Game Envy makes a set of copper weights that fit in the corners of the wet palette and serves the dual purpose of reducing mold and holding the paper flat.
Army Painter throws in an instruction with their wet palette to avoid mold and other disgusting stuff. Just clean your sponges with clear water after every project and let them dry completly. They get back in shape when you wet them anew at the start of a new project. That works perfect for me.
Very interesting topic and I'm surprised no one else has brought this up before, or some have mentioned in passing that you should clean it occasionally, but not much more than that. I wash my wet pallet once a week. But I just do it with warm water and scrub off the worst of the paint residue. Then I soak the sponge in warm water and squeeze it out until the water is clear, which is between two and three times. The only metal I would consider using as an antibacterial aid in my wet pallet is gold, as it is one of the few metals that is not toxic to us humans, but acts as an antibacterial aid. But I don't lick my brushes, as I'm pretty sure that the chemicals that are in the paint are not completely healthy for us, some colors can only be obtained from different oxides and they are not always toxic but as a rule they often are. Other pigments come from our plants and I'm pretty sure they're not very healthy either.
In the grand scheme of things, the mould that would get ingested from brush licking is probably less significant than ingesting the various chemicals, metals and other particulates used for paints. Personally, it wouldn’t be high on my list of health concerns. That said, I would absolutely clean the pallet as soon as it shows signs of mould - Ideally try to prevent it. When not in use, I let my pallet dry out to combat any potential growths.
Because I use cheap sponges and parchment paper in a cheap plastic tray, I just wet the sponge, throw it in the microwave, and rinse out the tray with Lysol each week. 0 problems so far but this is a great reminder for everyone. Great thumbnail graphic too 😂
I use plastic paint pallets for my Gunpla hobby, and gave some to my friend who does Warhammer. I buy them by the 10 pack, and will cycle through them. I put them in a bath of Super Clean degreaser which is perfect for cleaning up after acrylic and sometimes enamel paint, then scrub them off with dish soap and scrub sponge.
I use bottled water, wash every time I change the paper in hot water with dishwashing liquid. As people said let it dry outside ( not inside near a window as glass kills off most UV). Also if you want to make sure use a uv lamp or torch to kill any lingering mold/ bacteria.
Great topic to cover. I have seen a number of painters that use little copper corner things that holds the paper on the palette. I generally use fairy liquid to rinse my sponge every paper change. Been using the same sponge for the last 4 years
I make my own wet pallette and change the tissue paper and parchment paper after every use. My painting sessions can be days, weeks or even months apart and I need the paint to stay alive for one painting session. Once dried, the used tissue papers make excellent brush wiping papers and reduce waste by doing so.
I wash mine once a week ish, I’d like to do it every week but some times it doesn’t happen. When I wash it I break it down completely, scrap the paper and wash tray, sponge and lid, important to do the lid as although it doesn't stain it can still have stuff growing on it which will transfer back to the tray and sponge and make it stink quicker. As for the washing I just use fairy liquid (washing up liquid) and boiling water for the sponge and just hot water from the tap for the tray and lid. I scrub the tray and lid and dry them with a cloth. I scrub neat washing up liquid into the sponge then pour the boiling water onto it and leave it to soak until it gets cold then I rinse the sponge with cold water until all the soaps out as it can get quite the lather going on, squeeze as much moister out as possible then leave it to air dry over night and set it back up at the start of my next session. I certainly hear your concern about replacing the paper so regularly, that is why I use baking paper instead of wet pallet paper and it works fine I also cut it into much smaller sized pieces than the sponge as I know I’m not going to use the whole sponge worth of surface before I break it up, but that’s just because I spent many years working on a dry pallet and I’m used to working with small blobs of paint and getting more out as required and I tend to keep the whole thing very neat and tidy. As a paint and more importantly health safe way of prolonging wet pallet life, I place a drop (about the size of a normal drop of paint) of washing up liquid in the centre of the tray under the sponge when I’m setting it up and this usually keeps it from smelling for a couple weeks when I break my cleaning rule and leave it to fester that bit too long.
I just picked up a new RedGrass Gaming palette during their kickstarter and checked the instructions for that. That one says to give it a clean once a week. Not sure I have the patience for that, but I use paper very slowly, so I'm thinking I need to clean it when I change at least. The last one had mould all over the place.
Great video. Just an fyi with mold a lot of places say to use bleach but that’s actually not how to get rid of it. Bleach can end up just bleaching out the color of the mold while leaving it there and can cause mold spores to release. Baking soda and vinegar does a better job.
I had thrown my sponge from redgrass game into the washing maschine to our regular clothes. It worked out with 40°c and 1200rpm and of course i put it into a small net, so it didn't tear apart. I regularly clean the container of the palette with isoprop.
I am a brush licker. I use copper corner holders. I clean the palette about once a month with isopropyl alcohol on all the stiff surfaces. I also store it in the refrigerator between sessions to inhibit mold. I also use a solution of hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and water to clean the sponges. No boiling water or bleach (degrades the sponge). I dry the sponges completely in the sun as the solar radiation also kills mold. I use a small dehumidifier near my painting area, and the fridge storage also fixes the humidity.
I saw that theres a company selling Palette shields, which are corner pieces of copper to hold down the paper in your wet palette and also add the benefits of having cooper in your palette, think they're on kickstarter at the minute
FYI Most domestic water pipes are copper. So already consuming that 24/7. Use de-ionsed water - for car radiators. However a quick clean with kitchen sanitizer and then thorough rinse in clean water. No bleach.
