Cleaning Marble Monuments

Only marble that is in good condition should be cleaned.

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

Clean water non ionic detergent biocide solution ammonia and water solution. Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present. 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. Steps to clean a marble headstone.

Inspect the entire headstone for cracks wear and signs of damage. Next thoroughly wet the headstone gravemarker or memorial using your sponge and or by pouring water over the surface s you wish to clean. In knowing how to clean a marble headstone properly you adopt the gentlest least invasive practices to preserve the longevity of the stone. Clean a marble gravestone.

Marble needs to be treated even more gently than granite. Comet or common dry cleanser without the extra cleaning crystals works wonders when cleaning unpolished modern granite monuments. His article begins with an overview of the material s origins and historic uses before going on to focus on its durability and defects cleaning assessments the cleaning process and the application of protective surface coatings such as microcrystalline wax or limewash. Cleaning granite step by step.

Gravestones are made of many materials such as marble granite limestone sandstone bronze slate iron. Conservator angus lawrence supplies a brief expert introduction to the cleaning of historic marble monuments. Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage. Put a handful of cotton balls in a bowl.

Once the headstone is clean buff the marble dry with a dry and clean cloth. 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 a marble headstone. Add in a few drops of ammonia and then add.

Jump ahead to these sections. How to clean marble headstones. Pre wet the stone with clean water. Do not use cleanser on polished granite as it may scratch the finished surface of the stone.

Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface. Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution. 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. While this article focuses on cleaning granite headstones it s important to know how to work on cleaning any kind of headstone.

Make and apply a poultice.