Home › Stain Removal › Graffiti Removal
GRAFFITI REMOVAL
Graffiti removal for Ham Lake and the north metro
Paint and marker lifted with chemistry matched to the surface, applied gently and never blasted, so the material underneath is protected.
Graffiti is paint or marker on a surface that was never meant to carry it: a fence, a garage door, a retaining wall or a business sign. Removing it without harming the material underneath begins by identifying two things: the surface it is on and the product it was made with.
Glass House matches surface-specific chemistry to each job, tests it where it will not show and works at low pressure rather than blasting. Fresh graffiti lifts more readily than paint that has weathered for weeks, so prompt treatment matters. Business and HOA properties are quoted in person by Carson.
OUR STAIN POLICY
Every stain job begins with a spot test, and we charge only for work we can complete.
★ Rated 4.9 on Google · 44 reviews
Insured to $2M
Owner-operated
Based in Ham Lake
SURFACE FIRST
Two questions before anything touches it
The same can of spray paint behaves very differently on brick than on a painted garage door, which is why every job begins with the surface.
The surface it is on
Brick, concrete, block, stone, wood, painted siding, a garage door and a sign each call for a different product and a different level of care. A product that suits one surface can damage another, so the surface is identified before anything is chosen.
What it was made with
Spray paint and marker do not come off the same way. Knowing which one was used tells us which product to test first and how gently the surface must be treated, and it keeps time from being spent on a method that will not work.
Porous or smooth
Porous materials such as brick, concrete and stone let paint soak in below the surface, which is why they can hold a faint shadow. Smooth, sealed or painted surfaces mostly hold the paint on top, which usually leaves more room to lift it cleanly.
The finish under the tag
On a painted surface, the goal is to lift one layer of paint without disturbing the finish you want to keep. If that original finish is aged or failing, Carson will discuss it with you before any work begins, so the risk is understood in advance.
HOW WE REMOVE GRAFFITI
Matched, tested and applied gently
No single graffiti remover is right for every surface. The product is matched to what the tag is on, and the chemistry does the work instead of pressure.
WHY WE DO NOT BLAST IT
High pressure can etch brick, concrete and stone and leave a permanent outline of the tag cut into the surface. Once a surface is etched, no cleaner can undo it.
01
Walk it and identify
Every job begins with a walk-around. We look at the surface and its finish, identify what the tag was made with and note anything nearby that needs protecting, such as plantings, windows or a neighboring wall.
02
Test a hidden spot
The chosen product goes on an inconspicuous spot first, so we can see how the paint and the surface respond before the whole tag is treated. If the test shows it is not a job we can complete, you do not pay for it.
03
Apply it and work it gently
The remover matched to your surface is applied with a low-pressure pump, worked lightly with soft bristles and left to dwell 5 to 15 minutes without being allowed to dry. You can often watch the tag fade as the chemistry works.
04
Rinse it away gently
Once the paint has released, it is rinsed off with our soft wash system, which runs at low pressure. Force would damage the very surface we are there to save, especially stucco, brick and stone, so nothing is blasted.
05
Photos when it is done
Before and after photos come with every service we provide, attached to your receipt. They give you a clear record of the work for a board, a property manager or your own files.
SURFACE BY SURFACE
What to expect on your surface
How completely graffiti comes off depends mostly on the surface it is on. This is what we tell customers before any work begins.
SURFACE
WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS
WHAT TO EXPECT
Smooth signs and metal
Paint sits mostly on top of the surface
Usually the most forgiving. A sign's printed face is tested first.
Painted siding, doors and garage doors
The tag sits on paint you want to keep
Careful, surface-matched work. Aged paint may require a damage waiver.
Wood fences and sheds
Bare or stained wood can absorb paint
Improves significantly, and may leave a faint shadow
Brick, concrete, block and stone
Porous masonry lets paint soak in
Improves significantly. A faint shadow may remain.
Tags that have been there for months
More time to soak in and weather
Harder to lift fully. Sooner is better.
A shadow that will not lift safely
The last trace, held down in the surface
We stop before damaging it. Covering it is a painter's job.
HOMES AND BUSINESSES
Around the house, or around the business
Around your home
Fences, garage doors, sheds and retaining walls each call for a different approach, because each is a different material with a different finish. Telling us what the surface is when you reach out lets Carson plan the right product before he arrives.
Businesses, HOAs and managed properties
Signs, building walls and shared structures on commercial and HOA properties receive the same surface-first process we use at homes: identify it, test it, match the product and work gently, with before and after photos for the board or property manager.
