How to Remove Spray Paint From Concrete With Golden State Pressure Washing
If you are trying to figure out how to remove spray paint from concrete, it’s probably because vandals have visited your property. For whatever reason, adding graffiti to exterior surfaces, or “tagging”, is a popular form of vandalism. And while it is sometimes impressive what vandals can accomplish with a can of spray paint, it’s best to remove graffiti sooner rather than later. However, what steps can you take to accomplish this? Is this the sort of work you can do on your own, or will you need to contact professionals for the help you need?
We are Golden State Pressure Washing, and we are San Jose’s preferred pressure washing company. We proudly serve the community, providing a wide range of services—including graffiti removal. We can confidently say that you are capable of doing this work on your own if you want to. Learn more in the guide we’ve prepared for you below. Then, decide if you want to leap into the DIY process or if you’d prefer to schedule an appointment with us.
Why Spray Paint Should Be Removed From Concrete
First and foremost, let’s discuss why it’s important to remove graffiti from concrete sooner rather than later. It all has to do with maintaining a good look. Think about it this way. If you are driving down the road and looking for somewhere to eat, are you more likely to stop at a restaurant with or without spray-painted graffiti on its exterior surfaces? Your answer to this question goes to show how unattractive graffiti is. But what exactly makes it unattractive?
The repelling nature of graffiti goes beyond its tackiness. Its presence also signifies that crime not only happens at a property, but that it is tolerated. Whether consciously or subconsciously, this makes any home or business feel less welcoming to guests. Additionally, the presence of graffiti actually encourages additional vandalism. Stay ahead of the curve and use the power of pressure washing to stop graffiti in its tracks!
Necessary Equipment For Graffiti Removal
Golden State Pressure Washing recommends pressure washing as a method of removing graffiti from concrete. While graffiti may seem difficult to remove at first, it can actually be destroyed with ease with pressure washing. This is because pressurized water easily strips paint molecules from concrete, leaving the surface bright, clean, and beautiful. The necessary equipment for this process includes:
- Pressure Washer. A pressure washer is a specialized piece of machinery that pressurizes water so it can be sprayed at exterior surfaces. This will provide the necessary strength to remove graffiti.
- Hose and Attachments. In order to channel pressurized water onto surfaces, an attaching hose, and an appropriate hose tip, must be used. We recommend a fifteen-degree nozzle for this work.
- Safety Gear. When handling pressurized water, safety is of the utmost importance. Wear protective eyewear, pants, and closed-toe shoes to avoid any injury. Always be mindful of where you are spraying.
How to Remove Spray Paint From Concrete
With all the required equipment on hand, it is time to learn how to remove spray paint from concrete. Fortunately, concrete is a highly durable material, which means you do not have to worry about damaging it with pressurized water. In fact, concrete can be washed with upwards of 3,000 PSI! When concrete is sprayed with 3,000 PSI water, it means the water is exerting a pressure of three thousand pounds per square inch. In other words, it’s enough to make graffiti melt away without harming concrete. (Bear in mind that other materials have their own PSI limits, so if you’re planning to remove graffiti from something other than concrete, further research will be required.)
When pressure washing concrete, maintain a distance of two feet from the surface. This ensures safe results. Once the graffiti is gone, the area it once occupied will be brighter, cleaner, and even smoother to the touch. It’s very likely that this will spur you to pressure wash the rest of the concrete, too. While this isn’t necessarily required, it will leave your concrete in stunning visual condition, so it’s definitely worth your consideration.
Remove Other Forms of Vandalization With Pressure Washing
Vandalization comes in many forms, and property owners should prepare themselves to fight back against all of them. For example, isn’t it frustrating when someone decides to stick chewing gum to your concrete instead of throwing it away at the nearby garbage can? As time passes, chewing gum stuck to concrete will dry out and become extremely difficult to remove from the surface. Fortunately, this is another situation where pressure washing will save the day. With the power of pressurized water, chewing gum and its residue will be stripped from the concrete, allowing you to properly dispose of it.
Pressure washing can also help you clean up when visitors scatter trash everywhere. For example, discarded food and drink containers can result in sticky residue on concrete. As this organic material builds up over time, it can even attract pests. With pressure washing, you can remove this unwanted debris, resulting in a cleaner property and preventing pests from showing up at all.
Consider Our Professional Graffiti Removal Services
If you are fighting against graffiti—and losing—it may be time to take a different approach. Save your time and energy by reaching out to Golden State Pressure Washing, a locally owned and operated company. We’re proud to serve San Jose, CA, and we are prepared to remove graffiti from your concrete (and other surfaces). Additionally, we use pressure washing to remove chewing gum and other unwanted substances from your exterior surfaces.
If you are interested in our professional graffiti removal, we encourage you to contact us online and tell us about your project! That way, we can get a better understanding of the job and provide you with a free cost estimate. You can use this cost estimate to determine if professional graffiti removal or DIY graffiti removal is the right choice for you.