Graffiti removal and pressure cleaning in Melbourne

Remove it quickly, before it spreads

Fresh graffiti is easier to remove than tags that have baked in the sun for months, and a wall that is cleaned quickly is less likely to be hit again. For shops, offices and strata buildings, we can come out when it is needed or include graffiti removal in a regular strata and maintenance plan, so it is dealt with on a schedule.

Some Melbourne councils offer free removal, or free removal kits, for graffiti on private property that can be seen from the street, usually with the owner’s written permission. For a small tag on a house, it is worth checking with your council first.

Removing graffiti without damaging the wall

The right method depends on the surface. Painted walls can usually be painted out, matching the existing colour and sheen so the patch does not show. Face brick, stone and render are porous, so the paint soaks in, and blasting too hard can scar the surface or leave a clean “ghost” patch that stands out more than the tag did. We use the gentlest remover that works and test it out of sight first.

• Painted walls and fences: painted out in a matched colour, or the whole wall repainted if the old paint has faded too much to match.
• Face brick, stone and render: a graffiti remover made for masonry, then a rinse at a pressure the surface can take.
• Metal, glass and signage: removers that will not damage powder coat, glass or signwriting.

Where a wall needs repainting after graffiti removal, our commercial painting and exterior house painting services cover the larger job.

Anti-graffiti coatings

Walls that are tagged again and again can be protected with an anti-graffiti coating. Sacrificial coatings come off with the graffiti and are reapplied after each clean. Permanent coatings stay on the wall and let graffiti be cleaned off the surface. Clear coatings can change the look of brick or stone slightly, so we test a small area first and talk you through the options.

Pressure cleaning walls, paving and buildings

Pressure cleaning lifts dirt, mould, moss and chalky residue from walls, paving, driveways, car parks and common areas. It is also the first step in every exterior repaint, because new paint will not bond to a dirty or mouldy surface. Owners corporations can book it monthly, quarterly or yearly as part of a maintenance plan, or as a one-off clean.

Higher pressure is not always better. Too much pressure can etch timber, wash out mortar joints and drive water into render and window frames, so we match the pressure and nozzle to each surface, and use a lower-pressure wash with a cleaning solution where that does the job better.

On buildings painted before 1970, the old paint may contain lead. It should never be blasted off with high pressure, which spreads paint chips and dust. Our guide to lead paint in older homes explains the risks.

Wash water and the environment

EPA Victoria’s rule is that only rain should go down the stormwater drain. Stormwater flows untreated to creeks and Port Phillip Bay, so wash water carrying detergent, graffiti remover, paint flakes or grime has to be kept out of it. We plan each job so wash water is contained and disposed of properly, and we choose cleaning products to suit the site.

What affects the price of graffiti removal and pressure cleaning

Graffiti removal and pressure cleaning are quoted after we have seen the site, or from photos for smaller jobs. The main factors are:

• The area to be cleaned and the surfaces involved.
• The type of graffiti, how long it has been there and how porous the wall is.
• Access: height, car parks, stairwells and areas that must stay open.
• Working hours, such as early morning or after-hours work for shops.
• Whether it is a one-off job or regular visits under a maintenance plan.

Our guide to what a painting quote should include lists what to look for when you compare quotes.