I cleaned with baby oil. Check MazeArt channel on youtube. But in short - you would dip brush and smash it on clean space on the pallet, wipe in between dips, till the oil coming of the brush on your pallet is transparent. Wipe at the end with paper towel to adsorb most of it. That is it. The tiny residue does not dry up and does not effect anything keeping bristles in a great shape. But if you are afraid - just do soap and water rinse one time. it will still leave some oil behind but bristles will not dry out to be brittle and fluff out.