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Graffiti can be found all over the place, and most of the time, it is in places where it shouldn’t be. The downside about this is always for the building owner who struggles to get the artwork off.
As a business owner, trying to get rid of the graffiti shows that you care about the appearance of your business and the professionalism that you deliver.
As a homeowner, it keeps the value of your property high. If you have been unlucky enough to have someone deface your property and you needed to clean it off as quickly as possible, then these removal tips should help you to keep the worst of it at bay:
What Kind of Paint Is It?
Most art vigilantes use spray paint that needs more robust materials to remove from the wall. Other times it can easily be removed if it is chalk-based paint.
What you would need to use to clean the wall would depend on if one or both of these materials have been used.
Spray paint is the most common paint used for graffiti because it is cheap and easy to come by, and it also delivers the result the fastest.
It’s an aerosol paint that can easily dispense by releasing pressure through the nozzle, and it dries relatively quickly as well.
You will likely find a graffiti artist with various paints in buckets, and because graffiti is mainly done when no one is looking, it needs to be delivered quickly.
Chalk paint is used from time to time, but it is easily removed and usually does not require chemicals.
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Removal
Chemicals are often needed to remove paint, although a high-pressure hose can be used in some instances. You want to prepare the area by placing tarps on the floor by the site you will work.
Tarps It will help catch any debris that will land on the pavement or sidewalk below and make it easy for you to clean up afterward without having to remove excess product with more chemicals.
However, you would want to consider using a high-pressure hose to level out the kind of material used to do the graffiti on the wall.
If the pressure hose doesn’t work, then you can consider using a chemical product. would also depend on the surface that the graffiti is on, so let’s take a look at some of these surfaces:
Metal Surfaces
These surfaces can be cleaned with any paint thinners, acetone, or graffiti removal products that you can find at a hardware store.
You could try and get it off using a scrubbing brush with thinners or acetone in smaller amounts to test the surface first, but if it is stubborn, use light sandpaper or steel wool to remove it gently.
Wood
If any part of the building or property has wood affected by graffiti, you can use paint thinner to lighten the effects and then sand it down gently.
You can then paint or varnish over it once everything is clear. Wood can absorb stains if it is a high chemical product, so it can be a little harder to clean without damaging the material.
Try and use smaller amounts of an oil-based cleaner to dry out the wood, leaving it to crack and chip off.
Wood can also be very tricky to clean if the wood is old or mixed with other materials, so get a cleaner that can accommodate all surfaces.
Glass
Glass is the easiest to clean because it’s a surface that doesn’t absorb any product. If the glass has any vinyl on it, then Depending on how thick the spray paint in the window, you could use a scraper and gently loosen as much of the paint as possible and then use acetone or paint remover to wipe off the remainder with a cloth.
Walls
For an ordinary outside wall, you can use graffiti removal products or acetone. You will need to use a stiff brush to work the chemical into the paint to remove it, and depending on how long the graffiti has been there, you may need to upgrade to using a pressure hose as well.
Pressure hoses effectively get a lot of the debris off the wall, but it can also be exceedingly messy because it tends to remove all the older paint from the wall.
If it is an ancient wall with lots of loose paint underneath, you will probably have to repaint the wall as the colour comes off.
Hiring A Professional Service
When the amount of graffiti proves too much for you to remove yourself, it might be time to think of hiring a professional company that specializes in chemical removals.
What may seem like an easy job could be dangerous if you need to use any chemicals and do not have the equipment or the safety gear to do an efficient job.
The substances you get over the counter at hardware stores might also be ineffective and require higher-grade materials that can be hazardous if it gets onto your skin or inhale it.
Professional companies do try the gentler approach first to try and preserve your property. When you are looking to hire someone who specializes in graffiti removal in Leeds, you can ask them directly about the work requirement.
The more specific you are over the phone or via your online inquiries, the more they will inform you of the conditions.
They are also likely to offer you the most time-saving and more cost-effective solutions. Do make an effort to way your cleaning options against their professional options before running out to buy as many cleaning materials as you can get.
It would be good to know that if you are renting space as a business on a publicly owned property, it will be the responsibility of the local government to remove the artwork if it affects your ability to deliver a professional service because of the appearance.
Private own property owners will have to call a professional service or remove the graffiti themselves. Do take precautions if you are planning on trying to remove it yourself.
Wear protective gear, use protective eyewear and gloves, and keep the chemicals you use to a minimum until you see that it is working completely.