Commercial is quoted in person
Commercial and HOA graffiti removal is always quoted in person by Carson. He walks the site, looks at every surface involved and gives you a clear answer on what will lift and what may leave a shadow, before any work is scheduled.
Damage we notice is reported
While we work, any damage we notice on the building, the sign or the surrounding surfaces is documented and brought to your attention. Owners and managers rarely see every part of a property up close, so the visit also serves as a second set of eyes.
HOW PRICING WORKS
Quoted after we see the surface
YOUR GRAFFITI JOB, AT A GLANCE
QUOTE FIRST
Spot test on your surface
Always first
Tested in an inconspicuous spot before any work starts
Graffiti removal at home
Quoted
Fences, garage doors, sheds, walls and more
Business, HOA or commercial
In person
Always quoted in person by Carson
If the graffiti will not lift
No charge
If the spot test shows we cannot complete the job, you do not pay for it
Every surface is different
Test first
Graffiti removal is quoted after Carson sees the surface and the paint, and commercial work is always quoted in person. Every job begins with a walk-around, and every stain job begins with a spot test.
WAYS TO SAVE
Service Plan members
25% off any other work, holiday lighting included
Veterans
10% off any service
Same-day neighbors
15% off for both households
Preferred day
Another 5% off on top of any other saving, up to 25% in all
Seniors 65 and older
$50 off
Three projects together
10% off
Discounts don't combine — you receive whichever single saving is largest. Then a Preferred day can take another 5% off, up to 25% in all (Service Plan members aren't capped).
This season’s flash sale is shown at the foot of every page.
GUARANTEES
What backs the work, word for word
These are printed word for word on your quote, your work order and your invoice.
INCLUDED
Reapplication Guarantee
All stain removal services include a reapplication guarantee: when a stain needs more than one application, the follow-up application is part of the job, not an extra charge.
INCLUDED
Workmanship Standard
If we miss an area or leave normal cleanable residue, tell us and we'll re-clean or touch it up. Our guarantees cover the cleaning result — not repairs, replacements, permanent stains, or conditions that can't be safely corrected through cleaning.
Every stain job still begins with a spot test, and we charge only for work we can complete.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What graffiti removal includes and excludes
Surface-specific chemistry does the work instead of pressure, and if the graffiti does not lift, you do not pay.
INCLUDED
In every graffiti job
• A walk-around to identify the surface and the paint
• A test on a hidden spot first
• Surface-specific chemistry, never blasting
• Plants and nearby surfaces wet down throughout
• Before and after photos with your receipt
• No charge if the graffiti does not lift
NOT INCLUDED
Outside graffiti removal
• Anything etched or scratched into the surface
• Graffiti on glass, handled as construction cleaning
• A guaranteed like-new surface on stucco, brick or stone
• Repainting, when a shadow remains
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS
Surface-matched chemistry, applied gently
Rubber gloves, a respirator and safety glasses go on first. The remover is matched to the surface, applied with a low-pressure pump, worked lightly with soft bristles and left 5 to 15 minutes without drying, then rinsed gently with our soft wash system. The products themselves are not named; they remain a trade secret.
SAFETY AND CARE
Strong chemistry, gentle on the surface
Graffiti removal uses strong, surface-specific chemistry instead of pressure, which calls for careful handling at every step.
PROTECTIVE GEAR
Protective gear goes on first
Before anything is applied, rubber gloves, a respirator and safety glasses go on. The chemistry that lifts spray paint is strong, and it is handled with the same care whether the job is a small tag on a fence or a full wall.
AROUND THE SITE
Plants, pets and people protected
Nearby landscaping is wet down before, during and after, because overspray that lands on a pre-wet surface is diluted to the point of being harmless. Pets and children are welcome on site; we ask only that they stay clear of the work area.
GLASS
Glass takes a different process
Graffiti on glass is removed as construction cleaning: the glass is wetted and a razor is held at a specific angle, which takes hardened paint off without touching the glass. That work requires a signed waiver, because lifting hardened debris can reveal or create scratches.
THE OWNER
Why graffiti gets Carson's prompt attention
Glass House is owned and run by Carson Brenny. He grew up in Ham Lake, went to Blaine High School and has worked full-time in exterior cleaning since 2020. He quotes every graffiti job himself, removes it himself and walks the finished surface with you.
Graffiti on a home, a fence or a neighborhood sign can make a place feel less like your own, and for a business, the building is its front door to the community. That is why Carson schedules graffiti promptly, and if it does not lift, you do not pay.
IN CARSON'S WORDS
“It's my neighbors' homes: their biggest investment, one of the places they spend the most time, and where the people they care about most live. It's something everyone should enjoy, and I believe that.”