Deep clean Bleach and microwave good idea, just rinse really well till your fingers don't feel slippery anymore your sponge will be clear to use. In between paint sessions just add few drops iso alchol to pallet water to sterilize once a week washup liquid and leave to dry overnight to stay on top of dirt
I give my pallet a good rinse every time I change the sheet. Don’t like the smell of water stagnating. I’m trying a couple of copper pennies to help too. Seems to work
When I clean my wet palette, I rinse it with dish soap. Then I add a drop or two when I moisten it, and keep a resetting (condiment) bottle of water nearby...again, with a couple drops of dish soap mixed in. I've not had any smell or mold problems since I started this several years ago. I also let it dry out when I know ill be away for more than a week. However, was gone all last week and forgot to lay it out to dry, so was still wet when I returned...but no smell or mold. And the soap is so thin as this ratio that it doesn't seem to effect my paint's surface tension.
I put a few pieces of copper wire under the spoonge in mine. It wont prevent 100% but will keep bacteria away longer :) I have noticed a huge diffrence between the time it takes from fresh sponge to smell. You can also let your spoonge dry completely from time to time, dont let it be wet 24/7/365
Mold loves to grow in wet, dark places and a wet palettes are prime locations for that. It would be a good idea to check on it regularly and clean as needed.
Hi Andy! Great video and I'm still really enjoying the voiceover commentary style, not just for this, but for the painty videos, too. I've been experimenting on this topic, and regarding the mold part, my hypothesis is that the speed of growth is largely dependent on quality of water you use, and next by the cleanliness of the sponge. I live in north Texas and my tap water is not very good, so I use a Britta Filter for drinking water and painting water. I have the Red Grass Games "Painter Size" Everlasting Wet Pallet v1 with the orange lid (aka my "Keepy-Keepy-Wet-Wet" (name credit: Ceri from TheHobbyRoom)). I've been using it since 2021 and it's the only one I've ever had. Before that I used Citadel Pallet Paper, and then made my own wet pallet following Darren Latham's tutorial, using a plastic container and kitchen roll. When I started using the RGG pallet, I used tap water and kept the lid on between sessions. If there was an extended period where I didn't paint, I'd leave the lid cracked open so that it could air out (credit Miniac). I had to start cleaning it every 2 months because it would be smelly and have dark mildew/mold on teh sponge and around the sides. I used dish soap and warm water for the sponge and container. I started leaving the lid cracked more often, thinking it would help, but 2 months was still the limit. I also tried using the pennies and tried cleaning with vinegar and water. After about 18 months I threw out the sponge. In hind sight I should have let the sponge completely dry separate from the container instead of immediately using it. In my opinion, once that sponge goes (whether bateria or excessively dried), it's gone. I switched to using cold, filtered water and using my backup sponge (credit TheSithPanda), but the heat in my apartment had already destroyed that sponge, so I returned to using kitchen roll. It's been 2 years of using filtered water and Bounty kitchen roll. I leave my lid on between sessions and I can go for about 3-4 months between cleanings, but it's not because the pallet smells of mold, it's because I can see deposits of mildew around the edges of the pallet container. I change the kitchen roll every 1-2 months and at the end of any day that I've prepped my pallet for use, I basically "squeegee" the excess water out of the kitchen roll "sponge" before closing the lid.
You could try use something like Milton. It breaks down by itself over time and also in saliva. Also buy a couple of spare sponges and rotate them so they dry out thoroughly, ideally in sunlight.
I never leave my palette wet when it’s not in use. It may waste some paint but that way it has a chance to dry out and prevent mold growth. Plus, it’s really for preserving paint during a session IMO.
Instead of a sponge, I use paper towel and parchment paper. After i finish with a project, or if I need to change out the palette, I toss it all and start fresh. If I’m not painting for a while, I clean (with soap) and dry out the palette.
Sponge rinsed with hot tap and dryed every session, boiled water poured over it from the kettle roughly once a week. Had a moldy one once and I really hate mold.
The low value euro coins, 1, 2 and 5 cent are copper covered steel and should although no longer minted should be available in Ireland if you want to try the copper trick. I just wash my sponges every few months but found that a half drop of washing up liquid in the palette water significantly stops any mold. Doesn't seem to leave any taste or cause issues with the paints. Bleach will cause the sponge to decay over time as it breaks down the fibres.
I have a pallette, dont use it so much so I've never cleaned it (one hand to count how many times it has been used). But it's getting cleaned now for sure #lifesaver
I'm also using army painter wet pallete and the truth is that with Bleach I'm doing fine. I leave it submerged in Bleach 10-12 hours and then scrap it also with some brush. Looks like "new".
So there are a few things that are used in the aquarium hobby for cleaning. -1/10 bleach to water -1/2 cup of citric acid (powder) to 1 gallon of water -50/50 white vinegar to water The bleach one should be soaked for about 10 mins and thoroughly rinsed, then left to fully dry. This may take a few days for a sponge. When bleach is completely dry it is innert and wont cause issues. The citric acid and vinegar methods should be soaked for at least an hour and also thoroughly rinsed. Both are food safe but take longer to be effective. You don't need to make a gallon of the solution, just keep the ratio in line and you'll be fine. Take your pick on what works best for you. Personally I like using bleach but that's because I have a few sponges and I can have one drying while I put in a clean one and alternate them when they get dirty. Hope this helps someone.
i use army painter wet palette that is coated with anti-mould stuff so it doesnt grow mould to start with, They actually tell you not to wash it so you dont damage the coating...they have 2 sizes of palette available i use the new larger one but can see me going back to the smaller size as the new one doesnt have refills available at the moment....hope that helps
If my sponges looked like that I'd be changing them! If you washed it out weekly you wouldn't need to use bleach, just a couple of squirts of anti-bac soap would do. Wet palette's are not meant to be used for days on end, they are only meant to be used to keep your paints open for that painting session. Only use Distilled Water to wet the sponges. Keep the water topped up level with the top of the sponge. The paper should be flat at all times, if it starts to curl up and get bumpy, that's a sign it is drying out and it's time to top up the water. The water pipes in your house are made of copper! I have a sheet of copper in the bottom of my palette, got it online somewhere, Amazon maybe? Personally I clean my Redgrass Washable paper at the end of each session, I didn't really keep count, but the last peace I must have washed at least 20 times.
