Hero Section
H1: Graffiti removal and wall restoration
We love Bristol’s street art. The city wouldn’t be the same without Banksy’s work on Park Street or the murals along North Street in Southville. But there’s a difference between a commissioned piece on the side of The Canteen and someone tagging your shop shutters at 3am on a Tuesday.
A landlord in Stokes Croft phoned us last spring. Someone had sprayed a four-metre tag across the rendered front of his rental property overnight. He’d already tried a pressure washer from Screwfix. It faded the paint slightly and blasted chunks out of the render. The tag was still visible. The render was now damaged.
That’s the job we get most often. Not the first attempt at removal, but the rescue after a DIY effort has made things worse. Spray paint bonds differently to brick, render, stone, metal and glass. Each surface needs a different approach. Get it wrong and you’re left with a ghost image, surface damage, or both.
If you’ve got unwanted graffiti, call us on 07985 505061. We can usually get to you within two to five days. For commercial properties or repeat targeting, we also apply anti-graffiti coatings so the next hit washes off with water.
[CTA: Call 07985 505061] [CTA: Get a Free Quote]
Trust Bar
25 years’ experience | £2M insured (AXA) | IICRC certified | Chemical and pressure washing methods
Types of Graffiti and Surfaces
Not all graffiti is the same. The paint type matters. The surface matters more.
Spray paint on brick. The most common type we deal with. Aerosol paint sits on the surface of engineering brick but sinks into the pores of softer stock brick. London stock, Bath stone, and the red brick you see across Redland and Cotham all absorb paint differently. We test a small area first to find the right solvent strength and dwell time.
Spray paint on render. Render is porous. Paint soaks in fast. This is where DIY pressure washing causes the most damage, because people crank up the pressure to shift embedded paint and end up pitting the render surface. We use chemical strippers that break the paint bond without attacking the render itself.
Marker pen and paint pen. Permanent markers and paint pens are common on smoother surfaces: shopfronts, bus stops, utility boxes. They need solvent-based removers rather than pressure. Heat can set them deeper, so steam cleaning is the wrong call here.
Paint on stone. Bristol has a lot of Bath stone and Pennant sandstone, particularly around Clifton, Hotwells and the Harbourside. Stone is soft and absorbent. Aggressive cleaning damages the face permanently. We use poultice methods and gentle chemical treatments that draw the paint out without etching the stone surface.
Paint on metal. Shutters, railings, signage, cladding panels. Metal is the easiest surface to clean because paint sits on top rather than soaking in. A solvent wipe or low-pressure wash usually does it. The challenge is matching the finish afterwards if the underlying paint has been affected.
Paint on glass. Razor scraping and solvent. Quick job, but it needs care to avoid scratching. Toughened glass is forgiving. Laminated glass less so.
Paint on UPVC and plastic. Fascias, guttering, signboards. Some solvents that work brilliantly on brick will melt UPVC. We use plastic-safe formulations that dissolve the graffiti paint without softening the substrate.
Our Removal Methods
We don’t have a single method that works on everything. Anyone who tells you they do is either lying or about to damage your wall.
Chemical removal. Our primary method for most surfaces. We apply a graffiti-specific solvent, give it time to break down the paint bond, then wash it off. Different solvents for different paint types and surfaces. We carry a range from mild citrus-based strippers to heavy-duty industrial solvents. The right product at the right concentration matters more than brute force.
Pressure washing. Used after chemical treatment to rinse residue, or as the primary method on hard, non-porous surfaces like engineering brick and concrete. We adjust pressure, nozzle angle and distance to suit the surface. A 3,000 PSI jet that’s fine on concrete will destroy soft render. We’ve seen the aftermath of that mistake plenty of times.
Steam cleaning. Effective on some paint types, particularly water-based paints on hard surfaces. The heat softens the paint and the steam lifts it. Not suitable for marker pen (sets the ink) or for surfaces that are heat-sensitive.
Poultice treatment. For delicate surfaces like Bath stone, listed building facades, and heritage masonry. We apply a chemical poultice that sits on the surface, draws the paint out of the pores over several hours, and gets peeled away. Slow but gentle. Sometimes the only safe option.
Soda blasting. A step up from pressure washing but less aggressive than sandblasting. Sodium bicarbonate particles are blasted at the surface under controlled pressure. Good for large areas of brick or concrete where chemical methods would be too slow. We don’t use sand or grit blasting on anything other than bare concrete. It’s too destructive.
Honestly, there are some surfaces where 100% removal isn’t possible without causing visible damage. Old, soft brick that’s absorbed dark paint deeply is the usual culprit. We’ll tell you upfront if we think we can get to 90% rather than 100%, and what the trade-offs are. We’d rather be straight with you than promise perfection and deliver damage.
Anti-Graffiti Coatings
Removal is reactive. If your property gets targeted repeatedly, you need something proactive.
Anti-graffiti coatings create a barrier between the surface and any future paint. When graffiti goes on, it sits on top of the coating instead of bonding to the wall. Next time, it washes off with a standard pressure washer or even a bucket of hot water. No chemicals, no specialist call-out.
Sacrificial coatings. A clear wax or polymer layer that sits on the surface. When graffiti hits, you wash off both the paint and the coating together, then reapply the coating. Cheap to apply, needs reapplication after each clean. Good for surfaces that get hit infrequently.
