on the mitt begins to thin, simply dip the mitt in the paint again and go back to painting.
- Once you’ve completed the job, you can dispose of the mitt or rinse the remaining paint out off and let dry to reuse when needed.
What are the benefits?
We’ve mentioned several key benefits already but there are still more to these mitts than what’s on the surface. This time saving tool might be an underrated necessity that many homes are missing out on.
Painter’s Mitt can be used for painting and cleaning.
Don’t let the name fool you, painting is just one of the tasks you could use these mitts for. You could even get several uses out of a single use mitt if you just need to dust a few fan blades every now and then. You could even save time when you wash your car with a painter mitt.
Keep your hands clean and dry.
Sometimes when you are using a brush or roller you get paint all over your hands and after cleaning up the work area you can’t touch anything until you your hands right after. It’s great to not have to worry about getting paint on something you touched after finishing a quick task.
Saves you a ton of time.
There are certain jobs that might require a lot of teadius angle if you are using the traditional paint brush or roller. A mitt might not be needed for every task, but it certainly is useful in a lot of situations where you don’t need to only paint a square. Painters mitts can easily cut the time it takes to do the crown moldings and floorboards in half.
Great for hard to reach areas.
This is one of the benefits we mentioned earlier on in this article, but it bears repeating. It also applies when you’re using the mitts for cleaning, but being able to use your hands in tight spots frees yourself from the limitations of the paintbrush or roller. You’re able to get into all the cracks and crevices with the paint or cleaning solution without struggle.
Works well with paint and stain; one size fits most.
The materials used in a painter’s mitt are made to absorb liquids like wood stains or soapy water while protecting your hands and keeping them dry. The mitts are made to fit most adults’ size hands, but there are some limited sizing options.
Can be used to create texture to a flat surface.
Similar to how you would use a paint brush blotting technique to add texture to a wall or ceiling, you can also use a mitt. The options are not limited to practical uses only, you can also get creative by using faux finishing for creating texture, depth and special effects.
Now that you know a little bit more options for painting hard to reach or challenging surfaces you should be able to complete them in no time. Painters mitts are a surprisingly versatile tool for cleaning or painting that can you on time and trouble when you do find yourself needing to complete a specific task.
The post BENEFITS OF USING A PAINTER’S MITT appeared first on Incredible Planet.
