Cleaning's Guide to Graffiti Removal

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic subcontracting can help cleaning managers maintain operational consistency by offloading labor-intensive specialty projects that strain staff, storage, and resources.
• The true cost of handling specialty work in-house often extends beyond labor to include safety risks, equipment investments, inventory management, and reduced team capacity.
• Successful subcontracting depends on selecting qualified partners with proven experience, strong safety practices, clear communication, and well-defined scopes of work.

 

Drive past a building, and what catches the eye? Maybe it’s streak-free windows that allow one to peer into the daily hustle and bustle transpiring inside. Perhaps it’s the manicured landscaping that surrounds a clear, paved walkway and lot. Or maybe it’s the explosion of color in images and words that previously didn’t exist on the exterior. 

To the public, graffiti may be interpreted as an artistic form of expression. However, for facility managers, it is a persistent problem. Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Facility Operations for Chicago Public Schools, says graffiti is a costly challenge inhibiting cleaning systems and excluding building occupants. 

“Graffiti is an operational concern that takes away the appearance of a clean, orderly facility,” he shares. “It may even make some folks feel unwelcomed or targeted.” 

Graffiti can range from threats of violence to generic vandalism. For instance, three schools in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, found antisemitic messaging etched on the school walls. The incident alarmed families and instilled fear in students. On the other hand, in Warrensburg, Missouri, a historic church was defiled with spray paint and graffiti. Although this messaging did not contain racial remarks or hate speech, the local community viewed it as an attack all the same. 

For commercial properties, graffiti removal is less about aesthetics and more about maintaining a hygienic environment for the public. It has also become a prevalent service across the industry. According to a 2026 report from Contracting Profits, a sister publication to Facility Cleaning Decisions, about 73 percent of contracted cleaners offer graffiti removal as a specialty service—a nearly 30 percentage point increase from the year prior. Contracting out cleanup is a nice option for in-house departments that struggle with the resources—tools/equipment, people, or time—to take on this unpredictable work. 

An essential element of graffiti removal is timely action. Christlieb notes that limiting the exposure of graffiti reduces the overall reward for the vandal, deterring future acts in that targeted location. 

“Graffiti is caused by someone wanting to share a message or mark a territory,” he shares. “Quickly removing the graffiti short-circuits the intent of the communications by making it nonexistent and pointless.” 

Preventative measures can also discourage graffiti acts. Increased lighting, intentional landscaping, and community engagement create barriers that limit a building’s accessibility and the public’s tolerance of graffiti. In fact, public art projects are one strategy that can provide a sustainable, visual deterrent that is less likely to be defaced. Technology, such as security cameras, may be placed in visible locations as an additional surveillance tactic. 

On the interior, management should identify hot spots for graffiti acts and monitor them. In schools, restrooms top this list of locations. Christlieb finds regular restroom graffiti on toilet stall doors, in small calligraphy, out of the line of sight for adults. A rapid response helps to clean up these areas efficiently. 

Frontline teams should tackle interior and exterior graffiti differently. Chemical-based solvents are the primary tool for interior graffiti, while exterior surfaces require force for removal. 

“Interior cleaners are more chemically driven to break down the paint while exterior uses air pressure and different media to power-remove the paint,” Christlieb says.  

The two primary elements to consider are location and substance. Graffiti runs the gamut of materials—spray paints, pens, gum, and more. Cleaning teams need to consider whether certain graffiti requires chemical or physical treatment. Environmental factors— removal accessibility, public proximity, and operational impact—can influence which technique is implemented. 

Surfaces are another factor. The City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services recommends viscous solutions over a thin solvent for porous surface types, including brick, concrete, and stone, to increase contact time and break the elemental bonds of graffiti material. Non-porous surfaces, such as glass, metals, and plastics, can handle a direct solvent application. Other finished surfaces, like wood, aluminum, and vinyl, require a less aggressive chemical that does not break down the coating. For each distinctive surface, it is important to use a solution that won’t deteriorate the material. 

Some fixes are beyond chemical and physical strategies. For scratched or scored surfaces, the City of Milwaukee says that fillers, covers, or film can be utilized to address the gouges. Graffiti on a flat, cement surface can be removed with sandpaper. However, while sandpaper does remove paint, it can also scratch and damage the surface. Occasionally, painting over graffiti may be required, but it can come at a high cost. Applying finishes, sealers, and other innovative solutions can make graffiti easier to remove should it recur. 

For some facility managers, contracting exterior graffiti removal services can simplify cleaning deliberations. In Chicago, Christlieb relies on Graffiti Busters, a free, citywide service. Utilizing a combination of “blast” and painting vehicles, graffiti is removed from brick, stone, metal, wood, or mineral surfaces. The program’s success has inspired other U.S. cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, to adopt similar systems. 

In other places, community organizations can be enlisted to support graffiti removal efforts. One such program, Graffiti Off Neighborhoods (GON), focuses on residential facilities throughout Aurora, Colorado. The group works alongside the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Department to remove graffiti along Aurora highways and in recreational spaces. 

While reliance on outside programs is productive for exterior graffiti removal, it does not satisfy interior needs. 

“Interior cleanup is almost always down to in-house management,” Christlieb says. 

Facility managers should review and revise graffiti cleaning protocols. Cleaning crews need training on how to identify graffiti materials, select cleaning agents, and the warranted personal protective equipment (PPE). 

“Exposure to harmful chemicals is a paramount concern,” notes Christlieb. “Cleaners should always have the proper PPE for the chemicals and methods being used.” 

As interior graffiti removers may include strong, active ingredients, they can elevate the risk for staff and building occupants. The longer a graffiti material has had to dry, the more abrasive the chemical solvent will need to be. When cleaning, frontline staff should wear gear that limits chemical exposure and reduces the risk of respiratory distress. Once finished, proper ventilation and filtration systems should support the overall air quality of the indoor space. 

Graffiti removal is another facet of facility maintenance that preserves the integrity of the building and reinforces a safe, healthy, and welcoming environment. 

Taylor Vraney is the Assistant Editor working on Facility Cleaning Decisions, Sanitary Maintenance, and Contracting Profits magazines. She's also very active in contributing to CleanLink.com. Prior to her time in media, Taylor served as a Special Education teacher, which gives her a strong perspective on custodial operations and its role in creating healthy environments for building occupants.

Taylor currently oversees Sanitary Maintenance's Sales Leaders Award program, which gave her a quick introduction to some of the many outstanding personalities that make up this great industry. At industry events, Taylor got first-hand experience with products and equipment, and even recorded the experience to demonstrate what frontline workers experience on the daily.

Taylor handles the collection of content for the Cleaning Insider newsletter and facilitates CleanLink's monthly polling questions.

Follow Taylor on LinkedIn here.