I have the same wet pallette as the one used in the video. I let mine dry out to prevent this problem. I also use copper but dont really have any proof that it does anything. As a tradesman i can tell you that copper is pretty much inert, hence why its used in hot and cold water systems. Brent from goobertown hobbies is a chemist tho, maybe he can advise.
I lick brushes as well, I have turned them on a cloth but if it doesn't go to the point I want I'll use my mouth to do it. You can try anti-bacterial washing up liquid as well. If you can find one that's clear it's good for other painting tasks. For the sponges, if you get into a habit of cleaning them regularly scrunching them and soaking them in anti-bacterial washing up liquid ought to be enough. Though the question could be asked, is washing up liquid bad for you if ingested? I did have a tub that was mouldy, I bleached that and threw the sponges out but them I use kitchen cloth/sponges that are much cheaper. I also knew a guy - I worked with him for a bit - who'd bleach his cup regularly to remove the tea stain. That was a bit excessive to me and he probably rinsed it well afterwards and as far as I know he's not dead yet. Would I advise it, probably not...
Dish washing liquid is considered non-toxic and rinses away, but too much can make you go to the bathroom... too much. You can bleach your dishes if the bleach is dilute, but you can't mix dish washing liquid and bleach as it makes a toxic fume that will irritate the lungs and eyes and you have to rinse bleach really well or it'll absolutely destroy your teeth and the lining of your gut. It does seem a little excessive for a tea stain.
I honestly don’t get it - I’ve had a wet palette well over a year and it’s just fine. Not smelly at all. I try to let it dry out every so often while I’m not using it but not convinced it’s necessary. I wring it out when I need to change the sheet on top. I also don’t lick my brushes. I guess I need to spray can my face to make up for it? Is it possible the RedGrass Games ones are just too good at sealing, means it’s more wet? I’ve got an Army Painter one.
I do not keep my wet palettes wet when not using them for a while. I leave the lid off or ajar and let it dry out. I would never leave my wet palette stored with water loaded in it. I always get it as dry as possible when I put it away.
Instead of bleach in the process (which is carcinogenic), many use vinegar and/or hydrogen peroxide. I don't know how to use it, but just wanted you to know!
I took a brake from Warhammer for around 2 years. Got back into it when old world came back. When I got out my hobby stuff my wet pallet sponge had mould in it. I just throw it out and used a new one and put the plastic components through the dish washer.
Thanks for bringing up the subject. Mold doesn't develop on the surface of zinc, but very little absorbs into the water so a zinc penny probably wouldn't do much and copper is better in that regard, but it's still not a super effective method at mold prevention. Leaving the palette lid partly open is better and making sure your water source is clean from the outset helps a lot of course. People cook in and distill alcohol in copper pots. And zinc and copper are both supplements the body needs and are often taken together since too much zinc can prevent the body's absorption of copper. So having a piece of zinc or copper in the palette won't hurt you. But it's not a good to lick your brush and it's a bad habit that can lead to accidents when painting traditional lead models or when using toxic pigments and varnishes. Cross contamination is very likely. Although hobby paint is deemed non-toxic it should be called a minimally toxic chemical instead. A small amount won't hurt most people, but it's just not safe enough to eat and the additives can get pretty weird. For example the new formula Vallejo paints contain chemicals you can develop sensitivity to over time and a lot of their paint and varnish is polyurethane based instead of straight acrylic paint. By licking the brush your body is constantly absorbing the pigments many of which end up in the liver, kidneys, and glands just like tattoo ink does and we don't know the long term effects of things like azo pigments on the body. Professional oil paints contain even more toxic chemicals than hobby style acrylics do. These are mostly heavy metals like cobalt, cadmium, and manganese, but can also include lead, tin, and mercury although those kinds of paints are usually only used by professionals who know what they are doing. But by developing good habits now you can avoid accidents in the future. Consuming a small amount of mold won't hurt most people. Penicillin is a mold after all that has benefits, but some people are allergic to penicillin so the negative health effects of mold exposure is something pretty individualized. People with especially sensitive immune symptoms can develop serious illnesses from exposure to mold. And those receiving chemotherapy or taking immune suppressing drugs can't fight off illnesses caused by mold and where mold is present fungus may be present also. Infections from mold and fungus can settle in the lungs so it's best to clean up the palette every couple of days especially in warmer weather since warmer temperatures can accelerate growth. Some people store their palette in the fridge inside of a baggie to preserve their paint and palette longer. I know some oil painters use the freezer, but ice crystals would probably destroy the sponge. The way you cleaned the pad with bleach is fine. Bleach and hot water are very effective at removing mold. Bleach kills biological material instantly upon contact. However to be safe people should an already diluted commercial spray like you did or dilute household cleaning bleach with a lot of water to prevent burning of the skin and eyes and to prevent the fumes from scarring their lungs. They should also use regular kitchen gloves while using bleach since a lot of people have bad reactions to bleach. It dries out and cracks their skin. Bleach is just liquid chlorine and it's water soluble so water will rinse it away just fine. That's why they recommend taking a shower after swimming in a treated pool. Bleach also evaporates and weakens over time when exposed to more air, so I don't think it would affect your paints as long as you rinsed it well enough. Squeezing the sponge a few times under running water will push the water through it. Hang it up with a clothespin to dry in partial sun and the UV light will help kill the mold. Too much sun exposure will degrade the pad however so bring it back inside once it's dry. You'll know it's dry when it curls up. To prevent mold in the future just wash the sponge and palette out with soapy water and let it dry and you won't need the bleach anymore. You can do this every other day or so. And you can change the paper then. (Tracing paper is best.) Antibacterial dish soap prevents mold the best, but really any soapy water will do. Just make sure you rinse the sponge out really well or you'll be painting with foam. 😄
The biggest thing I do is boil and cook the water I use for the palette. Boiling kills the bugs that survived in the water and it seems to last alot longer.
