Graffiti Clean up

Before and After

Left image
Graffiti Before Cleaning
Credit: NPS

Right image
Stone after Graffiti Removal
Credit: NPS

On the night of February 18-19, vandals defaced several sites within National Mall and Memorial Parks with marker. The park’s Maintenance Preservation Crew does a great job in removing it in a timely manner without damaging the stone. Using a mild, gel-type architectural paint stripper that is safe for use on historic stone, the treatment is applied and allowed it to set on the stone for about an hour, then rinsed with heated, pressurized water. After each application, the condition is reviewed to determine if additional applications are necessary. The process is repeated until the graffiti has been completely removed.