Expert: Jan Hayner - 1/25/2011

Question
I recently had my house vandalized and had white satin looking spray  paint from a can graffiti on my nicely finished hickory kitchen cabinets. What is the best way to remove it without causing too much damage to the finish on my wood?
Thank you.
Arturo Leon

Answer
Hi Arturo;
My sympathies to you, this is not only a mess to deal with, but
a frustration as well and I do feel bad for you.

It is hard to tell if they used an enamel, satin spray or semi-gloss, but this solution will work for any of them. Only with the semi-gloss and enamel, it will take a little longer to accomplish the job.

Plan on having patience when you start your project. The outcome will be a lot better, it won't take you as long to return it to original condition once it is cleaned and the damage will be minimal.

You can use any of these products: mineral spirits, isopropyl alcohol, WD-40 or Citrus King Graffiti Remover.

The Graffiti Remover is a combination of orange oils, it will take longer, but the results are great. When using the mineral spirits, alcohol, WD-40 the trick is to 'don't overdo'. a little is better, using a brush the type for painting pictures works great because you have better control over the liquid and can control the running. The only caution here is to NOT spray it on the cupboard; put a small amount in a dish and brush it on the paint, let it soak in a few moments and wipe off. It will smear to some degree which will make you go into a panic, but never fear, you will wipe this off at the end with mineral spirits to clean up the last of the mess.

1. brush it on the painted areas, doing a small amount of space at a time because it dries fast and you want total control.

2. wipe with a rag once you see it starting to dry

3 re-coat and re-wipe until the thick part of the paint is off.

Then you can wet a cloth with mineral spirits and wipe off the remaining light paint.
Let dry completely and recoat your cabinets with varnish and you will be in good shape.

As I say, take your time, don't hurry the job and you will save yourself the expense of having a professional come in to repair it.

Good luck,
Jan Hayner