da Vinci 4844 Brush Shampoo (Pinselreiniger) is a liquid brush cleaner in a 100 ml bottle. It is used with water: a few drops into a wet brush, a quick massage and a rinse. It is a fast everyday alternative to the solid 4033 brush soap – instead of working the brush over a bar, you dose the shampoo exactly where you need it.
It is based on potassium soaps of coconut and olive oil, with glycerin and aloe vera extract. The shampoo is vegan, free of palm oil, cruelty-free, uses natural fragrances and comes in a bottle made from recycled material. It is made by da Vinci in Nuremberg, the same company that makes the brushes you will be washing with it.
| Product | liquid brush cleaner (Pinselreiniger / Brush Shampoo) |
| Volume | 100 ml |
| Use | with water |
| Suitable for | sable, bristle and synthetic brushes |
| Properties | vegan, no palm oil, cruelty-free, natural fragrances |
| Packaging | bottle made from recycled material |
| Ingredients (INCI) | aqua, potassium cocoate, glycerin, sodium cocoamphoacetate, xanthan gum, potassium olivate, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, BHT, citric acid, limonene, citronellol, geraniol, linalool, citral, eugenol |
| Manufacturer | da Vinci Kunstlerpinselfabrik DEFET GmbH, Nuremberg |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer code | VA-4844_0 |
The 4033 soap is a solid core soap based on vegetable oils with a re-fatting effect. You work the brush over the bar and condition the hair at the same time – the classic choice for expensive sable brushes such as MAESTRO 35 or Series 10.
The 4844 shampoo is liquid. You dose it drop by drop, it spreads quickly even in a dense brush head, and it is more convenient at the sink when you wash several brushes at once or every evening. Many painters keep both: the shampoo for a quick wash after every session and the soap for a thorough conditioning of their sable brushes now and then.
Can I use it on both sable and synthetic brushes?
Yes. It is a mild cleaner based on vegetable soaps with glycerin and aloe vera, so you can use it on natural hair and synthetics alike – the whole pot of brushes.
Will it dissolve dried acrylic paint?
No – it is a shampoo, not a solvent. It works best when you wash the brush straight after painting, before paint dries in the ferrule. Dried acrylic, varnish or primer will not come out with shampoo.
Is the shampoo vegan?
Yes. According to the manufacturer it is vegan, free of palm oil and not tested on animals. It contains natural fragrances – if you are sensitive to them, check the full ingredient list in the table above.
How much shampoo does one brush need?
A single drop is enough for a miniature brush. More shampoo is just harder to rinse out – and whatever stays in the hair can thin your paint next time you paint.
Not sure which series fits your work? The complete guide to da Vinci brushes for miniatures compares every series by hair length, shape and use.