No-cost paint tray liner: Use a plastic shopping bag

When I posted my newly painted porch, did you spot this easy paint cleanup tip in the (seemingly endless) post?

I am too cheap to buy those disposable plastic paint tray liners at the hardware store. I know they are only a couple of bucks, but I have problems spending money on things that are just going to be thrown away hours later.

I used to pour the paint straight into the tray, but that leads to a lot of cleanup. And then one day it hit me that I could put the paint tray inside of a plastic grocery bag so the paint never actually touches the tray. You could also use a trash bag, but a plastic shopping bag is the ultra-thrifty option.

Just make sure you turn the bag inside-out if it has any printing on it. I’ve found if the paint sits on top of the printed logos, the ink starts to run and mix with your paint.

The bag does cling to the roller sometimes, but for me it’s a minor annoyance that is far outweighed by the fact that I don’t have to wash out a messy paint tray. When I’m done, I pour any unused paint back into the can, then take off the bag and toss it. Super quick cleanup!

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Linked to: In My Own Style’s Trick or Tip Party

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