Most of us prefer to live in pleasant surroundings - not just our homes, but our neighbourhoods as well. We want our streets, parks and waterways to be free of waste, rubbish and other pollutants, and we want to see and end to unsightly graffiti. Each of us can help everyone live "cleaner and greener". By doing so, we not only help the environment, but improve our health and make our lives more enjoyable. it just takes a little more thought and care in our homes and backyards, when we're shopping, work and out and about.

Here as some tips to help you in and around the home:

In the home

In your backyard

When shopping

At work

When you're out and about

Protecting your property from graffiti

Removing graffiti

Painting over graffiti

In the home

• Plastic shopping bags can be used as bin or wastebasket liners. Make a windbreak for your door by stuffing several bags stuffed into an old stocking or long cloth bag.
• Repair items where possible rather than discarding them and buying new.
• Be creative. Jars, bags, envelopes, scrap paper, old clothes etc can be all reused - they don't have to be thrown away automatically.
• You may no longer need your old clothes, furniture, appliances, toys etc - but someone else will. Pass them onto a charity or hold a garage sale.
• Only throw away things as the absolute last resort.

In your backyard

• Take extra care when washing your car. You should attempt to prevent run off, soapy water, mud oil and grease being washed into the gutter, as it will end up in our storm water drains.
• If you wash your car on the lawn or nature strip avoid strong detergents as these can damage the grass.
• Your hose is not a broom! Hosing down concrete paths and driveways - rather than sweeping them - sends the dirt and debris straight in the storm water system, polluting our waterways.

• Don't sweep leaves, grass cuttings or other garden waste into the street or gutters. When it rains, that rubbish will be washed into the storm water system, and some of it will be washed into the waterways. The rest will clog up local storm water drains, causing flooding during periods of heavy rain. Just think: the rubbish you thought you swept away could ruin your carpets!
• Try to recycle garden waste. Leaves and lawn clippings can be used as mulch, which helps prevent weeds growing. Also, a well-mulched garden doesn't need as much water, saving you money.
• Compost bins and worm farms enable you to recycle garden waste and food scraps. Compost produced this way will give you rich organic material that will improve your garden soil - and it's cheaper than commercial products.
• Check whether your local council collects green waste. Use their service if you can't recycle, or dispose of garden waste sensibly any other way.

When shopping

• Choose products that are durable, reusable, recycled, and recyclable, and avoid disposable products.
• Ask yourself these questions before choosing a product: Does its packaging have recycled content? Can the packaging be recycled through your local council's garbage collection service?
• Plastic packaging marked 1, 2 or 3 are generally recycled. Plastic packaging numbered 4 ?7 are not usually recycled.
• Avoid over packaged products, buy in concentrated form and buy refills.
• Take your own shopping bag, rather than use the supermarket's plastic bags.

At work

• Encourage your colleagues to develop practices which minimise waste.
• That old "state of the art" equipment you're replacing can still be used by someone else - ensure it finds another user, rather than simply discarding it.
• Are your colleagues outdoor smokers? Special bins are available for collecting their cigarette butts. Get them installed outside your workplace and encourage your colleagues to use them.

When you're out and about

• When walking your dog, pick up your dog's poo and dispose of it carefully. Supermarket plastic bags are useful for collecting it. Special bins are available for collecting dog poo. If your local park is popular with dog lovers, ask your local council to install some of these bins.
• Only dispose of litter and rubbish in bins designed for that purpose. If you can't find a bin, take your rubbish with you.
• Never throw rubbish from cars, buses or other moving vehicles. Apart from possibly endangering someone else, you may face heavy fines.
• If you see rubbish, abandoned vehicles, graffiti or other pollutants, take a note of it. Record the type of problem, and the address where you saw it. Use our online form to report it. We'll do the rest.

Protecting your property against Graffiti
Illegal graffiti is unsightly, offensive and damaging. You do not have to put up with it. Many states and local councils have responded to community concerns about graffiti are attempting to eradicate it.

Mounting evidence suggests that the best way to combat graffiti is to remove it as soon as possible after it appears. Doing this not only demonstrates that the graffiti is not welcome. It lets the graffitists know that their time will be wasted if they try it again.

You can help.

• If your house, fence or outside wall is attacked with graffiti, get rid of it! You and your neighbours shouldn't have to put up with it.

Removing graffiti can be a time consuming and difficult job. It may require chemicals that are toxic and unpleasant to use. Even after the graffiti has been removed, some traces may remain.
Repainting to cover these graffiti remnants can add to the expense.