Well, there's a reason some people tell people to 'drink bleach' when they have malicious intent; it's quite bad so you really don't want any in your wet palette. Personally I've not cleaned my palette outside of cleaning it with hot water. It does smell bad so I guess I'll give it a good cleaning later when it's out of the box.
4 pennies has kept the corners from curling up and the copper is antimicrobial. Licking your brush is also probably inoculating your pallet with bacteria from you mouth.
Well if you paint and open your wet palette then it should be fine. The issue starts when you close it up and have no painting for 3-4 days. Then it is generally garbage. Just use it every day and if not clean it every time.
@@MediocreHobbies They're the copper-plated zinc ones, but I'll eventually end up with a copper wire loop around the edge once I need to upgrade. Might be a bit of a business opportunity, there.
I wouldn't worry too much about leftover traces of bleach in my wet pallette as a brush licker. After all, you get a gazillion times more bleach in your mouth when you go to the swimming pool, and it's supposed to be OK, eh?
Stop licking brushes! You don't need to put the brush in the mouth to get a good point. Please break this habit. And if you don't have this habit, never start. Game Envy makes palette weights that are made of solid copper.
@@MediocreHobbies I personally don't think that reason is good enough. There are plenty of other efficient ways to get a good point that don't involve sticking the brush in your mouth.
Great idea to clean wet palettes every week but there is no excuse for the dirty disgusting behaviour of brush licking, children do it and are chastised for it, JUST STOP DOING IT...
![F.HERO Ft. JSPKK x ลำไย ไหทองคำ x M-PEE - ไม่สนิทบิดหมด (Thai Riders Anthem) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kPJZ0UihBfk/mqdefault.jpg)
Timely. My wet pallet currently looks and smells like Nurgle’s garden.
Mine too
I'm glad you saw the video then :D
I rinse mine pretty regularly and let it dry. I’ve never had an issue with mold growing but it seemed like the smart thing to do
Letting mine dry is definitely something i don’t do enough!
Game Envy makes a set of copper weights that fit in the corners of the wet palette and serves the dual purpose of reducing mold and holding the paper flat.
Yes. I use these as well. Very good product.
Will check these out, thanks so much for the tip!
Army Painter throws in an instruction with their wet palette to avoid mold and other disgusting stuff. Just clean your sponges with clear water after every project and let them dry completly. They get back in shape when you wet them anew at the start of a new project. That works perfect for me.
Very interesting topic and I'm surprised no one else has brought this up before, or some have mentioned in passing that you should clean it occasionally, but not much more than that.
I wash my wet pallet once a week. But I just do it with warm water and scrub off the worst of the paint residue. Then I soak the sponge in warm water and squeeze it out until the water is clear, which is between two and three times. The only metal I would consider using as an antibacterial aid in my wet pallet is gold, as it is one of the few metals that is not toxic to us humans, but acts as an antibacterial aid. But I don't lick my brushes, as I'm pretty sure that the chemicals that are in the paint are not completely healthy for us, some colors can only be obtained from different oxides and they are not always toxic but as a rule they often are. Other pigments come from our plants and I'm pretty sure they're not very healthy either.
I put a few drops of vinegar in my wet pallet every few weeks. The acid helps keep mould from growing,
Interesting idea, thank you for sharing!
In the grand scheme of things, the mould that would get ingested from brush licking is probably less significant than ingesting the various chemicals, metals and other particulates used for paints. Personally, it wouldn’t be high on my list of health concerns.
That said, I would absolutely clean the pallet as soon as it shows signs of mould - Ideally try to prevent it.
When not in use, I let my pallet dry out to combat any potential growths.
Because I use cheap sponges and parchment paper in a cheap plastic tray, I just wet the sponge, throw it in the microwave, and rinse out the tray with Lysol each week. 0 problems so far but this is a great reminder for everyone.
Great thumbnail graphic too 😂
Haha thanks man, tried my best!
Very good to keep this in mind and probably very underestimated by folks.
Yeah for something that is sitting beside us for hours at a time, it's important!
I use plastic paint pallets for my Gunpla hobby, and gave some to my friend who does Warhammer. I buy them by the 10 pack, and will cycle through them. I put them in a bath of Super Clean degreaser which is perfect for cleaning up after acrylic and sometimes enamel paint, then scrub them off with dish soap and scrub sponge.
I use bottled water, wash every time I change the paper in hot water with dishwashing liquid. As people said let it dry outside ( not inside near a window as glass kills off most UV). Also if you want to make sure use a uv lamp or torch to kill any lingering mold/ bacteria.
