Art or annoying? One local group believes graffiti needs to clean up its act.

“All of it needs to come down because it's against the law, no matter how pretty it is,” said Hope Clark, executive director of Neighbourhood Watch London.

A graffiti clean-up crew has been working 35 hours a week this past summer in an effort to rid communities of tags care of graffiti artists. Throughout the process, areas in parks or on walking paths that once seemed seedy or inappropriate for families are now the opposite.

“When people see ‘graffitied' walls, people feel they can damage it,” said Const. Rob Black of London Police Services. “When you fix up walls, (it) looks like people do care. You get more good people to use the area.”

It may seem like a never-ending project, because taggers could easily just deface property once it's cleaned, but sometimes the bare wall is a deterrent, said Clark. It's all in how fast it's taken down.

“Taggers get frustrated and might go somewhere else,” she said. “If you clean it up faster than it's put up, they'll go away.”

The team uses environmentally friendly Graffiti Go, a spray that can be used on multiple surfaces from mailboxes to benches. Other areas may receive a coat of paint. The citywide effort is about inspiring beautification and taking back once popular locations from taggers.

“It's taking pride in your community. You're showing them you're not going to take it anymore,” said Clark.

Those interested in cleaning up their areas are welcome to come to Neighbourhood Watch London's location at 652 Elizabeth St. to pick up a free bottle of Graffiti Go.