If you have suffered at the hands of vandals and graffiti paint vandalism you will want to know how to remove the paint from your wall.

The quicker you act – the easier it is to remove graffiti paint from brickwork and stonework surfaces. By removing it quickly, you reduce the chances of the stonework being more permanently damaged by the graffiti paint. Sandstone for example is a very porous and absorbent material. By having the graffiti removed quickly, you also send a clear message to the criminals that this is a battle you are going to win.

Removing graffiti paint from brickwork

Brick walls and masonry surfaces are an ideal spot for vandalism using graffiti spray paints. They provide the criminals with a large space to create their ‘artwork’ and offer them a great hanging place to show their work to others. While paint removal solutions and paint thinners may seem like the ideal way of removing graffiti paint, all that they will do its dilute and help the paint to spread – worsening the problem. You should never use a jet pressure washer to clean the graffiti on softer stonework like sandstone as this will permanently damage the surface material.

Introducing DOFF Steam Cleaning

Doff Steam Cleaning is the perfect solution for removing graffiti vandalism from surfaces such as brick walls. Doff uses super heated steam to remove the paint while ensuring that it does not damage the stonework underneath. Unlike a presurre washer which uses brute force to blast away the surface layer of paint, super heated steam can remove carbon staining, paint and biological matter from stonework without damaging the substrate. There are NO chemicals used in DOFF Cleaning and in comparison to pressure washing, uses very little water, making it better for the environment.

DOFF Steam Cleaning can be used both outdoors AND indoors on stone, brick and concrete. It meets the highest heritage standards for masonry cleaning and, combined with out use of TORC and Dry Ice Cleaning, we have become the preferred choice of many heritage buildings for building restoration and cleaning services.

Vandalism is sadly still part and parcel of Glasgow life. But while the graffiti vandals may not care about your property, you do. And when it comes to cleaning the delicate sandstone walls of a listed building in Glasgow, you need the correct balance of power and care to safely remove the graffiti spray paint whilst not blasting away the sandstone walls.

DOFF Steam Cleaning is most effective in removing:
• Paint coatings (most oil and plastic types)
• Most types of graffiti paint
• Pigeon and Rodent fouling
• Algae, moss, fungi and other biological matter
• Wax coatings
• Chewing gum
• Bitumen, Oil and Grease

And all without causing any damage or disfiguration to the original surface material.

Will the steam not damage the stonework?

We use the DOFF Steam Cleaning system because it is so delicate with the stonework and masonry that we use it on. Even though the the steam is super heated, the actual pressure at which it comes out of the nozzle and onto the surface is very low. This gives a very gentle pressure whilst using a low volume of water (5 litres per minute). The surface is therefore not saturated and will actually dry in minutes.

With no harsh pressure or chemicals being used, there is no damage to the stonework. This is why DOFF Steam Cleaning is approved to be used by various heritage and preservation bodies including English Heritage.

DOFF Steam Cleaning can be used on brick, stone, concrete, tiles, wood and terracotta.

Find out more

As one of the UK’s leading difficult access cleaning specialists, there is no area that is out of reach for our specialist cleaning team. We are high level cleaning qualified and can use rope access methods to reach any and all points that required cleaning.

It means that whether the graffiti is on ground level or several stories high, we can access it and we will clean it.

Typical ‘hotspots’ for graffiti vandalism include the likes of schools, bus stations, factories, warehouses, hotels and other public buildings. But no matter what the surface, we can clean it.

Graffiti is vandalism and can be unsightly, offensive and abusive which means that getting it removed quickly is of paramount importance. With Balmore, you get the complete package of fast response times, professional service and competitive pricing. We use the latest in cleaning technologies to ensure the effective removal of the vandalism without damaging the underlying surface material.

And once we have provided a graffiti cleaning & removal service, we can then provide prevention coatings to help prevent the vandals from committing the same offence twice.

If you would like to know more about out graffiti removal services, please contact our Glasgow head office on 0141 370 4038