Cleaning Marble Monuments

How to clean marble headstones.

Cleaning marble monuments.

Different types will require different cleaning methods. Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage. Make and apply a poultice. Jump ahead to these sections.

Throughout the cleaning process you should avoid dry to dry surface contact so always keep the surface to be cleaned wet and frequently dip soak whatever cleaning implement you re using in fresh water. Pre wet the stone with clean water. Steps to clean a marble headstone. Comet or common dry cleanser without the extra cleaning crystals works wonders when cleaning unpolished modern granite monuments.

Add in a few drops of ammonia and then add. Clean a marble gravestone. If these are present it may be best to leave it as is. Marble needs to be treated even more gently than granite.

If there is growth remove using a wooden scraper. 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. Gravestones are made of many materials such as marble granite limestone sandstone bronze slate iron.

Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work. This is the opposite of an all to common assumption that extreme measures given the contaminants should be used on exterior marble cleaning. Do not use cleanser on polished granite as it may scratch the finished surface of the stone. However it still must be a very gentle cleaning.

Cleaning granite step by step. Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present. How to clean a marble headstone. Conservator angus lawrence supplies a brief expert introduction to the cleaning of historic marble monuments.

Put a handful of cotton balls in a bowl. Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface. The hardest of the natural stone type of monuments that you will see in a cemetery is granite which is still widely used today granite has a hardness of between 7 and 9 and can withstand a little more cleaning than the other types of natural stone. It is important that you know what type of stone you are dealing with.

In knowing how to clean a marble headstone properly you adopt the gentlest least invasive practices to preserve the longevity of the stone. Once the headstone is clean buff the marble dry with a dry and clean cloth. If steps 1 to 3 fail to remove the mold and mildew stains on the marble headstone make a poultice with cotton balls hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. Clean water non ionic detergent biocide solution ammonia and water solution.

Next thoroughly wet the headstone gravemarker or memorial using your sponge and or by pouring water over the surface s you wish to clean.