Guide: How to Clean a Headstone
One of the common questions we see is about how to properly clean a headstone. Cleaning gravestones is not necessarily a tricky business, but there are a few best practices that we would recommend. From the materials needed to a few important tips to remember as you maintain the stone, we put together this all encompassing guide for headstone cleaning to help you through the process.
Materials you will need
To properly clean a headstone, there are a few essential materials you should have on hand with you:
Plenty of water: Since you more than likely won’t have access to a hose or water source when you’re at the cemetery, you will need to bring your own water supply. We would recommend bringing at least 5 gallons of water with you for a standard sized headstone, and likely more if you are cleaning a companion headstone or a family plot.
Sponges: To help you cover your headstone with water and keep it damp during the cleaning process, a large sponge works well. Be sure to use a sponge that is free of dyes, as the dye could accidentally stain the headstone. Also, avoid sponges that have a rough side, as this could be too harsh to use on the headstone.
Brushes: We would recommend bringing a few different sizes of brushes. Brushes will help you remove dirt and algae from the headstone. For smaller crevices, a toothbrush works well. For larger patches of dirt, a standard scrubbing brush will do just fine. The bristles of any brushes you use should be soft, natural and non-dyed.
Gentle scrapers/tools: For dirt that is set deep into crevices or is sitting in hard to reach spaces within the headstone, we recommend using gentle tools such as wood picks, plastic scrapers and popsicle sticks - avoid using any tools made of metal.
Towels: To dry the stone at the end, a couple of large towels should do the trick.
How to Clean a Headstone:
Step 1: It’s always best to start by removing as much dirt or build up as you can before you begin any type of scrubbing.
Step 2: Using the brushes and scrapers that you brought, carefully pick away any dirt, grass, debris, leaves, moss or any other build up that you can. Be sure not to scratch the headstone in the process.
Step 3: Once you’ve removed as much dirt/build-up as possible, wet the headstone with a sponge or by dumping water on it gently. Make sure you have a constant supply of clean water; starting at the bottom, gently remove whatever dirt and build-up is on the headstone. Work your way up to the top. The reason to clean from bottom to top is that you do not want the dirty water from the top of the headstone to drip down onto the rest of the headstone, thus impeding your progress. Keep using your supply of clean water to rinse your sponge and remove dirt, until you feel that you have cleaned the headstone as best as you can.
Step 4: Dump clean water over the headstone for a final rinse. Once you rinse the headstone, be sure to check to see if there is any additional dirt that can be removed via brush or scraper.
Step 5: When you’re satisfied with the appearance of your headstone, you can pat it dry with clean towels.
Other Important Things to Note :
Don’t use soap to clean a headstone. Though tempting, household soaps and cleaning products should be avoided if possible when cleaning a headstone. Despite what some brands may say, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to using cleaning products on headstones - the ingredients in them may corrode the headstone or react poorly with the surface of the headstone. You may be wondering if there are major differences between how to clean a granite headstone versus how to clean a marble headstone, but we would recommend avoiding soap and other cleaning products for both types of headstone. It’s best not to run the risk of damaging such precious materials.
Be mindful of the weather outside. Granite in particular can get very hot if the temperature is exceptionally hot outside. Try to pick a day where the weather is mild outside; while you’re cleaning a headstone, if the water you’re using keeps evaporating too quickly it will make the job much harder for you.
Avoid dry-to-dry cleaning. As you’re cleaning the headstone, be sure to always keep the headstone wet. Using a dry material (such as a cloth or towel) directly against a dry headstone could damage, scratch or be abrasive towards the headstone.
Taking care of your loved one’s headstone is a very meaningful way to stay connected to them and to continue to pay your respects to them after they’ve passed. We hope you’ve found this guide helpful; for more information on how to upkeep your loved one’s headstone, be sure to check out this post as well: “How to Decorate a Headstone or Memorial.”