Permanent (non-sacrificial) coatings. A two-part polyurethane or siloxane coating that bonds to the surface permanently. Graffiti washes off but the coating stays. More expensive upfront, but you don’t need to reapply after each clean. We typically recommend this for commercial properties, schools, and anywhere that gets targeted regularly.
Shadow-resistant coatings. Some anti-graffiti coatings still leave a faint shadow where the paint was, particularly on lighter-coloured surfaces. Shadow-resistant formulations are designed to prevent this. They cost more but they’re worth it on street-facing elevations where appearance matters.
Personally, I think every commercial property in areas like Stokes Croft, Old Market and the city centre should have anti-graffiti coating as standard. The removal cost for a single incident often exceeds the cost of coating the entire frontage. It’s basic maths. But most property owners don’t think about it until they’ve already been hit two or three times.
Our Process
Step 1: Assessment and surface testing
We look at the graffiti, the surface, and any previous removal attempts. We test our chosen chemical on a small, hidden area to check it won’t discolour or damage the substrate. For listed buildings or conservation areas, we’ll discuss the approach with you before we start.
Step 2: Masking and protection
Adjacent surfaces, windows, plants, and anything that shouldn’t get hit with solvent or pressure gets masked off. Drainage is protected if we’re working near gullies or watercourses. We follow Environment Agency guidelines on chemical run-off.
Step 3: Chemical application
We apply the appropriate solvent and give it the right dwell time. Rushing this step is where most graffiti removal goes wrong. Some paints need 20 minutes. Some need an hour. Poultice treatments on stone can take half a day.
Step 4: Removal and rinsing
Pressure washing, steam, or manual removal depending on the surface and method. We work methodically across the area, checking as we go. If a second application is needed, we apply it.
Step 5: Wall restoration
If the surface has been damaged by the graffiti itself or by a previous removal attempt, we can repair render, repoint brick, or repaint to match. This is the “wall restoration” part that most graffiti removal companies skip. Getting the paint off is half the job. Leaving the wall looking right is the other half.
Step 6: Anti-graffiti coating (optional)
If you want protection against future hits, we apply the coating immediately after removal. The surface is already clean and prepped, so this is the ideal time. We’ll recommend the right coating type for your surface and situation.
Before and After
[Before/after image slider; graffiti removal jobs across Bristol]
Photos from actual BCH graffiti removal work. No stock images.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does graffiti removal cost?
It depends on the surface, the size of the graffiti, and how deeply the paint has bonded. A small tag on engineering brick might be £80 to £150. A large piece across a rendered wall: £200 to £600. Anti-graffiti coating for a typical shopfront adds £150 to £400. We quote after seeing the job, either in person or from photos. No call-out fee for quoting.
Can you remove graffiti without damaging the wall?
In most cases, yes. That’s the whole point of testing chemicals on a small area first. Some situations are harder: very old soft brick, already-damaged render, or surfaces where someone has already tried aggressive removal. We’ll tell you honestly what result to expect before we start.
How quickly can you remove graffiti?
We aim to get to most jobs within two to five days. For commercial properties or cases where the graffiti is offensive, we’ll try to come sooner. The actual removal takes a few hours for most jobs. Larger areas or poultice treatments on stone can take a full day.
Do you work with councils and housing associations?
Yes. We’ve done graffiti removal for properties managed by Bristol City Council and several housing associations across the BS postcode area. We can work from purchase orders and provide the documentation your procurement team needs.
Will the graffiti come back after removal?
We can’t control whether someone targets your property again. What we can do is apply an anti-graffiti coating so that if it does happen, the next removal is fast, cheap and doesn’t damage the surface. For repeatedly targeted properties, the coating pays for itself after the second incident.
Can you remove graffiti from a listed building?
Yes, and we treat listed buildings with extra care. We avoid pressure washing on heritage masonry and use poultice or gentle chemical methods instead. If the building is Grade I or Grade II* listed, or sits in a conservation area like Clifton Village or Queen Square, we’d recommend checking with Bristol City Council’s conservation team before any work starts. We’re happy to liaise with them on your behalf.
Is graffiti removal covered by insurance?
It depends on your policy. Some commercial property insurance policies cover malicious damage, which includes graffiti. Domestic policies vary. We provide detailed invoices and before/after photos that you can submit with your claim. We can’t advise on your specific cover, but we can give you the paperwork your insurer will want.
Related Services
- Deep Cleaning: Specialist deep cleaning for properties that need more than surface-level attention
- Industrial Cleaning: Heavy-duty cleaning for commercial and industrial premises
- Commercial Cleaning: Ongoing cleaning and maintenance contracts for business properties
- Exterior Cleaning: Pressure washing, render cleaning and facade restoration
Book Your Graffiti Removal
Unwanted graffiti doesn’t improve with time. Paint bonds harder as it cures, UV exposure sets certain pigments deeper, and every day it’s there is another day your property looks neglected.
We’re based at 290-294 Southmead Road, BS10. We cover all of Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
Phone: 07985 505061 Emergency 24/7: 0808 303 7072 WhatsApp: 07985 505061 Email: hello@bristolcleaningheroes.co.uk
[Get a Free Quote]
Schema markup required: Service, FAQPage, BreadcrumbList Cross-links: deep cleaning, industrial cleaning, commercial sector page, exterior cleaning