There is nothing more frustrating as a Metro Detroit business owner than to arrive at your building in the morning and discover some hooligan has tagged your building with graffiti. It’s equally frustrating for homeowners whose fences are hit in the middle of the night with spray paint. Graffiti removal isn’t a task that you should try to DYI or rely on a property maintenance firm to handle. Removing graffiti requires special cleaning products and mindful pressure washing.
The Problem with Graffiti
We’ll admit, in Metro Detroit, there are some pretty talented graffiti artists. They are often hired by businesses that want to look edgy, to paint cool art on the outside of their building. That kind of graffiti is awesome. What’s not awesome is the random gang tags, and amateur attempts at art that happen in the middle of the night on fences, buildings, and sidewalks that no one wanted. Graffiti is harmful to our communities, it creates blight and makes us feel unsafe and violated. What’s worse is that spray paint is really hard to remove from most surfaces, so those gang tags and bad art can linger for many years before they eventually fade.
The Challenge with Cleaning Graffiti
Spray paint is pretty much a permanent material. Once it’s been applied to a surface, especially a porous surface, it’s nearly impossible to get off without the right tools. If it’s caught and cleaned quickly, it is easier to manage than graffiti that has been around for a while. The places that are particularly challenging to clean are those that have many layers of spray paint that have been applied over time. What is worse is that if done incorrectly, removing graffiti can damage the surface underneath. That may mean damage to the outside of a building, a fence or sidewalk that could, in the worst case, result in the need to replace the damaged areas. Graffiti costs everyone money and it’s a huge problem.
Removal the Right Way
We want to make this point, strongly. Don’t try to remove graffiti on your own or by hiring someone who isn’t an expert at graffiti removal. You may cause more harm than good by using improper cleaning chemicals or power washing equipment.
When Kwik-Klean is called out to help a home or business owner remove graffiti, we come with a tool kit of proven cleaning equipment and products. We start by applying a cleaning compound that is specific for removing graffiti. This product sits on the affected area for 15 minutes. This allows the cleaning chemical to breakdown the spray paint, making it easier to remove with the power washer. Our power washer is set up to effectively clean the surface without causing damage. We may use lower pressure or a broader spray head to clean soft materials like wood. Brick and concrete can handle higher water pressure and more pinpointed cleaning, so we use different tools and pressure settings for these surfaces. It is important to remember, that graffiti removal is not always 100% successful. We may not be able to remove all of the paint, so you may have to wait for lingering stains to diminish over time, replace fence slats or apply a new coat of paint.
For More Information on our Residential and Commercial Graffiti Removal in Metro Detroit
Kwik-Klean has been providing high quality, professional power washing services to Metro Detroit since 1990. We care about your property and want to help you keep it clean and looking great. If graffiti is a problem at your business or home, call us today at (248) 852-7141 to schedule a free graffiti removal estimate.
