Liquid soap, solvents, strippers or thinners? When it comes to removing graffiti, it’s important to know your cleaning options and have a plan—a sort of counterattack.
While we respect these rebel artists as counterculture warriors, we don’t necessarily want them to use our garage door as their canvas.
Whether you live in a converted factory downtown or a bungalow in the ‘burbs, you could wake up to find someone’s name scribbled on your door. And it won’t be a discrete signature in the bottom corner. Oy.
Rest assured, there are professional cleaning companies who specialize in this kind of thing. Where there is demand, there is service. But keep in mind the cost. If you don’t want the expense and don’t mind a bit of manual labor, here are some tips for success.
Faster is better
What are you waiting for? Get outside and start this job as soon as possible, before the paint dries and takes hold. Try to remove graffiti within the first 24 to 48 hours. You won’t regret getting a head start the same day.
Paint pointers
Graffiti artists can grow attached to a favorite kind of paint—often the cheapest and the easiest to wash away—but there are many different options on the market.
Taggers use water‑based and oil‑based spray paint, acrylic enamel, varnish, vinyl, polyurethane, and alkyds paint, or permanent markers. Determining the kind of spray paint on your door will help you buy the right cleaning product.
Don’t forget about the door’s surface under the paint
It’s not all about the spray paint. The garage door’s original surface is a big part of the equation.
A reclaimed barn door from the 1890s will not react the same to graffiti as a factory‑made garage door with a baked‑on surface. The latter can withstand more scouring—if it’s relatively new. If your garage door was repainted in a paint shop by professionals, ask them what type of paint they used. Alternately, if you’re a DIY homeowner, you might’ve given the door its last top coat of color and the paint can might still be in the basement.
Don’t panic
There’s no reason to lose your head and spend a fortune at the hardware store—not yet. Before buying specialized chemicals to clean your door, start simple. Use common liquid cleanser and a pressure washer. It’s basically a turbo‑powered garden hose you can buy or rent. If you’re lucky, the power hose might wash away the problem.
Age before beauty
If your garage door is aged or made of untreated wood, forgo the liquid cleanser. Use light water pressure or else the force of the water will push the paint deeper into the wood grain. Be sure to do a test on a small area. No luck? Switch tactics: apply a gentle cleaning product using a thick brush, like a wallpaper paste brush, or a plush paint roller, then wipe by hand. If you have the patience, gently scrape off more stubborn sections. It will take more time, but it will save your wood from having a ghost image of the graffiti. Still not clean? Invest in a low‑volatility solvent (see below) that quickly penetrates and dissolves graffiti while minimizing the potential damage to the underlying surface.
Stained and treated wood
If your garage door is protected by a stain or made of treated wood, begin by soaking a cloth or wallpaper brush with a liquid cleaner. Next, applying the cloth to the graffiti or brush on the cleanser with the wallpaper brush. Let it soak in for 5 to 10 minutes. Standing two feet from the door and start straying with a medium pressure at the top of the door, working down methodically.
Environmentally-minded homeowners should try the age‑old “green” cleaning recipe: white vinegar mixed with lemon juice, or white vinegar and baking soda. Apply it with a brush or cloth and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing with the power hose.
When it’s time to up your game
When the graffiti on your wooden door defies liquid cleansers and the power hose, try a stronger cleaning product—something powdered, with an abrasive additive.
The next step after abrasive cleaners is to try mineral spirits. Next, move up to bleach (1:4 ratio with water), then graduate to diluted paint thinner. Still no results? Invest in a more professional graffiti removal product. They usually contain methylene chloride, a high‑powered solvent. Some are semi‑gel for easier application on vertical surfaces.
Heavy metal
Metal doors and aluminum doors are more resistant when it comes to withstanding a scrubbing. First, try wiping graffiti with paint thinner, methanol, mineral spirits, rubbing alcohol, lacquer thinner or acetone (Yes, nail polish remover).
Be sure to protect your hands with rubber gloves. To amplify results, gently rub the area with steel wool or fine‑grade sandpaper in circular motions, then power washing from two feet away. Using 3000psi water pressure.
Still not working? Resort to a high‑performance stripper for paint, varnish, laquer, enamel and other finishes. There are solvents on the market with evaporation barrier‑forming components to assure maximum contact time, and powerful emulsifiers. Some have extra clinging power on vertical surfaces. You can find these paint removers at a paint dealer. This type of product is used by companies who specialize in removing graffiti.
Resign & repaint
Okay, you tried all the chemicals and rented a pressure washer. Still no success. It’s time to admit defeat and paint over the annoying graffiti. First, clean all the dirt, spider webs and sand off the surface. Next, apply a primer to the entire door to cover the graffiti and best prepare the surface to receive a new top coat of paint.
If your door is from Garaga or is a door with a similar surface, then refer to our website for the instructions you’ll need to repaint it.
Repainting a garage door is the perfect chance to update your home’s overall look. Either go matchy‑matchy with the front door or let the front door “pop” in an accent color. It’s best to paint double and triple garage doors in lighter colors or else they dominate the facade.
If you’re anxious about choosing paint colors (frankly, who isn’t?), there are online visualizer tools on major paint manufacturers’ websites. These tools allow people to see a virtual mock‑up of their type of home with various exterior paint colors. They cut down on color disasters, like salmon pink and sea foam green.
Changing your garage door
After you’ve calmed down about the graffiti vandal, maybe you realize it’s time to retire your old garage door and spring for a new one. If you live near Burlington, MA, contact us now at 781-270-5066.
We provide no‑obligation quotations by email. Or, visit our showroom and use the Design Centre to browse door styles on our image gallery. Inspiration will strike!
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