Cleaning Marble Memorials

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 marble memorials.

The steps below will help you in cleaning gravestones as safely as possible to prevent further damage to the gravestone. Clean a marble gravestone. The most common types of headstones existing today are made of sandstone granite marble and limestone. Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage.

This is the opposite of an all to common assumption that extreme measures given the contaminants should be used on exterior marble cleaning. Marble needs to be treated even more gently than granite. Marble tombstones aren t as popular today as granite or bronze gravestones because marble is highly vulnerable to stains and damage. If there is growth remove using a wooden scraper.

If a loved one has a marble headstone this is your complete step by step guide. Simply wet a soft brush in a bucket of water and gently scrub away the debris from the stone. If these are present it may be best to leave it as is. Sandstone gently clean using water with a neutral detergent use a biocide solution to help remove any organic growth.

Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work. Marble headstones or limestone use clean water with a neutral detergent biocide solution ammonia hydroxide or household ammonia and water solution use protective wear and work in a well ventilated area. Cleaning granite memorial stones depending upon the amount of debris that has accumulated on the gravestone gently wash with water and a soft cloth the worst of the dirt. Most headstones are made up of natural stones which are comprised of salts and minerals.

Inspect the entire headstone for cracks wear and signs of damage. How to clean marble headstones. Different types will require different cleaning methods. In knowing how to clean a marble headstone properly you adopt the gentlest least invasive practices to preserve the longevity of the stone.

Steps to clean a marble headstone. Cleaning gravestones with bleach is never a good idea church said but it s especially bad when you re working on porous stone. How to clean marble headstones. Conservator angus lawrence supplies a brief expert introduction to the cleaning of historic marble monuments.

It is important that you know what type of stone you are dealing with. Nevertheless for some families marble is still the stone of choice because of its natural beauty. Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present. Bleach is alkaline so it doesn t pose the big risk of acidic.

Pre wet the stone with clean water. How to clean a marble headstone.