Some of this effort and expense can be avoided by taking preventative action. Most graffiti is spray painted on. Like any paint, this penetrates porous material such as brick, concrete, timber.
Sealing these surfaces with a protective coating reduces its porosity, making the graffiti easier to remove.
Such protective coatings have two benefits:

• they reduce the harmful physical effects from the paints and other materials used in graffiti;
• removing graffiti is easier, and less harmful to the surface which has the graffiti.

• sacrificial coatings. So called, because they are removed from the surface along with the graffiti; and non?sacrificial or permanent coatings. These coatings generally remain when graffiti is removed. Thus they can withstand several graffiti attacks.

SACRIFICIAL COATINGS are often water based, not as toxic and generally less expensive than non?sacrificial coatings. Most come in a single pack, making them easier to apply. These coatings may soften slightly in very hot very hot climates. This could lead to some soiling.

NON-SACRIFICIAL COATINGS are more difficult to apply and generally more expensive. Often they come in a two pack system and individual components may be toxic. If the surface is subject to repeated graffiti attacks, necessitating removal, the coating may break down. The use of abrasives in removal, will eventually make this inevitable.

The surface, coating and method of removal need to be carefully matched. Some permanent coatings may not be appropriate for sandstone or other stone surfaces. Some solvents may remove even "permanent" coatings, and some solvents may do cause more damage than the graffiti.

However, it is possible to make general recommendations about what types of protective coatings and removers may be best in dealing with graffiti.

Before applying a coating, seek professional advice.

NOTE: Search for a professional cleaner in the Cleaningsearch.com Directory Search. Look under "Cleaning contractors - Steam, pressure & chemical" or "Paint removal services &/or supplies"

Removing graffiti
The best way to protect your property from graffiti is to remove it as soon as it appears. This sends a message that the graffiti is not wanted, and that future graffiti will not last.

Graffiti is best removed before the paint has fully dried. Apart from being an easier task, removing it this quickly sends a clear and powerful message.

Different types of surfaces will require different kinds of treatment.

Painted, non-porous and sealed surfaces are the easiest to treat for graffiti. Such surfaces include painted timber, metal and brick, stone, concrete and other surfaces treated with a protective sealant.

It may be more difficult to remove graffiti from bare or raw surfaces such as untreated timber, brick, stone and concrete.

In some cases, you may need to try different cleaners. Test on a small part of the surface before undertaking the full clean.

With sealed or painted surfaces, first try detergent. If that fails, next try methylated spirits, then turpentine (mineral turps), white spirit and acetone.

With unsealed surfaces, the harder and smoother the surface, the easier removal will be. Also there is less likelihood of permanent visible damage.
To remove, follow these steps:
1. Apply a solvent or commercial paint remover to the graffiti.
2. Wait three to five minutes for solvent to do its work.
3. Remove graffiti with a wire brush, periodically rinsing the brush in water.

If the surface is heavily affected:
1. Ensure surface is dry.
2. Apply commercial paint stripper.
3. Wait three to four minutes for stripper to do its work.
4. Scrub graffiti with a wire brush and solvent.
5. Wash paint stripper away - Using a hose or pressure washer will do the job quickly.

IMPORTANT: AVOID SPLASHING PAINT STRIPPER OR STRIPPER AND WATER ON CLOTHING OR SKIN.
NOTE: Search for a professional cleaner in the Cleaningsearch.com Directory Search. Look under "Cleaning contractors - Steam, pressure & chemical" or "Paint removal services &/or supplies"

Painting Over Graffiti
Sometimes graffiti cannot be removed, or traces will remain. In such cases, one solution may be to paint over the graffiti.

If you decide to take this course:

• First, try to remove as much graffiti as possible.
• Clean the surface well. If cleaning products are used, ensure it is washed down well with clear water. Failing to do this may result in product residue affecting the paint.
• Check whether the surface requires treating in any way before applying paint.
• Where possible, match the paint being used to cover the graffiti with the original paint or surface finish.
• Paint over the graffiti in clean square shapes. Blend it into the surrounding area by overlapping or covering nearby areas.
• Ensure graffiti is completely covered. If necessary, apply a second (and even a third) coat. If the graffiti bleeds through, it may encourage further attacks.

NOTE: Search for a professional cleaner in the Cleaningsearch.com OnLine Directory. Look under "Cleaning contractors - Steam, pressure & chemical" or "Paint removal services &/or supplies"