Cleaning Marble Memorials

The steps below will help you in cleaning gravestones as safely as possible to prevent further damage to the gravestone.

Cleaning marble memorials.

It is important that you know what type of stone you are dealing with. Pre wet the stone with clean water. Most headstones are made up of natural stones which are comprised of salts and minerals. Nevertheless for some families marble is still the stone of choice because of its natural beauty.

Steps to clean a marble headstone. Bleach is alkaline so it doesn t pose the big risk of acidic. Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage. Sandstone gently clean using water with a neutral detergent use a biocide solution to help remove any organic growth.

Clean a marble gravestone. Different types will require different cleaning methods. The most common types of headstones existing today are made of sandstone granite marble and limestone. Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present.

Conservator angus lawrence supplies a brief expert introduction to the cleaning of historic marble monuments. How to clean marble headstones. Marble needs to be treated even more gently than granite. Marble tombstones aren t as popular today as granite or bronze gravestones because marble is highly vulnerable to stains and damage.

Simply wet a soft brush in a bucket of water and gently scrub away the debris from the stone. Only marble that is in good condition should be cleaned. Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface. In knowing how to clean a marble headstone properly you adopt the gentlest least invasive practices to preserve the longevity of the stone.

How to clean a marble headstone. How to clean marble headstones. This is the opposite of an all to common assumption that extreme measures given the contaminants should be used on exterior marble cleaning. If a loved one has a marble headstone this is your complete step by step guide.

Marble headstones or limestone use clean water with a neutral detergent biocide solution ammonia hydroxide or household ammonia and water solution use protective wear and work in a well ventilated area. Cleaning granite memorial stones depending upon the amount of debris that has accumulated on the gravestone gently wash with water and a soft cloth the worst of the dirt. Inspect the entire headstone for cracks wear and signs of damage. Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution.

If these are present it may be best to leave it as is. Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work.