UV torch-genius!
Great topic to cover. I have seen a number of painters that use little copper corner things that holds the paper on the palette. I generally use fairy liquid to rinse my sponge every paper change. Been using the same sponge for the last 4 years
Fairy liquid is magic :D
I make my own wet pallette and change the tissue paper and parchment paper after every use. My painting sessions can be days, weeks or even months apart and I need the paint to stay alive for one painting session. Once dried, the used tissue papers make excellent brush wiping papers and reduce waste by doing so.
That's a smart way of working!
I wash mine once a week ish, I’d like to do it every week but some times it doesn’t happen. When I wash it I break it down completely, scrap the paper and wash tray, sponge and lid, important to do the lid as although it doesn't stain it can still have stuff growing on it which will transfer back to the tray and sponge and make it stink quicker.
As for the washing I just use fairy liquid (washing up liquid) and boiling water for the sponge and just hot water from the tap for the tray and lid. I scrub the tray and lid and dry them with a cloth. I scrub neat washing up liquid into the sponge then pour the boiling water onto it and leave it to soak until it gets cold then I rinse the sponge with cold water until all the soaps out as it can get quite the lather going on, squeeze as much moister out as possible then leave it to air dry over night and set it back up at the start of my next session.
I certainly hear your concern about replacing the paper so regularly, that is why I use baking paper instead of wet pallet paper and it works fine I also cut it into much smaller sized pieces than the sponge as I know I’m not going to use the whole sponge worth of surface before I break it up, but that’s just because I spent many years working on a dry pallet and I’m used to working with small blobs of paint and getting more out as required and I tend to keep the whole thing very neat and tidy.
As a paint and more importantly health safe way of prolonging wet pallet life, I place a drop (about the size of a normal drop of paint) of washing up liquid in the centre of the tray under the sponge when I’m setting it up and this usually keeps it from smelling for a couple weeks when I break my cleaning rule and leave it to fester that bit too long.
copper is even used in bottom coatings on boats and ships to keep algae and other bacteria and other molds and mildews at minimum.
Yeah copper is definitely going to help in this
I just picked up a new RedGrass Gaming palette during their kickstarter and checked the instructions for that. That one says to give it a clean once a week. Not sure I have the patience for that, but I use paper very slowly, so I'm thinking I need to clean it when I change at least. The last one had mould all over the place.
I didnt read them and have one!
Yeah seems like a hassle to clean it this much every week but maybe we should be!
Great video. Just an fyi with mold a lot of places say to use bleach but that’s actually not how to get rid of it. Bleach can end up just bleaching out the color of the mold while leaving it there and can cause mold spores to release. Baking soda and vinegar does a better job.
Oh that's really good to know, thanks so much!
Never thought of this at all. Of course its a valid thing to consider, but I change mine out after every project and clean it anyway.
You are a lot more on top of things than I am!
I had thrown my sponge from redgrass game into the washing maschine to our regular clothes. It worked out with 40°c and 1200rpm and of course i put it into a small net, so it didn't tear apart. I regularly clean the container of the palette with isoprop.
Seriously never considered the washing machine til the comment section haha
I am a brush licker. I use copper corner holders. I clean the palette about once a month with isopropyl alcohol on all the stiff surfaces. I also store it in the refrigerator between sessions to inhibit mold. I also use a solution of hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and water to clean the sponges. No boiling water or bleach (degrades the sponge). I dry the sponges completely in the sun as the solar radiation also kills mold. I use a small dehumidifier near my painting area, and the fridge storage also fixes the humidity.
I saw that theres a company selling Palette shields, which are corner pieces of copper to hold down the paper in your wet palette and also add the benefits of having cooper in your palette, think they're on kickstarter at the minute
Ok that's a cool idea! Will have a look at them
FYI Most domestic water pipes are copper. So already consuming that 24/7. Use de-ionsed water - for car radiators. However a quick clean with kitchen sanitizer and then thorough rinse in clean water. No bleach.
Great point there about the copper! Thank you!
Deep clean Bleach and microwave good idea, just rinse really well till your fingers don't feel slippery anymore your sponge will be clear to use. In between paint sessions just add few drops iso alchol to pallet water to sterilize once a week washup liquid and leave to dry overnight to stay on top of dirt
I give my pallet a good rinse every time I change the sheet. Don’t like the smell of water stagnating. I’m trying a couple of copper pennies to help too. Seems to work
When I clean my wet palette, I rinse it with dish soap. Then I add a drop or two when I moisten it, and keep a resetting (condiment) bottle of water nearby...again, with a couple drops of dish soap mixed in. I've not had any smell or mold problems since I started this several years ago. I also let it dry out when I know ill be away for more than a week. However, was gone all last week and forgot to lay it out to dry, so was still wet when I returned...but no smell or mold. And the soap is so thin as this ratio that it doesn't seem to effect my paint's surface tension.
*rewetting
I put a few pieces of copper wire under the spoonge in mine. It wont prevent 100% but will keep bacteria away longer :) I have noticed a huge diffrence between the time it takes from fresh sponge to smell.
You can also let your spoonge dry completely from time to time, dont let it be wet 24/7/365
Yep definitely need to dry it out more often- i never remember that part!
Mold loves to grow in wet, dark places and a wet palettes are prime locations for that. It would be a good idea to check on it regularly and clean as needed.
