How to clean a marble headstone.
What can i use to clean marble headstone.
In knowing how to clean a marble headstone properly you adopt the gentlest least invasive practices to preserve the longevity of the stone.
This is the opposite of an all to common assumption that extreme measures given the contaminants should be used on exterior marble cleaning.
How to clean marble headstones.
Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface.
Cleaning gravestones with bleach is never a good idea church said but it s especially bad when you re working on porous stone.
Due to the natural ageing and weathering process you probably won t return the marble or granite to its perfect original condition however.
Steps to clean a marble headstone.
Best way to clean a headstone.
Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution.
Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present.
Inspect the entire headstone for cracks wear and signs of damage.
Use the same method you would use for a granite stone.
Make and apply a poultice 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.
Fortunately a few basic cleaning supplies and some elbow grease can dramatically improve the appearance of a cemetery tombstone headstone gravemarker or memorial.
Bleach is alkaline so it doesn t pose the big risk of acidic.
Kaye wagner has been working in the fields of journalism and public relations since 2006 and is a recipient of a national hearst award.
With a careful gentle hand and a bit of elbow grease you can refresh a headstone or grave marker making it easier to read and restoring some of the stone s beautiful finish as first created by the crafting stonemason.
Never use power washers to clean white marble gravestones as the force can destroy the patina.
Once the headstone is clean buff the marble dry with a dry and clean cloth.
If these are present it may be best to leave it as is.
Clean limestone using the same method as the one used to clean marble.
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.
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Repeat this process approximately every 18 months.
Cleaning more frequently can weaken the marble.
Any discussion about cleaning a headstone marker or memorial must begin with a few cautions about the various things you should not do.
Limestone is another popular choice for headstones.
Only marble that is in good condition should be cleaned.
Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage.