How to Remove Sidewalk Paint

Exercise caution. The National Park Service, which often has to contend with graffiti at historical sites, points out that "surfaces can be badly disfigured or damaged during graffiti removal" if you use harsh chemicals or the wrong method. Sandblasting, for example, will penetrate the substrate and destabilize the surface. The park service recommends using the gentlest means, then moving up from there.

Start with soap and water and a scrub brush before resorting to chemicals. Use a scrub brush with warm water and a household cleaner to try to remove the paint. Hose down the sidewalk first.

You can also try water and ammonia, which can work well on fresh paint, but be careful not to mix an ammonia product with a bleach product; the fumes will be dangerous.

Make a poultice of shredded paper, water and bleach. Tamp it on the painted areas, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit for a while. Remove it before it dries out, and then hose the sidewalk off.

Try paint remover in a poultice, or use a gel-style paint remover according to the manufacturer's directions. For paint removers to work well, the temperature should be between 70 and 80 degrees. Wear gloves to do this. Hose off the sidewalk well.

Try a commercial graffiti remover, but use caution. The National Park Service says that commercial graffiti removers can spread the paint color around on vertical or sloped surfaces. Wear gloves to do this and hose off the sidewalk well.

Try more than one method. The National Park Service says it often has to use multiple methods to remove paint.

Leave what you can't remove. The paint will fade with time. If you resort to a harsher means other than what you've tried, you may damage the surface of the concrete.