It’s basically the ideal growing condition 😄
Hi Andy! Great video and I'm still really enjoying the voiceover commentary style, not just for this, but for the painty videos, too. I've been experimenting on this topic, and regarding the mold part, my hypothesis is that the speed of growth is largely dependent on quality of water you use, and next by the cleanliness of the sponge. I live in north Texas and my tap water is not very good, so I use a Britta Filter for drinking water and painting water. I have the Red Grass Games "Painter Size" Everlasting Wet Pallet v1 with the orange lid (aka my "Keepy-Keepy-Wet-Wet" (name credit: Ceri from TheHobbyRoom)). I've been using it since 2021 and it's the only one I've ever had. Before that I used Citadel Pallet Paper, and then made my own wet pallet following Darren Latham's tutorial, using a plastic container and kitchen roll.
When I started using the RGG pallet, I used tap water and kept the lid on between sessions. If there was an extended period where I didn't paint, I'd leave the lid cracked open so that it could air out (credit Miniac). I had to start cleaning it every 2 months because it would be smelly and have dark mildew/mold on teh sponge and around the sides. I used dish soap and warm water for the sponge and container. I started leaving the lid cracked more often, thinking it would help, but 2 months was still the limit. I also tried using the pennies and tried cleaning with vinegar and water. After about 18 months I threw out the sponge. In hind sight I should have let the sponge completely dry separate from the container instead of immediately using it. In my opinion, once that sponge goes (whether bateria or excessively dried), it's gone.
I switched to using cold, filtered water and using my backup sponge (credit TheSithPanda), but the heat in my apartment had already destroyed that sponge, so I returned to using kitchen roll.
It's been 2 years of using filtered water and Bounty kitchen roll. I leave my lid on between sessions and I can go for about 3-4 months between cleanings, but it's not because the pallet smells of mold, it's because I can see deposits of mildew around the edges of the pallet container. I change the kitchen roll every 1-2 months and at the end of any day that I've prepped my pallet for use, I basically "squeegee" the excess water out of the kitchen roll "sponge" before closing the lid.
You could try use something like Milton. It breaks down by itself over time and also in saliva. Also buy a couple of spare sponges and rotate them so they dry out thoroughly, ideally in sunlight.
Spare sponges is a great idea, takes age to dry anything here in Ireland :D
I never leave my palette wet when it’s not in use. It may waste some paint but that way it has a chance to dry out and prevent mold growth. Plus, it’s really for preserving paint during a session IMO.
You’re very right! I need to get better at knowing when I’m done with it and just let it dry more between sessions.
Instead of a sponge, I use paper towel and parchment paper. After i finish with a project, or if I need to change out the palette, I toss it all and start fresh. If I’m not painting for a while, I clean (with soap) and dry out the palette.
Sponge rinsed with hot tap and dryed every session, boiled water poured over it from the kettle roughly once a week. Had a moldy one once and I really hate mold.
That sounds like you’re super on top of things man, well done. Mold ain’t your friend
That foam is looking pretty manky too it might be time to lash out on some new ones, great video though it might be time for me to clean mine too 🤔
Pallete gets cleaned every time I paint which is on a Thursday, Fri sat
Ah you have a proper schedule, need to make sure I start something like that!
I like to wash mine every 2 weeks. I just use warm water and anti-bacterial hand wash. I also like to change the sponge every 2 months.
I really need to get some spare sponges!
The low value euro coins, 1, 2 and 5 cent are copper covered steel and should although no longer minted should be available in Ireland if you want to try the copper trick.
I just wash my sponges every few months but found that a half drop of washing up liquid in the palette water significantly stops any mold. Doesn't seem to leave any taste or cause issues with the paints.
Bleach will cause the sponge to decay over time as it breaks down the fibres.
I have a pallette, dont use it so much so I've never cleaned it (one hand to count how many times it has been used). But it's getting cleaned now for sure #lifesaver
Glad to hear that!
Never had mould in my wet pallette but i only ever use distilled water in it.
Smart idea!
I'm also using army painter wet pallete and the truth is that with Bleach I'm doing fine. I leave it submerged in Bleach 10-12 hours and then scrap it also with some brush. Looks like "new".
I do the same as you with brushes
Yeah…it’s hard to just stop!
I was having this issue and I changed to distilled water and it has not happened since (2 years in)
Oh interesting..
So there are a few things that are used in the aquarium hobby for cleaning.
-1/10 bleach to water
-1/2 cup of citric acid (powder) to 1 gallon of water
-50/50 white vinegar to water
The bleach one should be soaked for about 10 mins and thoroughly rinsed, then left to fully dry. This may take a few days for a sponge. When bleach is completely dry it is innert and wont cause issues.
The citric acid and vinegar methods should be soaked for at least an hour and also thoroughly rinsed. Both are food safe but take longer to be effective.
You don't need to make a gallon of the solution, just keep the ratio in line and you'll be fine.
Take your pick on what works best for you. Personally I like using bleach but that's because I have a few sponges and I can have one drying while I put in a clean one and alternate them when they get dirty.
Hope this helps someone.
i use army painter wet palette that is coated with anti-mould stuff so it doesnt grow mould to start with, They actually tell you not to wash it so you dont damage the coating...they have 2 sizes of palette available i use the new larger one but can see me going back to the smaller size as the new one doesnt have refills available at the moment....hope that helps
The anti mould only lasts a couple of months in my experience, you need to change sponge every couple of months otherwise they will go mouldy.
@@ger5956 yeah mine only last about 6 weeks or so max before i change them, i keep spilling paint onto them
I can tell you from experience, it doesn't work or doesn't last.
If my sponges looked like that I'd be changing them! If you washed it out weekly you wouldn't need to use bleach, just a couple of squirts of anti-bac soap would do.
