Q&A for How to Clean a Gravestone

No. Bleach should never be used on a tombstone or similar stone monument or statue. Stone is porous and will absorb the bleach/salt, and it will crystalize and cause more damage than the moss and lichen on the stone already.

I have been reading on several tombstone conservation sites, and no soaps or detergents should be used. Stone is porous and will absorb like a sponge, and there are ingredients in most soaps/detergents that will cause damage to the stone. Currently a product called D/2 is recommended, and is the cleaning agent used on the White House and various statues and monuments. The most gentle way to clean is to spray it on and allow mother nature to do the rest, since the more you agitate the stone, the more wear you cause on the stone and fine edges of the engraving. If you have a build up of lichen and moss, you can use a toothpick, tongue depressor, or paint stir sticks to remove the bulk of it.

I used enamel paint. I was also advised that marine paint used for boats is a good option, as it is weather-resistant.

It depends on what is causing the stain, but usually it would be algae - bacteria along with mold and mildew. You would think bleach would work well, and it would, but the stone will also absorb the bleach/salt and cause harm to the stone. The best cleaner I've been able to find for this type of cleaning is D2, which is used on the White House and statues and monuments.

Go to the people that manage the graveyard and see if they know of any conservationists in the area. They would probably love to guide you in the steps to clean the rust off properly while doing minimal or no damage to the stone. They love to share their knowledge and help people care for tombstones and monuments and such.

Concrete is not typically used for graves. Check to make sure that is actually the material.

I wouldn't recommend using any kind of paint on a grave.

D/2 -- but be warned that sandstone is a VERY soft stone, so do not use much force, and use soft bristled brushes.

I just came back from cleaning my daughter's headstone that is 31 years in the ground. It worked very well with very little elbow grease needed, just a pail with some water and the magic eraser!

Not enough for one to worry about. Lichen, however, grows much faster and can damage a stone.

Its not advisable to use any kind of acid to clean a granite gravestone, and that includes vinegar. Granite is a porous stone, and acids can cause etching by getting into the fissures of the stone and dissolving small amounts of calcite that can then cause surface etching and damage.

For green slime or algae on a stone, first wet the stone all over. Then mix one cup of household ammonia with one gallon of water. Use a soft-bristled brush to scrub the stone, then rinse again thoroughly with water.

D/2 Biological Solution is a non-acidic, nearly pH-neutral ammonium solution with surfactants in it, designed to clean without leaving behind any potentially-harmful chemical trail. It is the product of choice by many arms of the US government to clean its memorials and cemeteries.

It's best to spray diluted Wet & Forget, because it works gently, you don't have to scrub it at all, and it won't damage the stone.

No, use non-ionic cleaners only. Orvus is a good choice; it's found in farm and fleet stores, as it is used to wash horses.

W&F has not yet been tested for safety on gravestones. The MSDS from the manufacturer has questionable areas, so its safety cannot be confirmed.

Water and gentle scrubbing. A really gentle cleaner might work too, but I usually just use water and some clean rags and or sponges.

No. Limestone (and marble) are made of calcite (calcium carbonate). They weather easily in the presence of acids. Sandstone is essentially cemented quartz sand. While the quartz is hard, the cementing bonds are not, making the stone easy to engrave.

Using detergents like this on tombstones is harmful and will accelerate the wear and degradation of the stone and engraving. It doesn't seem like it, but stone is porous and will absorb any liquid you put on it, including any detergents dissolved into the water. Once the water dissolves, what is left over can crystallize and damage the stone. Bleach is one of the absolute worst offenders for this type of damage. Instead, try talking to the cemetery management and see if they have the contact information for any local conservation specialists. Many times they are more than happy to give you a list of do's and don't's for caring for grave markers.

Although you may have heard that you can naturally clean a gravestone by applying cuttlefish or snails to the surface, this isn't a great idea. It can take a long time for these natural agents to work and they may do damage throughout the cemetery grounds.

Avoid using household cleaners like baking soda, dish soap, or bleach. Baking soda is actually quite abrasive, and it will damage the surface of the granite.

Oxiclean is too harsh to use on a smooth granite surface. Try scrubbing the headstone gently with a scrub brush and water.

Vinegar, even diluted, is too acidic for the surface of most headstones. Instead, gently scrub the gravestone with water and a soft bristle brush.