Removing Spraypaint from Basalt

Some asshat spray painted the base of a few climbs at my local crag, the Black Cliffs in Boise, ID, and I want to clean it up. The graffiti is on hard moderately textured columnar basalt. What's the best way to clean it up? I was thinking some sort of strong solvent like paint thinner and a wire brush but honestly I'm not sure what's the best way to approach restoring the rock. Any suggestions?

Solvent (if you have one that will dissolve the paint used) tends to run and make a bigger mess, and a wire brush won't get into texture well. I suspect your best bet will be a sandblaster set at just barely the level that will take off the paint, and used with the care of an airbrush.

Then crank it up to apply to the hide of the asshat in question.

I haven't used it but I've heard great things about Elephant Snot

1. Point a loaded double barrel gun to a head of a person applied spraypaint to a rock.
2. Politely ask: "I would like whether you would take an effort to remove all that sparypaint from our beloved rock, please. You have three seconds."
3. Count to three. If there still exists any visible trace of paint, fire a double shot.

Pavel Burov wrote:1. Point a loaded double barrel gun to a head of a person applied spraypaint to a rock. 2. Politely ask: "I would like whether you would take an effort to remove all that sparypaint from our beloved rock, please. You have three seconds." 3. Count to three. If there still exists any visible trace of paint, fire a double shot.

matt c. wrote: But then you'll have to remove all the blood and buckshot....

Elephant snot works great. Then to wash it off use a pressurized weed killer applicator like this one:

The professional(read: expensive) systems use a combination of a thick specialized solvent and a pressure washer, usually the type ran off an independent air compressor.

There is a cheaper product called Motsenbockers or something, they have it at hardware stores usually and they do make a non-toxic version if you're concerned with environmental impact.

Try using that stuff with a large bristle brush and a spray bottle with water to rinse it off.