Wet palette's are not meant to be used for days on end, they are only meant to be used to keep your paints open for that painting session. Only use Distilled Water to wet the sponges.
Keep the water topped up level with the top of the sponge. The paper should be flat at all times, if it starts to curl up and get bumpy, that's a sign it is drying out and it's time to top up the water.
The water pipes in your house are made of copper! I have a sheet of copper in the bottom of my palette, got it online somewhere, Amazon maybe?
Personally I clean my Redgrass Washable paper at the end of each session, I didn't really keep count, but the last peace I must have washed at least 20 times.
I have the same wet pallette as the one used in the video. I let mine dry out to prevent this problem. I also use copper but dont really have any proof that it does anything. As a tradesman i can tell you that copper is pretty much inert, hence why its used in hot and cold water systems. Brent from goobertown hobbies is a chemist tho, maybe he can advise.
Yeah he might be a good person to ask!
I lick brushes as well, I have turned them on a cloth but if it doesn't go to the point I want I'll use my mouth to do it. You can try anti-bacterial washing up liquid as well. If you can find one that's clear it's good for other painting tasks. For the sponges, if you get into a habit of cleaning them regularly scrunching them and soaking them in anti-bacterial washing up liquid ought to be enough. Though the question could be asked, is washing up liquid bad for you if ingested? I did have a tub that was mouldy, I bleached that and threw the sponges out but them I use kitchen cloth/sponges that are much cheaper. I also knew a guy - I worked with him for a bit - who'd bleach his cup regularly to remove the tea stain. That was a bit excessive to me and he probably rinsed it well afterwards and as far as I know he's not dead yet. Would I advise it, probably not...
Dish washing liquid is considered non-toxic and rinses away, but too much can make you go to the bathroom... too much. You can bleach your dishes if the bleach is dilute, but you can't mix dish washing liquid and bleach as it makes a toxic fume that will irritate the lungs and eyes and you have to rinse bleach really well or it'll absolutely destroy your teeth and the lining of your gut. It does seem a little excessive for a tea stain.
I typically let my pallet dry fully after each time I use it. I’ve been using the same sponge for close to a year now, and no smell.
I think that’s my main issue, not letting it dry out enough!
I honestly don’t get it - I’ve had a wet palette well over a year and it’s just fine. Not smelly at all. I try to let it dry out every so often while I’m not using it but not convinced it’s necessary. I wring it out when I need to change the sheet on top. I also don’t lick my brushes. I guess I need to spray can my face to make up for it?
Is it possible the RedGrass Games ones are just too good at sealing, means it’s more wet? I’ve got an Army Painter one.
Yeah that's part of it, the army painter one is more open, plus it depends on how much mold is in your water source and in your house naturally.
@@jeremiahembs5343 I hear you. Andy’s in mouldy Dublin. :)
👍
😊
I do not keep my wet palettes wet when not using them for a while. I leave the lid off or ajar and let it dry out. I would never leave my wet palette stored with water loaded in it. I always get it as dry as possible when I put it away.
Yeah my main issue is not letting it dry out enough
Instead of bleach in the process (which is carcinogenic), many use vinegar and/or hydrogen peroxide. I don't know how to use it, but just wanted you to know!
Will look into that, thanks so much!
I use some copper wire stripped from electrical cable.
Good idea. Cheap source. hmm.
Yeah this is what I use, very available to most people
Thank you for sharing that!
I took a brake from Warhammer for around 2 years. Got back into it when old world came back. When I got out my hobby stuff my wet pallet sponge had mould in it. I just throw it out and used a new one and put the plastic components through the dish washer.
I change my sponge and paper regular
Chemicals very bad
Great to hear that
I wash and dry my pad every other time I use it. (usually because I end up spilling some sort of paint in it....)
Yeah..that'll happen :D
Thanks for bringing up the subject. Mold doesn't develop on the surface of zinc, but very little absorbs into the water so a zinc penny probably wouldn't do much and copper is better in that regard, but it's still not a super effective method at mold prevention. Leaving the palette lid partly open is better and making sure your water source is clean from the outset helps a lot of course.
People cook in and distill alcohol in copper pots. And zinc and copper are both supplements the body needs and are often taken together since too much zinc can prevent the body's absorption of copper. So having a piece of zinc or copper in the palette won't hurt you.
But it's not a good to lick your brush and it's a bad habit that can lead to accidents when painting traditional lead models or when using toxic pigments and varnishes. Cross contamination is very likely.
Although hobby paint is deemed non-toxic it should be called a minimally toxic chemical instead. A small amount won't hurt most people, but it's just not safe enough to eat and the additives can get pretty weird. For example the new formula Vallejo paints contain chemicals you can develop sensitivity to over time and a lot of their paint and varnish is polyurethane based instead of straight acrylic paint.
By licking the brush your body is constantly absorbing the pigments many of which end up in the liver, kidneys, and glands just like tattoo ink does and we don't know the long term effects of things like azo pigments on the body. Professional oil paints contain even more toxic chemicals than hobby style acrylics do. These are mostly heavy metals like cobalt, cadmium, and manganese, but can also include lead, tin, and mercury although those kinds of paints are usually only used by professionals who know what they are doing. But by developing good habits now you can avoid accidents in the future.
Consuming a small amount of mold won't hurt most people. Penicillin is a mold after all that has benefits, but some people are allergic to penicillin so the negative health effects of mold exposure is something pretty individualized. People with especially sensitive immune symptoms can develop serious illnesses from exposure to mold. And those receiving chemotherapy or taking immune suppressing drugs can't fight off illnesses caused by mold and where mold is present fungus may be present also.
