Cleaning Old Granite Headstones

Hard dark stone such as granite and cast metal markers grow surprisingly hot due to direct sunlight and or higher temperatures which can result in the rapid evaporation of the water you ll need for basic cleaning.

Cleaning old granite headstones.

Use undiluted for best results. Before you begin to actually clean the granite headstone remove excess. You should clean a granite headstone as needed. For more information see the article a unique method for cleaning headstones if you have concerns about the headstone or are cleaning a very old headstone consult a conservation specialist for the best cleaning methods.

Steps for cleaning granite headstones. Mix it with the proper ratio of water. How to clean granite headstones. Therefore you should not try to clean a headstone marker or memorial on a very hot or very cold day.

It s always a good idea to check with the cemetery s staff to make sure you re allowed to clean the headstone s. They feast on mold mildew and other growth that causes tombstones to look discolored and damaged. Perhaps a lighter cleaning would be best in this case. There are many different types of headstones but if you know that the marker you want to clean is granite and that it s soiled with just dirt and mildew here s a suggestion.

Our group recommends d 2 as the first choice in cleaning headstones and markers. Gallons and gallons of water. Clean a granite headstone. Old clean plastic milk bottles work great for transporting water to the markers.

Also if you re thinking of cleaning a stone in a very old cemetery will it stand out awkwardly among the other 200 year old gravestones. Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work. 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. The steps for general cleaning are as follows.

Follow the directions on your cleanser. Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution. First protect any. How often it needs to be cleaned will depend on weather conditions and whether there are trees overhead.

Once they are wet gently begin wiping down the surface of the stone. It works best at 45 degrees and above. Once you have checked out the stone you are ready to start actually cleaning. Soak the stone with a hose or by dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface.