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Tips to Easily Remove Graffiti

Rujuta Borkar
Graffiti might seem like an honest expression, straight from the heart, but the fact remains that it is a taint to the overall appearance of any structure. Thus, people look into varied ways by which graffiti can be erased and be done away with. Let us have a look at the means by which graffiti can be gotten rid of effectively.
The mixture of red, green and yellow on a dilapidated high school wall or a racial comment on the compound of a home. A reckless red mark across a pristine white structure or a carefully planned abusive poem on the sidewalk.
Graffiti is everywhere. Curse the sentiment behind that marking, curse the feelings of utter honesty that make the graffiti possible.
Some leave them be, for they know, cleaning of this wall will only give rise to more. And then, there are others who choose to clean. No matter if it makes its way back again; some still persevere. For that then a referral to the varied graffiti removal tips becomes important.

Attacking the Graffiti - How
Thinking of getting that graffiti out and away? Here are the ways to get it cleared.

Prompt Cleaning

The first rule of graffiti cleaning? Attack it while it is still fresh. That way the paint will not have seeped deep down and can be easily removed. The more you wait, the tougher it gets.

Clearing Out the Graffiti

Clearing out as much of the graffiti as is possible before starting out on the varied methods goes a long way. It helps in reducing the work and puts less pressure for later.
Anti-graffiti coating is like a basic covering that is applied over the wall and prevents any foreign material from seeping into the wall. It acts as a protective shield and doubles up as a preventive measure whereby most graffiti materials can be easily removed from the surface.

Determining the Base

For effective graffiti removal, one needs to determine the kind of surface that the graffiti has been made on. Different surfaces will require different ways of removal of the same. While certain methods work in a particular way over one surface, it is not necessary that they will work well over another.

Graffiti Removal Techniques - The Different Ways

Painting Over

Painting over is taken to be one of the cheapest and simplest ways of getting rid of graffiti. All one has to do is choose a shade that will cover the graffiti well enough. Sometimes, the graffiti tends to bleed and make its way out over the paint.
Ensure that this does not happen and only then choose a shade. Before starting out with the process though, remove as much of the previous graffiti as you can. This method works best on smooth surfaces that do not have many crevices.

Pressure Washing

This method works best on wooden surfaces and brick walls. In fact, it is one of the best ways to remove paint from brick. The pressure of water dispels the graffiti and clears the surface. For best results, the nozzle should be wide and the washer should have low pressure so that it covers a wider area and does not damage the surface with its force.

Chemical Solvents

One has to be extremely careful when one uses chemicals. If not used well, they can corrode the surface and damage it further. Here are certain factors that you need to consider for different surfaces:

Plastic Surface

Use a light penetrating oil like citrus oil for effective removal of graffiti. Another method is that of rubbing over the paint with extra fine steel wool.

Metal Surface

Paint thinners are seen to work effectively well on this surface. Try rubbing a small section of the surface with the paint thinner and check for results. Other than this, penetrating oil is also known to be a good source.

Wood Surface

Usage of mineral spirits over wood is said to bring about best results. For this to work out well, one has to know how to remove paint from wood and ensure that the wood is not old and crumbling. If it is, then the graffiti will be soaked further into the wood.

Other Surfaces

Surfaces made from aluminum as well as fiberglass can be cleaned with a little amount of paint and chemical remover. Make absolutely sure to use it sparingly and to test an area before you use it with reckless abandon.

Other Methods

For glass surfaces, using a razor and scrapping off the graffiti is considered a great idea. Adhesive graffiti is sticky and messy and can get to be very difficult to remove. Scrape off as much of the adhesive as you can, and then use acetone to gently wipe over the surface.
Always test a small area before you get this done. Sandblasting is another method that can be employed for removing paints and more tough stains. Yet, it has to be noted that it cannot be used on delicate surfaces or it might end up damaging the surface.
These were some of the graffiti removal tips that you can look into. Remember to check and test the surface before starting out on the cleaning process. That way the surface will still be around to greet you when you're done cleaning it.