Cleaning Cemeteries: The Correct Way of Cleaning Tombstones

Sources www.gravestonestudies.org www.preserveala.org www.gravestonepreservation.com www.alabama-cemetery-preservation.com www.cr.nps.gov “The Conservation and Cleaning of Historic Gravestones” by Peter Sandbeck

Cemetery Permit www.preserveala.org

Create A Plan for Gravestone Cleaning If this a large project, prepare a realistic Master Plan of Work. A sample Master Plan is available from the Alabama Historical Commission Who owns the cemetery? What cemetery will you be working in – usually an older cemetery will little or no care Where is this cemetery – Remote cemeteries require more planning When will you have time to clean?

Main Rule in Cleaning Gravestones: You can do more harm than good unless you follow the correct preservation methods

STONE TYPES Sandstone or Slate Marble, Limestone, Granite

Evaluation Determine the condition of the gravestone before you attempt any cleaning. Are there obvious cracks in the stone? Is it leaning? Are there signs of sugaring of thestone? If so, leave it alone. Any pressure on the stone could cause it to break or further erode the outer layer of the stone.

Evaluation Why does the marker needs to be cleaned. Is it covered in atmospheric pollutants and dirt, biological growth such as pollen, fungi, moss, or algae that are harming the stone? In many cases, these pollutants and growth have gotten deep into the pores of the gravestone and simply cannot be removed. Before washing the stone, try brushing off or scraping off the biological growth with Popsicle sticks, Q-tips, or any other material that is softer than the stone.

Pre-Soaking It is important to soak the stone for as long as possible. 24 hours is the recommended time, but often that is not practical, especially if the cemetery has no water available on site. A good time to clean is after a heavy soaking rain.

Proceed with Cleaning Photograph BEFORE and AFTER Clean stones using the Gentlest Means Possible. Most dirt can be removed by using water and a soft bristle brush (nylon, plastic, natural, toothbrushes, etc.). If the cemetery has no available water, you will need to bring a lot water with you.

Begin Cleaning Begin cleaning at the bottom of the marker and work up. Once clean, be sure to rinse (not pressure wash) the stone with water to remove all the surface dirt. The purpose of cleaning is to remove harmful substances, not to make the grave markers look brand new. These are historic artifacts and should retain their historic character after cleaning.

What to Use Lots of water – always start with water and finish with clean rinsing Water...Lots of it. Bring a five gallon bucket and make sure there is a water supply close by. If there isn't, you will need to bring about 20 gallons of water to clean the average sized stone for 2 people (Tablet size - 3 feet wide x 20 inches tall). If there is water valve near, then include a garden hose with a gardener's watering wand. If the water suppy is far away, then maybe bring a little wagon or something to haul buckets of water. A diluted solution (1/4 oz. to 5 quarts of water for initial cleaning) of water and Kodak’s Photo Flo can also be used to clean grave markers. Photo Flo is available at photographic supply stores. Non-ionic detergents are recommended for gravestones because they do not contain or contribute to the formation of soluble salts, but aid in the removal of dirt and lichen. Vulpex( a soap appropriate for cleaning stone) and water. Orvus Soap by Proctor & Gamble (available at farm and animal supply stores; 1/4 cup to 1 gallon water for cleaning)  in liquid or cream form. Wash stone with Orvus and  water, using a soft-bristled brush; rinse thoroughly

What Not to Use When cleaning a headstone, it is important to never use soap, such as Ivory, or commercial household detergents, as these solutions are rendered insoluble by calcium ions present in stone and hard water. Cleaning materials that contain phosphoric acid, such as Lime Away or Naval Jelly, may stain the marker or leave soluble salts behind. Do not use products that contain sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate (Calgon), and ammonium carbonate, as they may form and deposit soluble salts in the headstone. Clorox (sodium hypochlorite) is not recommended because it turns marble yellow. Borax (sodium hydroxide) will cause a stone to begin to disintegrate. Calgon contains a number of additives that may cause the stone to deteriorate. These products could contain acids that will lead to the formation of salt crystals that get trapped in the pores of the stone, grow, and eventually cause breaks in the stone.

What Not to Do Never use stronger solutions such as acids, bleach, or blasting to remove dirt or plant growth from the grave markers. While you might be initially impressed by the extremely white appearance that you get when you clean with acids or bleach, you have introduced chemicals into the pores of the historic gravestone that will infinitely increase the speed of deterioration.

