Best friend died on Good Friday, 2008. Went to grave site today to pay my respects, and do the same every year. His head stone lays flat, metallic looking, but probably made of some kind of thick stone. I was a pallbearer and spoke at the eulogy, part of all the decisions, but that head stone material I cannot recall. I'd post a picture but not necessary, it's the kind that lays flat, small rectangular, rises up about 1-2" out of the ground. It definitely needs cleaning. Next to where he lays there were another two where grass had grown over, leaves, etc. I got dirty clearing that off so you can read the name. One was ex-military, and got a little peeved they were not better looked after. I want to go back soon with a brush, and clean it, so what HD product works best for this? What liquid solvent?

Hard to go wrong with Murphy's in water.

Natural bristle brush and Ivory.

Soak it and gently scrub.

Anything acidic will etch the stone, can't make any suggestions other than the warning.

Off the top of my head, I'd say something like OxyClean, water and scrub brush?

Was this a govt issue headstone? My grandfather fought in WWII and was given a flat stone one with a bronze(?) plaque attached with his name and dates and service info.

Light colored marble or limestone tombstones can be cleaned with a cup of ammonium hydroxide or household ammonia mixed in a gallon of water to remove biological growth such as moss, mildew, algae, and lichen. Avoid using chlorine bleach, though, as it tends to result in light brown staining after a short time.

Over the years I've used all kinds of things to clean stone. Permanently ruined the finish on a bit of stone in my day as well.

Mild soap and water work best (as suggested). Nine years, it's probably just mud and dirt on it. Two weeks ago I was at my Uncle Harry's plot, and cleaned up the Navy-provided plaque set in the '80s; water and a brush was all we used. If you were going to clean a whole lot of them, I'd suggest pressure wash with water and baking soda.

Wet and Forget
http://www.wetandforget.com/pr..._forget_outdoor.html

Thank you gentlemen. Heading back tomorrow when the cemetery opens.

What about vinegar/water?

If the stone is marble I would avoid using anything acidic.

I would use Stain Solver put out by Ask the Builder:
http://www.stainsolver.com/index.shtml

Grandma used dish soap for as many years as I can recall.

It was a Memorial Day weekend ritual, a bucket, a brush and a bottle of ivory dish soap. Us kids hauled the water, and listened to memories.

If it is a Military marker it is Metal, I work at a Cemetery, and they are Bronze. Any soap and water will do. I would use a mild car wash soap, and then maybe put some wax on it. When they lay them flat they seem to get dirty fast. They have a rim that seems to hold the dirt. We put a lot of them on the back of headstones and they stay much nicer.

Checkout Gravestonepreservation.info, lots of good information. I have been researching our family tree and went to one of the oldest cemeteries in the area for my wife's family. Stones that sit in the shade in and around trees are typically in the worst shapes with all kinds of crap trying to grow on them. I scraped them off with an old plastic snow scraper and brush, but need to go back and apply some of the mixture the mentioned in the linked article. He has links to other sites and cleaning agents of all types too.


A short list of cleaning techniques based on stone type. Listed in order from the safest, or least aggressive, to the most aggressive:

Slate: Clean water, non-ionic detergent,biocide solution

Sandstone: Clean water, non-ionic detergent, biocide solution

Marble/Limestone: Clean water, non-ionic detergent, biocide solution, ammonia and water solution

Granite: Clean water, non-ionic detergent, biocide solution.

Modern Polished Granite: Clean water, non-ionic solution, biocide solution, Acid based granite cleaning solution, include with links. It is most common in a dry crystal form and is mixed with water to form a solution. Its strength may be varied based on the amount of crystals added. Please be very careful, as eye protection and rubber gloves should be worn. Also it may kill grass or plantings in the area around the stone being cleaned.

Unpolished Modern Granite: The same as polished. Additionally plain old fashioned cleanser may be doing the best job of all. Comet or common dry cleanser without the extra cleaning crystals works wonders when cleaning unpolished modern granite monuments. Do not use cleanser on polished granite as it may scratch the finished surface of the stone.

Francis Tash, one of the most experienced monument installers in America, who performs installation for Rock of Ages recommended cleanser for use on unpolished granites to me many years ago.

A poultice may be used safely on nearly any stone surface, so I have omitted it from the index above.