by Penelope Moore

Created on: November 08, 2008   Last Updated: November 19, 2008

It seems unfair, but no matter what you do, you will pay for the Graffiti on your building; not the vandal. Graffiti is an eyesore and in some cities, they are ramping up the fees to $300 if the owners fail to remove the graffiti. They do this because they are trying to keep a clean and friendly reputation in the city. These fees can become a nuisance because they can charge you for it over and over again, just like parking tickets. It is best to just find out how to remove the graffiti yourself, or you have to deal with legal issues which bring down the reputation of your business and suggest you operate in an untidy, unsafe urban area. Here are some tips on how to remove that pesky graffiti:

You must first identify the type of material that the graffiti is on, whether it is brick, wood or cement. Graffiti is not always paint either. It may be any number of things: Markers, stickers, shoe polish, lipstick; basically whatever the vandals decided to use.

Secondly, you should decide the products or methods you will use to remove the graffiti. Whether you choose to paint over the unwanted work of art, or if you choose to use a remover, you will still have to purchase some kind of product. So, no matter what, that graffiti is going to cost you.

A simple paint over is the most common choice of graffiti removal because it is cheaper than buying chemical removers, to sand-blast or to water-blast. Paint over is usually non-toxic and environmentally favorable. However, paint over doesn't last as long as the other methods. Eventually weather may cause the graffiti to resurface over time. Paint over also may not work well over rougher surfaces.

Choosing a chemical remover will require safety research due to health factors. Chemical removers are still fairly inexpensive and the process is fast. It can be tedious as you may have to apply several layers.

Both water blasting and sand blasting require some research and are only good on certain surfaces. Those methods are great if they are the right surfaces. There is lots of labor and they are both costly.

Commercial painting contractors often have a portion of their services dedicated to graffiti removal. Some of the commercial painting contractors can be called in on short notice, but most of them will need to make an appointment. Obviously calling upon a commercial painting contractor company will be the most costly removal method over all, but you will not have to do any of the work.

Whichever method you choose, take your time to go over all products, companies, and websites and contact your city for the health requirements. This investment will protect you from fees again in the future. When all that is done, your customers will be focused on the inside of your building, on your company, and on the services you offer, instead of the distractions on the outside.

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