Cleaning Marble Gravestones

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

Cleaning marble gravestones.

Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface. Most headstones are made up of natural stones which are comprised of salts and minerals. Use the same method you would use for a granite stone. 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.

Bleach is alkaline so it doesn t pose the big risk of acidic. Use the wooden scraper to remove any algae or moss growth from the surface. Mix 1 tablespoon of the non ionic soap with 1 gallon of water. Cleaning headstones helps to preserve them and it should never be your intent to make them look new again just clean.

Limestone is another popular choice for headstones. Cleaning more frequently can weaken the marble. Minimize the number of times a cemetery headstone is cleaned in its lifetime consider a plan to clean once a year. Mix a marble cleaning product or 1 tablespoon of non ionic soap such as ivory with 1 gallon of water.

The steps below will help you in cleaning gravestones as safely as possible to prevent further damage to the gravestone. Cleaning gravestones with bleach is never a good idea church said but it s especially bad when you re working on porous stone. Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage. Clean the sides and back of the stone first then lastly.

However each marker s condition is different and you should base your cleaning on the condition of that stone. Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution. Let the area dry after cleaning to determine its effectiveness. Here are the do s for cleaning exterior marble.

Use water only to clean stones. Always test a cleaner on a dry section of marble before using it on the entire headstone. Remove loose dry material with a soft bristled brush. Gravestones can become covered in moss and lichen and the carved words can become obscured with dirt and grime.

Professionals may use other cleaning agents. Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present. Moca does not recommend the use of power washers on old marble or slate stones. The most common types of headstones existing today are made of sandstone granite marble and limestone.

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. Repeat this process approximately every 18 months. How to clean marble headstones.