Infections from mold and fungus can settle in the lungs so it's best to clean up the palette every couple of days especially in warmer weather since warmer temperatures can accelerate growth. Some people store their palette in the fridge inside of a baggie to preserve their paint and palette longer. I know some oil painters use the freezer, but ice crystals would probably destroy the sponge.
The way you cleaned the pad with bleach is fine. Bleach and hot water are very effective at removing mold. Bleach kills biological material instantly upon contact.
However to be safe people should an already diluted commercial spray like you did or dilute household cleaning bleach with a lot of water to prevent burning of the skin and eyes and to prevent the fumes from scarring their lungs.
They should also use regular kitchen gloves while using bleach since a lot of people have bad reactions to bleach. It dries out and cracks their skin.
Bleach is just liquid chlorine and it's water soluble so water will rinse it away just fine. That's why they recommend taking a shower after swimming in a treated pool.
Bleach also evaporates and weakens over time when exposed to more air, so I don't think it would affect your paints as long as you rinsed it well enough.
Squeezing the sponge a few times under running water will push the water through it. Hang it up with a clothespin to dry in partial sun and the UV light will help kill the mold. Too much sun exposure will degrade the pad however so bring it back inside once it's dry. You'll know it's dry when it curls up.
To prevent mold in the future just wash the sponge and palette out with soapy water and let it dry and you won't need the bleach anymore. You can do this every other day or so. And you can change the paper then. (Tracing paper is best.)
Antibacterial dish soap prevents mold the best, but really any soapy water will do. Just make sure you rinse the sponge out really well or you'll be painting with foam. 😄
G'day from Australia
Greetings from Ireland ☘️
The biggest thing I do is boil and cook the water I use for the palette. Boiling kills the bugs that survived in the water and it seems to last alot longer.
*cool
Bleach is definitely not good to digest. My cleaner of choice is washing up liquid. As that seems to break down most dirt etc but is safe for humans
I poured some colloidal silver in mine, silver is antibiotic and antiviral, hopefully antifungal 😆
True, but expensive. Plus how are you going to turn into a smurf if you are only using your silver for that?
I’ve had my wet pallet go mouldy 😅
Yeah...it happens :D
❤️👍🔥
Well, there's a reason some people tell people to 'drink bleach' when they have malicious intent; it's quite bad so you really don't want any in your wet palette. Personally I've not cleaned my palette outside of cleaning it with hot water. It does smell bad so I guess I'll give it a good cleaning later when it's out of the box.
Yeah once there's a bad smell you need to really clean all of the palette well!
Periodically let the sponge dry out completely to stop mould forming, especially if you’re not going to use it for an extended time.
Yeah I use mine most days, should get some spare sponges maybe!
4 pennies has kept the corners from curling up and the copper is antimicrobial. Licking your brush is also probably inoculating your pallet with bacteria from you mouth.
Never thought about that with brush licking…huh! Thank you!
Sun is a natural bacteria killer, so cleaning the palette and letting it dry in the sun completely may also help with disinfecting palette.
Soap, water, and sun is all I use. Do it often enough and there’s never an issue
I live in Ireland, I can’t depend on the sun 😂
Soak the sponge and palette in IPA. Cleans it like new.
Never thought of IPA before the comments, thank you for sharing that!
I let my wet pallet dry out when im not using it.
Definitely need to do that more often
I have copper in my wet pallet to kill things growing in it.
That is smart!
Well if you paint and open your wet palette then it should be fine.
The issue starts when you close it up and have no painting for 3-4 days. Then it is generally garbage.
Just use it every day and if not clean it every time.
That's a very good point!
I dropped a couple pennies in my wet pallet to keep it sanitary.
Just make sure they're old enough to be made of copper and not zinc!
@@MediocreHobbies They're the copper-plated zinc ones, but I'll eventually end up with a copper wire loop around the edge once I need to upgrade. Might be a bit of a business opportunity, there.
I don't use a wet palette so can't comment on that, but don't lick your brush, it really can't be good for you!
It's very hard to stop!
What's a wet palette
only a lifesaver for army painting :D
I kinda thought they were like cats and cleaned themselves.
Hahaha i wish
Does this mean I have to replant my mushrooms ??
Hahahahaha only if you're not using them as a painting reference!
I wouldn't worry too much about leftover traces of bleach in my wet pallette as a brush licker. After all, you get a gazillion times more bleach in your mouth when you go to the swimming pool, and it's supposed to be OK, eh?
Hmmm interesting point. I have survived many a trip to the swimming pool. Maybe it's ok then!
Wet pallet is not as bad as my water cup. Rancid
Oof good point. Probably need to change that more often too.
Put the sponge in freezer for a night
There's only one solution, stop ingesting the contents of your wet palette! 😛
Hahahaha if only it was that easy to stop!
Dont fell ashamed to be a brushlicker, there are more of us than you think.
Brushlickers Unite!
I just threw mine into a load of bleach as it was smelling very awful...
Hahaha …wet
Oh tim
Stop licking brushes! You don't need to put the brush in the mouth to get a good point. Please break this habit. And if you don't have this habit, never start.
Game Envy makes palette weights that are made of solid copper.
Tons of people do it for a reason :D
@@MediocreHobbies I personally don't think that reason is good enough. There are plenty of other efficient ways to get a good point that don't involve sticking the brush in your mouth.
Great idea to clean wet palettes every week but there is no excuse for the dirty disgusting behaviour of brush licking, children do it and are chastised for it, JUST STOP DOING IT...
Nah :D