Cleaning Marble Gravestones

Most markers in cemeteries are made of limestone sandstone slate marble granite or in some cases concrete.

Cleaning marble gravestones.

Clean the sides and back of the stone first then lastly. Limestone is another popular choice for headstones. Use water only to clean stones. Mix a marble cleaning product or 1 tablespoon of non ionic soap such as ivory with 1 gallon of water.

Most headstones are made up of natural stones which are comprised of salts and minerals. Moca does not recommend the use of power washers on old marble or slate stones. Remove excess debris dip a natural bristle brush into the soap and water mixture and brush along the surface of the marble headstone to scrub away any excess debris. Clean limestone using the same method as the one used to clean marble.

Gravestones can become covered in moss and lichen and the carved words can become obscured with dirt and grime. How to clean marble headstones. Here are the do s for cleaning exterior marble. Professionals may use other cleaning agents.

Bleach is alkaline so it doesn t pose the big risk of acidic. Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage. Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present. Repeat this process approximately every 18 months.

However each marker s condition is different and you should base your cleaning on the condition of that stone. Cleaning a white marble gravestone requires care and some special tools but it is a relatively easy task that can be accomplished in one afternoon. Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface. Use the wooden scraper to remove any algae or moss growth from the surface.

Cleaning headstones helps to preserve them and it should never be your intent to make them look new again just clean. Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution. Do no harm the first step in cleaning a gravestone. Mix 1 tablespoon of the non ionic soap with 1 gallon of water.

Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work. Always test a cleaner on a dry section of marble before using it on the entire headstone. Cleaning gravestones with bleach is never a good idea church said but it s especially bad when you re working on porous stone. The most common types of headstones existing today are made of sandstone granite marble and limestone.

The steps below will help you in cleaning gravestones as safely as possible to prevent further damage to the gravestone. Remove loose dry material with a soft bristled brush. Minimize the number of times a cemetery headstone is cleaned in its lifetime consider a plan to clean once a year.