Max Strip Spray Paint and Graffiti Remover - 22 oz - Powerful No Drip Gel Removes Graffiti, Markers and Gum, Decals and Stickers, Paint Pens and Crayons - No Methylene Chloride No NMP Formula

Why I reached for this remover

Graffiti, paint pens, and random adhesive messes have a way of appearing on the worst possible surfaces. I’ve wanted a single product I could take to a metal utility box, a car panel with overspray, and a glass door with an old decal—without choking on fumes or worrying I’d wreck the finish. That’s the promise of the Max Strip graffiti remover, a 22‑ounce spray gel that skips methylene chloride and NMP but still claims to tackle paint, markers, gum, decals, stickers, and crayons.

Over several weeks I put this gel through a mix of real‑world jobs: powder‑coated metal, automotive clearcoat, glass, sealed laminate, enamel, and a discreet test on vinyl. It’s not a miracle worker on everything (no remover is), but it shines in some key scenarios and is refreshingly easy to live with while you work.

What it is and how it’s different

• It’s a thick, no‑drip spray gel. The consistency matters because it clings to vertical surfaces like doors, railings, and posts instead of racing to the ground.
• The formula is low‑odor and free of methylene chloride and NMP. You still need ventilation and gloves, but I could use it in a garage without the harsh fumes typical of hot solvent strippers.
• It’s designed for non‑porous, factory‑finished or baked‑on coatings—the kind you find on vehicles, powder‑coated boxes, and enamel‑coated metal. It is not intended for plastics, painted walls, stained/varnished wood, or other aftermarket finishes.

One procedural note: you need to shake the bottle thoroughly before every use. If you don’t, the gel can come out thin and won’t cling or cut as well. A minute of hard shaking pays dividends.

Application experience

My routine became: tape off adjacent sensitive surfaces, shake, spray on a uniform coat, and let it dwell. The label suggests checking every 15 minutes; in practice, I started checking a bit earlier on delicate finishes. On durable, factory‑finished surfaces, 10–15 minutes was a safe sweet spot, with a plastic scraper and microfiber to remove the softened mess. I followed with a mild soap-and-water wipe to clear residue.

The trigger sprayer delivered a controlled fan without sputtering, and the gel clung well even on vertical powder‑coated panels outdoors. Cleanup was straightforward and, importantly, there was no eye‑watering cloud lingering in the space.

Performance by surface

• Powder‑coated metal (utility box and handrail): This is where the gel earned its keep. On a white spray‑paint tag, the first pass softened enough that a microfiber lifted most of it in under five minutes. A second, shorter application cleared the ghosting. The underlying powder coat looked untouched—no dulling or color shift that I could see under daylight.

• Automotive clearcoat (paint overspray on a door): I’m cautious around car finishes, so I masked trim, shook the bottle longer than usual, and used a small test patch. After a short dwell, the overspray loosened and wiped off with a microfiber and light pressure. I then washed and applied a quick spray wax to restore slickness. No marring, no hazing—exactly the outcome I want on factory paint.

• Glass and glazed tile: Permanent marker, paint pen lines, and sticker residue came off cleanly. The gel doesn’t run off glass like thinner solvents, which made it easy to control on windows. A plastic scraper helped with old decals; the adhesive softened enough to peel in broad sheets instead of shredding.

• Decals and stickers on metal: For sun‑baked decals, I needed two cycles: gel, wait, scrape; then gel again to chase the adhesive stains. It’s less aggressive than a hot solvent stripper, but the trade‑off is less risk to the base finish and a much friendlier smell.

• Gum: On a painted metal bench, aged gum softened after a 10‑minute dwell and scraped off cleanly. A second quick pass removed the remaining shadow without damaging the paint.

• Crayon and waxy marks: Results hinged on the substrate. On an enamel‑coated metal cabinet, crayon lifted easily. On a sealed laminate table with a glossy aftermarket coating, I intentionally limited dwell because the product isn’t intended for varnished/painted finishes; the crayon lightened but didn’t fully disappear. This isn’t the tool I’d reach for on painted walls or finished wood furniture.

• Porous masonry (brick/block): Usable but inefficient. The gel softened surface pigment, yet color embedded in pores persisted even after scrubbing. Specialized alkaline or sacrificial systems paired with pressure washing are better choices for unsealed brick and cinder block.

• Plastics and vinyl: I tested a discreet spot on vinyl siding to confirm the guidance. Even with a short dwell, I noticed a slight whitening/haze on the surface while the paint lifted. I don’t recommend this product on plastics or vinyl—heed the “do not use” warning here.

Speed, effort, and coverage

Dwell time varied with the type and age of the marking:
- Fresh paint and marker: often five minutes or less.
- Baked‑on overspray and aged decals: 10–20 minutes, sometimes two cycles.
- Porous surfaces: multiple cycles with diminishing returns.

A single 22‑ounce bottle handled several medium tags on metal, a set of glass doors, and a few small spot jobs with room to spare. For city or neighborhood cleanup days, I’d keep one bottle per volunteer working a mix of metal and glass surfaces.

Safety and cleanup

While the smell is mild compared with traditional strippers, I still wore nitrile gloves and eye protection. Overspray wipes up easily, but masking adjacent plastics is worth the extra minute. After scraping, I neutralized residues with warm water and a few drops of dish soap, then dried the surface. On vehicle paint, I followed with a quick detail spray or wax to restore slickness since any remover can leave a finish feeling a bit grabby.

Where it fits—and where it doesn’t

Strengths:
- Excellent on factory‑finished, non‑porous surfaces: powder‑coated metal, automotive clearcoat, enamel, glass, and tile.
- Gel consistency makes vertical work far less messy than thin solvents.
- Low odor and a safer formulation improve the work environment, especially indoors.
- Versatile enough to handle paint, markers, decals, adhesive residue, and gum.

Limitations:
- Not for plastics, vinyl, painted drywall, stained/varnished wood, or most aftermarket coatings.
- Less effective on porous masonry without follow‑up pressure washing.
- Waxy crayon on sensitive, coated furniture isn’t its wheelhouse.
- Requires patience and sometimes a second cycle on baked‑on decals and overspray.

Practical tips from use

• Shake thoroughly before every session; you’ll get thicker, more effective gel.
• Start with a short dwell on delicate finishes, lengthen as needed.
• Use plastic scrapers, not metal, to protect the base surface.
• Always test in an inconspicuous spot, especially on unknown coatings.
• After use on vehicle paint, wash the area and restore protection with a quick wax.

The bottom line

The Max Strip graffiti remover earns a place in my kit for non‑porous, factory‑finished surfaces where speed, control, and a manageable odor matter. It reliably removed spray paint, paint pens, permanent marker, adhesive, and gum from powder‑coated metal, auto clearcoat, glass, and enamel without harming the base finish. It’s not a one‑size‑fits‑all answer—skip it on plastics, painted walls, and varnished wood, and don’t expect miracles on porous masonry—but within its lane, it’s effective and easy to use.

Recommendation: I recommend this remover for DIYers, facility managers, and community cleanup crews dealing primarily with graffiti and adhesive on factory‑finished metal, automotive paint, glass, and other non‑porous surfaces. Its low odor, no‑drip gel, and finish‑safe performance make it a dependable first choice in those scenarios. If your primary targets are plastics, vinyl siding, painted drywall, or varnished furniture, reach for a different, surface‑specific solution instead.