Steps to clean a marble headstone.
Cleaning marble monuments.
Do not use cleanser on polished granite as it may scratch the finished surface of the stone.
Comet or common dry cleanser without the extra cleaning crystals works wonders when cleaning unpolished modern granite monuments.
How to clean marble headstones.
Soak the stone with water to saturate any growth that may be present.
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Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface.
How to clean a marble headstone.
While this article focuses on cleaning granite headstones it s important to know how to work on cleaning any kind of headstone.
It is important that you know what type of stone you are dealing with.
Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work.
Only marble that is in good condition should be cleaned.
Cleaning granite step by step.
Add in a few drops of ammonia and then add.
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.
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.
Clean a marble gravestone.
This is the opposite of an all to common assumption that extreme measures given the contaminants should be used on exterior marble cleaning.
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.
However it still must be a very gentle cleaning.
Put a handful of cotton balls in a bowl.
If there is growth remove using a wooden scraper.
Pre wet the stone with clean water.
Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution.
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.
Cleaning weak marble can result in further irreparable damage.
Make and apply a poultice.
Once the headstone is clean buff the marble dry with a dry and clean cloth.
In knowing how to clean a marble headstone properly you adopt the gentlest least invasive practices to preserve the longevity of the stone.
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.
Marble needs to be treated even more gently than granite.
Clean water non ionic detergent biocide solution ammonia and water solution.
Conservator angus lawrence supplies a brief expert introduction to the cleaning of historic marble monuments.
