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By Jeanne Robinson
For years the OHCA, along with other gravestone preservation
groups, has recommended not cleaning marble gravestones. But,
no matter how much we admonish folks not to do so, every year
we hear about cemetery "clean ups" and learn that some well
meaning group has gone out with household bleach or power
washers to make the old graveyard "look good." We also
remember the very nice cemetery operator who said, "You
conservation people are always telling us what not to do, but
you never let us know the right way to do things."
With all of that said, the purpose of this article is to teach
you some safer methods for cleaning marble gravestones. Note
that I said "safer" rather than safe. No matter what cleaning
method you use, you will be causing some damage to the stone.
Please read all of the directions before you begin any
cleaning project.
Get permission
Contrary to popular opinion, not everyone wants gravestones to
be cleaned. Contact the owner of the cemetery and, if
possible, descendants of the deceased before you clean a
gravestone. In most cases cemeteries do not own the markers,
so attempting to locate family is recommended even if cemetery
owners give permission.
How's the weather?
The primary ingredient of ANY cleaning project is water.
Therefore, do not attempt to clean gravestones on hot sunny
days. Fall and Spring are by far the best times of year for
gravestone cleaning, because the biological growth will be
soft and easily removed, the stone will not dry out and stain
while you are working, and you'll stay cooler and more
comfortable as you work. Rainy days are good for cleaning, but
heavy downpours can wash away your cleaning solutions. Never
clean (or be outside) during a thunderstorm.
Selecting a stone that is suitable for cleaning
Some old grave markers are just too far gone or too delicate
to clean under any circumstances. There are various grades of
marble, and poor grades may have a "melted" look as minerals
have been washed away by rain. Others will feel "sugary" when
you run your hand over them indicating that the structure of
the stone has deteriorated. Still others will have noticeable
cracks or amateur repairs that could be easily expanded or
break with the slightest pressure from a scrub brush. Avoid
cleaning any of these stones.
A stone that can be cleaned with relative safety is one that
is sturdy and solid, has no noticeable surface deterioration,
and has no (or only minor) surface cracks.
Removal of heavy biological growth
If the gravestone is heavily covered with moss or lichen,
there is only one safe method for removing it. Do not try to
remove dried-on biological growth, and do not apply any
chemicals or gardening products as they will cause serious
damage. During the rainy season, on a rainy day, take a lot of
water with you and go to the cemetery. If your timing is
right, with a gloved hand or soft wet cloth you will be able
to gently wipe away the water-saturated moss and/or lichen. If
necessary, remove growth from the carving with a soft-bristled
brush or toothbrush. Wipe the surface with a wet cloth and
thoroughly rinse the stone with water.
Cleaning the stone (removing surface dirt)
Your tools should be a bucket, sponges and/or rags, and soft
bristle brushes of various sizes. If you are in doubt about
whether the bristles of your brush are soft enough, decide if
you would use them to wash the paint on your car; if they
would scratch your car paint, they are too stiff for marble
gravestones.
Your cleaning agent should be lots and lots of water. It is
acceptable, if necessary, to add a small amount of household
ammonia or non-ionic soap (such as Joy dishwashing liquid) to
the cleaning water, but it will need to be rinsed off
thoroughly with plain water.
Before cleaning a gravestone, all heavy biological growth will
need to have been removed (see above). If you are working on a
large or multiple-sided monument, clean one side at a time.
Begin the cleaning process by thoroughly wetting the entire
stone or surface on which you are starting. Dipping a large
brush into your water or cleaning solution, begin gently
scrubbing the surface from the bottom up; do NOT clean from
the top down as you will end up with streaks. As you work your
way up the stone, be certain that the surface remains quite
wet; rinse the stone or reapply fresh water frequently if you
notice any drying or dirty streaks. Rinse the stone thoroughly
when the entire surface has been scrubbed.
After the initial cleaning, use smaller brushes such as
toothbrushes to clean lettering and artwork. Be certain that
the stone surface remains wet during cleaning and that you
rinse the stone with plain water following the cleaning.
Safely bleaching marble
The OHCA no longer recommends cleaning any gravestone with any
chemical.
Plain water and lots of it are needed before, during, and
after.
Some final thoughts before you clean a marble gravestone
The most important things to remember about cleaning marble
stones:
Don’t.
If you must clean a marble gravestone, just use water -- and
lots of it.
Never use anything harder than a soft-bristled brush. Wire
brushes are NEVER acceptable.
Never use chlorine bleach or other household cleaning
products.
Everything you take off (except particles of stone) will
return.
This article comes from the Oregon Historic Cemeteries
Association and is used by permission of the authors. You can
visit their website by going to
oregoncemeteries.org |
