When your building is vandalised with graffiti, it is important to have it removed as quickly as possible. Graffiti promotes a negative view of your building and organization; and it also attracts more graffiti. The continuing presence of graffiti will encourage other groups of graffiti taggers to add their own marks.
Any building is at risk to be defaced by graffiti – schools, community centers, offices, medical facilities, manufacturing plants, and so on.
If you find graffiti on your building, it is important to do your research and find the right company to remove it. Graffiti removal is one of the most complicated cleaning processes, and not every cleaning company is properly prepared to do the job well.
Here are the things to look for when having graffiti removed:
Graffiti Removal Should Be Available on Short Notice
As mentioned, you will want to have the graffiti removed as soon as you can. A building with graffiti will be much more likely to attract further vandalism if the graffiti is left untouched. Future vandalism can be curbed by a quick response.
This means that you must find a cleaning company that will make your graffiti a priority. They should be available on short notice to come to your site.
Graffiti Removal Requires Skill
Graffiti removal is not an easy process. If a company does not put an emphasis on learning the proper methods and chemicals for graffiti removal, they can cause damage to your building’s exterior.
It’s important that the cleaning company is familiar with the best ways to remove different types of graffiti from different types of surfaces. For example, spray paint should be removed by working from the outside of the graffiti to the center. Doing so prevents the vandalism from spreading out to untouched areas.
Graffiti Removal Requires the Right Equipment
Many cleaning companies do not have the appropriate equipment for optimal graffiti removal. For example, using abrasive materials with too much pressure can result in damaged surfaces.
Depending on the size of the area the graffiti impacts, the surface, and the type of material used (e.g. chalk, spray paint, etc.), one or more of the following methods should be used:
- Manual scraping and washing
- Power washing
- Power blasting (using safe media)
For example, a power washer is great for brick surfaces, while glass surfaces must be treated with special chemicals that will not damage them.
Graffiti Removal Should Be Followed by Graffiti Prevention
Once graffiti is removed, it is important to take steps to make it more difficult for vandals in the future. Your professional cleaners should apply anti-graffiti coatings to your building. Doing so increases your building’s resistance to graffiti. It doesn’t guarantee you will not experience vandalism again, but it will deter vandals by making it more difficult for them.
Anti-graffiti coatings can be chemical-resistant coatings or “catcher-coats”. Catcher-coats consist of silicone/wax or water-based polysaccharide compositions. These coatings are safe for your surfaces and environmentally responsible.
>> Sunshine Building Maintenance has the expertise necessary to safely remove graffiti using best practices. Contact us today for immediate support from our graffiti abatement experts.
More information about cleaning for your building from Sunshine:
A Guide to Green Cleaning for Washrooms
The 4 Key Benefits of Day Cleaning
Are You Making These 5 Common Mistakes When Stripping Floors?