Carson Brenny, owner
✓
Tested on your surface first
✓
No charge if the graffiti does not lift
✓
Candid about shadows on porous surfaces
HONEST EXPECTATIONS
What graffiti removal can and cannot do
Sooner is better
The best time to treat graffiti is soon after it appears. Paint that has sat for months has had more time to soak into porous surfaces and weather in place, which makes a complete result harder to reach and a faint shadow more likely.
Porous surfaces may keep a shadow
On brick, concrete and stone, removal improves a tag significantly, but a faint shadow may remain, because some paints leave a trace once lifted from a porous surface. Where that is the case, we say so and recommend repainting when the budget allows.
No damage chasing the last trace
A little remaining shadow is better than damage from chasing the last trace. On aged or fragile finishes, we protect the material underneath first, and Carson will explain his reasoning before he stops, so the decision is never a surprise.
A cleaning, not a repaint
Our work covers the cleaning result, not repairs, repainting or permanent stains. If a surface needs paint to look right again, that is a job for a painter, and Carson will tell you so rather than leave you to discover it afterward.
IF YOU FIND GRAFFITI
What to do before you call
A few minutes now makes removal easier and keeps the damage from getting worse.
01
Take photos
Take clear photos of the tag and the surface around it, close up and from a few steps back. They are useful for your own records, and they help Carson plan the job and prepare your quote.
SKIP THE PRESSURE WASHER
It is the first instinct, and on masonry it is the one most likely to etch a permanent outline of the tag into the surface.
02
Note what it is on
Note whether it is on brick, concrete, stone, wood, painted siding, metal or a sign. That is the first thing we will ask, because the surface decides which product is tested first.
03
Hold off on strong products
A product that is wrong for the surface can smear the paint, spread it or damage the finish underneath. Testing first is what prevents that, so it is best to leave the chemistry to us.
04
Reach out soon
Send the photos and tell us about the surface. The sooner graffiti is treated, the better the odds of a complete result, and business or HOA properties receive an in-person visit from Carson.
WHERE WE WORK
Graffiti removal across the north metro
Glass House is based in Ham Lake and removes graffiti for homeowners, businesses and HOAs throughout Anoka County and the Twin Cities north metro.
Each city page covers the local conditions that affect your property. The surrounding north metro is served as well, and we travel farther for a small trip fee.
GRAFFITI QUESTIONS
Graffiti removal FAQ
Can all graffiti be removed?
Not always completely. Most graffiti improves significantly, but porous brick, concrete and stone can keep a faint shadow, because some paints leave a trace once lifted. Every job begins with a spot test, which shows what is realistic for your surface before any work starts, and if the graffiti does not lift, there is no charge.
Why not pressure wash it off?
High pressure can etch brick, concrete and stone and leave a permanent outline of the tag cut into the surface, and once a surface is etched, no cleaner can undo it. Glass House uses surface-specific chemistry instead, applied gently, left to dwell and rinsed at low pressure with a soft wash system.
What surfaces can you work on?
Brick, concrete, block, stone, stucco, wood fences, painted siding, garage doors, metal and signs. Each surface receives a product matched to it, tested on an inconspicuous spot first. Graffiti on glass is handled differently, as construction cleaning, and anything etched or scratched into a surface is damage that cleaning cannot remove.
Will it damage my paint or siding?
The goal is to lift the graffiti and keep the finish underneath. The product is tested in a hidden spot first and applied gently, without pressure. If the original finish is aged or failing, Carson will say so before any work begins and may ask you to sign a damage waiver, so the risk is clear to everyone in advance.
How soon should I call?
As soon as you can. The best time to treat graffiti is soon after it appears, before the paint has had time to soak into porous surfaces and weather in place. Send clear photos of the tag and the surface it is on, and Carson can plan the right approach before he arrives.
Do you work with businesses and HOAs?
Yes. Glass House removes graffiti from signs, building walls and shared structures on commercial and HOA properties, using the same surface-first process we use at homes. Commercial work is always quoted in person by Carson, who walks the site and looks at every surface involved, and before and after photos come with the receipt.
Can you paint over what will not come off?
No. Glass House is a cleaning service, not a painting contractor. If a shadow remains that cannot be lifted safely, we stop before damaging the surface and tell you so. Covering what remains is a job for a painter, and we recommend repainting when the budget allows.
How much does graffiti removal cost?
Graffiti removal is quoted after Carson sees the surface and the paint and runs a spot test, and commercial work is always quoted in person. If the test shows it is not a job we can complete, there is no charge, and if the graffiti does not lift, you do not pay.
