Posted By Barry hutton Can anyone help. I am looking for some options. We have a graffiti removal operation that is based on the use of some nasty chemicals. We are aiming to reduce the inherent risks by considering safer options. Is anyone aware of safer graffiti removal operations.

Posted By Brian McMillan We have given up attempting to remove graffiti wherever possible. Instead we try to ensure that vulnerable surfaces are either ceramic tiled (toilets) or capable of being given a quick coat of paint to obliterate offending artwork. There are obvious limitations and furniture is always a target but we have minimised the need for chemical removal agents.

Posted By Benedict Thierry Hi, I used to do alot of graffitti removal work. Had contacts in Stockholm (at the time the graffitti capital of Europe), Adelaide, Australia (graffitti capital down under), London underground (who at the time were suffering more from scratchiti-- more troublesome than graffitti). I trialled many products from the occupationally & environmentally hazardous to occupationally hazardous but less environmentally problematic-- but they all require large quantities of water, which during the dry summers we were having I found unacceptable (remember Yorkshire water). I found that if you used ultra heated water(121C) and reducing the pressure and working at a slower rate on some surfaces you could get a reasonable result. A breakthrough came with a system using special grade bicarbonate of soda granules. This allowed you to reduce the quantities of chemicals used as the shadow effect and hard to remove dyes(leather work dyes) could be removed more effectively with the bicarb. But you need highly proficient staff or you do alot of scouring damage to some materials. Then we looked at nozzle technology and there is alot that can be achieved by checking out nozzle types and capacities, though probably more effective for troublesome chewing gum. The breakthrough came with a system developed in Belgium for cleaning masonary. It uses abrasive material (not bicarb)but instead of using 150l of water /min or whatever it used that amount in one whole days work and the pressure could be adjusted so that you can remove the print off a sheet of p[aper but still have an unwholed piece of paper in your hand at the end. The only problem was that at the time there were maybe two such machines and the cost was beyond our budgets. In Stockholm, they tended to go more for non-permanent wax protective coatings that could be washed off with hot water and take the graffitti away with them - effective but costs In Adelaide they also preferred protective coatings, but they preferred permanent coatings using a paint technology which prevented the dyes in the graffitti paints from sticking to the surfaces- effective but difficult to obtain They were in the process of trying to set up an outlet in the UK Have you looked at any of these things as my involvement is some years past and things change so quickly