Algae Removal If the grave marker has algae, mold, fungi, lichens, or any other type of biological growth, it is acceptable to use “D2,” available from www.cathedralstone.com. Algaecide...Or biocide. It's used to kill algae in swimming pools. This will deliver a knock-out punch to moss, algae, lichen or other organic growth on your stone. It's really good for the black algae that grows on the surface of the "panels" that deep lettering is cut in. This is usually concentrated. DON’T!! If you have a swimming pool you will know what SHOCK is…….. It's Chlorine. The proper name is Calcium Hypochlorite.

General Supplies Towels...2 or 3 Clean bathtowels. Preferably white, but remember that they will get dirty. Perhaps even ruined. Don't buy new ones, but be prepared to make them part of your permanent Cleaning Kit Brushes...Find a couple soft bristle brushes. Avoid brightly colored bristles. In my experience, the best are natural bristle like horse hair, tampico, boar bristle or a combination. I don't like synthetic brushes, but if you have to use one, then a neutral colored wallpaper brush will work. It should be soft enough to flex easily, yet stiff enough to spring back into shape. As the bristles wear down (and they will) the brush will get stiffer. If you find inexpensive ones, buy a bunch. They will come in handy. You should also get a couple soft toothbrushes(new, not used). DO NOT USE A BRUSH THAT HAS BEEN USED TO CLEAN SOMETHING ELSE. Use dedicated brushes, and keep them in a place where uncle Bob won't grab one to clean the barbeque. Sponge...A big natural sponge. The big brown ones. Colored sponges are no good. Wooden Spatula… cleaning of stones - It's like a wooden spoon, but it has a bladed edge. Olive or bamboo works well.

Supplies Paper Towels...Soft, white paper towels. Put the blue flowered ones back in the cupboard. Only use white. Five, 32 ounce spray bottles...Try to get these in different colors, or with different colored spray heads. You will want to clearly label each bottle so you know its contents. Q-Tips Soft-bristled plastic, nylon or natural bristle brushes only. 

Safety Equipment Gloves (leather work gloves, jersey work gloves and rubber gloves) Cellular phone (sooner or later someone will fall over a tombstone or footstone) Drinking water                                Sunscreen and hats Boots                                                Bee and wasp spray Long-sleeved shirt                           Safety goggles (if using equipment) Insect repellant                                First Aid kit Antibacterial liquid soap and/or waterless instant hand sanitizer (such as Purell) Protective hand lotion (such as "Gloves in a Bottle" or Ivy Block   (poison ivy, oak and sumac protection) Snakebite kit (available from sporting goods stores that carry camping and hiking goods)

Site Cleaning Equipment Rakes,  Shovels and spades,  Trowels,  post hole digger  Grubbing hoe   Machete,  Chain saw,  Weed eaters,  Wheelbarrow,  Pruning shears  Probes (i.e., "Smart Stick" sold by T&T Tools , Forestry Suppliers  Bench Meadows   or your local plumbing supply dealer)  Ask for tile probes. Plastic Tarp...To keep from getting cleaning agents on the surrounding stones. Also helpful in keeping your dirt from splashing on the other gravestones during the rinse. Trash Bags... Old Clothes...Wear something that you can get a little wet and dirty Rubber gloves... Safety Goggles... Be Sure to keep all of these cleaning supplies away from children, pets and food. Clearly label your bottles and keep them tightly sealed. When using the spray bottles set the tip to spray, not stream.

Why can't I use shaving cream to highlight inscriptions on difficult to read stones? It is not a good idea to use shaving cream on porous gravestones because there are chemicals and greasy emollients in shaving cream that are sticky and very difficult to remove from the stone with a simple washing.  The result of leaving it there is that in time it may discolor or damage the stone. Instead, use a mirror to shine sunlight across the face of a stone, making the lettering stand out.   You should always prefer a non-invasive method to interact with gravestones.

Picture Examples

Broken or fallen gravestones

Brick Coping

Brick Coping/Gravestone

Sandstone

Needs Repair Before Cleaning

Brick / Broken Marker

Granite Marker

Repaired / No cleaning

Marble

Cement Slab

Algae

Repair First

Tablet Stones

Comb (Tent) Graves

In good condition, ready to clean

Cement Tomb

Crib Tomb

Cement Slab

Tablet Tombs

Cleaning Cemeteries: The Correct Way of Cleaning Tombstones