Graffiti Removal Tips to Know

1. Graffiti Removal Tips to Know Because graffiti is more than just a cosmetic issue

2. Synopsis 1) The History of Graffiti Removal 2) The Graffiti Removal Industry 3) The Procedure for Graffiti Removal 4) Tools used for Graffiti Removal 5) Positive Effects of Graffiti Removal 6) Challenges that Graffiti Removal Companies Face 7) Graffiti Removal and Management 8) The Main Reasons to Remove Graffiti

3. The History of Graffiti Removal • Brushing and Scrubbing • Graffiti will be removed by scrubbing the surface with a tough brush. Additionally, this method was used on curved surfaces. Hence, they required tough tools to clear off the graffiti on the surface. • Paint • Painting on top of the graffiti is the simplest way that people can use. Moreover, it is the cheapest of the methods. • Chemical Method • This is the most resent method of clearing graffiti from surfaces. It is a chemical compound that dissolves and removes the graffiti. With this in mind, it is recommended to have more information about the surface to prevent corrosion. • Washing • Although most of the graffiti will be resistant to water, others are water colors that can be washed away.

4. The Graffiti Removal Industry • Initially the removal business was either dealt with by the authorities or the owner of the vandalized area. But after more graffiti appeared, often in large areas, people formed teams to start removing them as well as getting paid for it. It provided a business opportunity to people, especially in larger cities. These removal people are now a call away and their response is fast. • Moreover, the industry associated with removing graffiti has also come up with innovative new ways to work. More efficient tools have been introduced for better removal of graffiti. Additionally, better ways of preventing graffiti are being implemented. For instance, people are applying a coat on the surface of walls that prevents graffiti from sticking. This industry has also helped educate the young people on the issues concerning graffiti. • In general graffiti vandalism has declined in major cities which means the removal business is good. Furthermore the professional graffiti removers have increased their services. They now offer removal services at home, school and any other place that has been vandalized. In addition they implement ways of preventing graffiti on surfaces such as walls, windows and metal surfaces. For the above reason the industry has grown and brought a change in the appearance of a place.

5. The Procedure for Graffiti Removal • Repainting • If you decide to repaint it on your own, you should first get the right color for the surface. I would recommend a color that is same as the background surface. Also remember to use a product that is paint resistant. • Chemical Method • When considering the kind of material that is best you should consider: • Rough or soft texture • Metal or glass • Weathered material • Washing and Brushing Method • This may be the cheapest method but it can also be cumbersome if the graffiti is big. Before washing you should find out if the paint is water resistant. If not, proceed to wash and use the brush to remove the tough areas. When washing with water use a detergent that has no corrosive property to the surface.

6. Tools used for Graffiti Removal • Safety tools • Dust mask • Safety glasses • Cotton wool • Boiler suit • Gloves • Working tools • These are the tools that you will need to use to remove the graffiti. The kind of graffiti will determine the kind of tool to use. • Paint tools • Brushes, rollers and containers for holding the paint. Moreover, you should get the right color for painting. • Solvents and cleaner tools • These solvents are chemical compounds that when sprayed on the graffiti it loses its stickiness. • Special tools • They include mechanical tools like the scrubber and wire brush which are commonly used.

7. Positive Effects of Graffiti Removal • More Customers for your Business • Once the graffiti are removed, the area looks much friendly. For instance, a shopping centre that was once with graffiti infested will have a different face after they are removed. Conclusively the way people perceive graffiti is different and it is related to crime and violence. Therefore the business will have a positive response to a place thus resulting to business improvement. • Reduced Crime Rate • Graffiti is not only associated to crime but also to gang violence. Therefore, when graffiti is removed, in the area the rates of crime reduce. The more graffiti that is put up, the faster it should be removed. This can help the repeat cases thus eliminating the cause. • Strong Structures • Another positive effect of removing graffiti is that it maintains a strong structure. This is done by removing all the graffiti while doing it on time. As a matter of fact, the longer graffiti takes on the wall the further the paint penetrates. Hence the earlier you remove it, the better. • Long Term Removal Expenses • Finally, graffiti removal exercises prevent you from paying a more expensive removal cost in the future. In fact, the longer the graffiti stays on the surface the harder and expensive it becomes to remove. Additionally, it reduces the value of the structure. Therefore graffiti removal helps you avoid long term costs.

8. Challenges that Graffiti Removal Companies Face • Cumulative Effect • This is where a single graffiti piece is duplicated in a region. Additionally, the graffiti incident can be duplicated for a long time. This is costly, especially to the removal companies. • Violent Gangs • Secondly, some graffiti which is associated with gangs and violence is hard to remove. This is because of threats from the gang members. For instance, a cleaner may be threatened by a gang for removing their symbol in the street. Therefore, this may pose as a challenge to remove graffiti in those areas that are controlled by gangs. • Location of the Graffiti • Mostly these perpetrators put graffiti in tough areas that are hard to reach. Furthermore, they also target public areas which may be challenging to remove due to distraction and inconvenience. • The Medium Used • Lastly, the material or compound used for the graffiti can be a challenge to the remover. Despite being ready with the tools the graffiti removal companies face this challenge constantly. This is because of ever changing innovations and new forms of graffiti.

9. Graffiti Removal and Management • Reporting Vandalism • The authority and graffiti removers greatly depend on reports of vandalism. Also, you are advised to call the authorities once you see a person breaking the law in which graffiti is included. • Reactive Strategy • These strategies entirely depend on the reports of vandalism. As a result, the company or the government waits for calls from the community to inform them about graffiti. Awareness is being campaigned on graffiti vandalism. Hence people that persist and use their voice usually help the removal to be done on time. Surprisingly there are areas where people do not report the cases and graffiti ends up all over the street. • Proactive Strategy • These methods highly depend on the availability of resources. Additionally it requires a team to scout around and identify the graffiti and the culprits. Consequently it is one of the best strategies in the management of graffiti. • Predictive Strategy • Finally we have the predictive strategy, which uses the available database of the city. This method also requires an authority that has resources at its disposal. In addition this method can best help allocate resources to area that graffiti appears frequently.

10. The Main Reasons to Remove Graffiti • A clean neighbourhood • Graffiti removal is associated with positive attributes and perceptions of the area • Crime rate reduces • Improves businesses - for example removing the graffiti on the shopping centers attracts more customers • Graffiti has been associated with crime. Once seen on the street, it creates a mental image of a dangerous place. • Graffiti is burned in some cities once found. Additionally, the same authorities that constitute the law also facilitates the removal procedure. • Apart from being a crime to paint on some surfaces without consent, graffiti defaces the surface. For instance, a design loses its original look once graffiti has been put on the wall. For that reason, the graffiti is removed immediately. • Removing of graffiti is largely considered a routine in cleaning the street. In addition, cleaning off graffiti can be done so as to put up another form of art. Most of this cleaning is done in areas that are left only for graffiti.

11. The End For more details, please visit: http://canadianrestorationsgta.com/graffiti-removal/