Graffiti removal

Residential/private commerical property
Wollongong City Council offers a complimentary 'Paint Over Service' for the removal of illegal graffiti from private commerical and residential property. Contact our Graffiti Reporting Line for more infomation.

To enable our Graffiti Managemenet team to attend to graffiti on your property, please complete the relevant Access Agreement form on the right.

Positive measures against graffiti

1. Rapid removal of graffiti
Rapid removal of graffiti prevents the long term recognition graffiti strives for, while reinforcing that an area is monitored and maintained.  There are a number of approaches that could be useful in removing illegal graffiti from your property.

Paint over graffiti

• the easiest method of removing graffiti may be to simply paint over it
• before painting, it may be necessary to remove as much graffiti as possible as some graffiti markers tend to ‘bleed’ through new coats of paint
• using a sealer or undercoat may also prevent bleeding
• by sourcing a correct colour match for the surface that has been affected, it may be possible to avoid painting the entire area.

Handy tip  Keeping a tin of paint on your property will enable you to quickly see to the removal of the graffiti, with the intention of deterring repeat occurrences on the surface.

Removing graffiti yourself
When using removal products:

• follow the manufacturer’s directions
• be careful, follow safety precautions
• test on a small area first
• it can be worth trying regular household cleaning products first - start with dishwashing detergent or laundry liquid, followed by eucalyptus oil or mineral  turpentine
• products for removal and advice on their use are available from most local hardware or paint stores
• be certain to acknowledge that some products are toxic and will require safety precautions.

Contractor information (brick wall cleaning)

• If your own attempts at removing graffiti are unsuccessful, then it may be necessary to employ a professional contractor to do it for you, particularly for bare brick
• The Yellow Pages© have a comprehensive list of contractors for brick and brick wall cleaning in the Wollongong Local Government Area.

Contractor Information (Protective coatings) 

• Employing a professional to apply a protective anti-graffiti coating may be the best method to protect your property from graffiti
• Contractors can be found by following a search process in the Yellow Pages©.

2. Preventative measure
The following are some constructive methods for preventing graffiti on your property:

Landscaping

• CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)
• large walls that are easily accessible are an easy target for graffiti - reducing access to these spaces is a great preventative measure, and landscaping the area in front of a wall may be the most appropriate means of doing this
• landscaping in front of a wall also reduces the visual impact of any graffiti that may occur in the space

Improved lighting

• improving lighting is another good way to protect your property from graffiti as it increases the risk of the offender being detected
• poorly lit areas are more prone to criminal activity. Sensor lights or bright lights can deter this vandalism
• improving the lighting is also a cost-effective investment for your property

Appropriate fencing or grilles

• avoiding high fences is a further deterrent for offenders and doesn’t provide them with a hiding place
• minimising bare brick fences reduces the attraction for offenders to vandalise your property with graffiti e.g. by planting trees, shrubs or vines
• dark grilles allow you to see outside without any obstructions, whereas a light coloured grille is more difficult to see through

Other preventative measures include: 

• legal art opportunities e.g. murals

Legal art opportunities
If you think your business or residence may provide an opportunity for local artists to participate in a legal art project (for the prevention of illegal graffiti) please contact our Community, Cultural and Library Services division.