Graffiti grabs America by the throat. In a May 2021 survey, 23% of American students aged 12 to 18 reported seeing hate-related graffiti at school.
This makes graffiti removal essential. Yet you can’t just throw some soap on a wall with graffiti and expect it to come off.
What is graffiti removal, and what do you have to know to remove graffiti effectively? How does the surface material impact removal tips? When is the right time to repaint your surface?
Answer these questions and you can remove unsightly graffiti in no time. Here is your quick graffiti removal guide.
Find the Right Solvent
A solvent is a material that will dissolve something else. Graffiti removal tips are about dissolving the graffiti so no one can read it. But there is no one solvent that dissolves all forms of graffiti.
Acetone is a common solvent, and it can dissolve plastics. When you need to get rid of pencil marks, you can use denatured alcohol. You can remove paint with lacquer thinner, especially ones made with acetone and ketone.
You will need to keep several solvents on hand. Put them in a cabinet and keep them out of reach of children and strangers.
All graffiti removal hacks recommend an immediate response to graffiti. It is better to spray any solvent onto graffiti than it is to wait to find the right solvent.
Be Mindful of Surface Types
In addition to the materials of the graffiti, you have to find the right solvent for different surfaces. Most forms of aluminum siding contain paint or metallic coatings. This means that you should find a light solvent so the coating does not dissolve.
You can use a stronger solvent on brick. Yet you may only need to use a high-pressure hose with hot water to remove paint on brick and wood surfaces.
Glass can be very tricky for amateurs to clean. You can try using a razor blade to scrape away paint. But you can hire a company at websites like megasvs.com that can clean your glass for you.
Repaint the Surface
Someone giving graffiti removal advice may instruct you to repaint a surface with graffiti on it. A gallon of paint can cost a few dollars while buying a solvent can cost a lot more.
Try to find paint with enamel in it. A glossy enamel will prevent graffiti from caking on your surface. You can also add an enamel coating to your paint after the paint has dried.
Master Graffiti Removal
Graffiti removal does not have to be difficult. You need to be mindful of the material the vandal used for their graffiti. You should find a solvent that will dissolve the material without damaging the surface.
The surface material also matters. A strong solvent will damage aluminum, so you should find a light one.
You can use water when a brick wall has graffiti. But you can also repaint your wall so the graffiti is covered up. Protect your wall with an enamel coating.
Vandalism can occur at any moment. Read more vandalism response guides by following our coverage.
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