tackling trouble areas Prompt Response Is Needed To Thwart Criminals Insiders urge cleaners to stay on the offense against graffiti and vandalism. By: Richard DiPaolo, Senior editor V Vandalism and graffiti are on the rise once again and the reasons could be many. Could it be that more “free-spirited” peo-ple find themselves out of work in this tough economy, leading to more free time for such cheap “recreational” activity as graffiti, sometimes referred to as tagging? Maybe another reason is that the avail-ability of spray paint via the Internet has negated previous efforts of locking these products behind steel cages in retail stores. These products are readily acces-sible today. Regardless of the reason, graffiti and vandalism cases have increased and as a facility manager, professional cleaner or building service contractor, it is your duty to maintain a proactive program. Motsenbockerʼs Lift Off and spokesperson as well as a founding member of the National Coalition for Graffiti Removal. “Taggers will be more active and do more damage if their work is allowed to stay present. By leaving graffiti in place, tag-gers identify this as acceptance. Thatʼs why it is best to remove it as soon as pos-sible with the proper equipment and prod-ucts.” Deterrence is another way to protect your facility. According to the National Coalition for Graffiti Removal, landscaping is an attrac-tive, natural deterrent to graffiti activity and it is know to significantly reduce graffiti by 99 percent. Protecting Your Turf For Street Cred The key to reducing graffiti is knowing that time is of the essence. “A prompt response program reduces costs by treating a problem when it is small,” says Tim Winesburg of Multi-Seal Corporation. “[Additionally,] visible graffiti hurts property values, suggests poor facili-ties management, indicates lax security and encourages [others] to pile on.” Even in discreet areas of the facility, a quick response can make a big difference in how criminals view and respect your facility and its surrounding areas. “Anyone responsible for the care of buildings, park and recreational equip-ment, utility boxes, signage, vehicles and transportation equipment should know that it is very important to remove graffiti as soon as it occurs,” notes Patty Ducey-Brooks, marketing manager for Arm Your Crew Ahead Of Crimes As with other cleaning tasks, it is vital to have graffiti removal products stocked and Photos courtesy of Motsenbocker’s Lift Off ready to go, especially when time is a criti-cal factor in success or failure. Especially, “If you know youʼre suscepti-ble, it is best to get the products ahead of time and keep them in storage,” says Ducey-Brooks. “Having these products available is going to empower you to go out and [remove the problem] right away.” Although little, if any, training is needed in order to effectively rid your property of graf-fiti, there are some things cleaners should be aware of. According to Winesburg, there are three main types of graffiti control: The use of cleaners; cleaning with abrasion; and mak-ing the surface easier to clean. Cleaners can range from simple solvents to water-based biodegradable soaps. Remember, criminals use various types of graffiti materials and your facility features a multitude of surfaces. “We believe that the type of surface Timely removal with an appropriate product for the surface is important. 40 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • September 2009
CMM – Archives Sept 2009: 40
