How to Clean a Grave Marker

Keeping a loved one’s gravesite looking its best is something that you may be in charge of doing. It can be a responsibility that can stress some people, especially if they have never done this kind of maintenance before. If that is something you are worried about, you want to be sure that you know what you can expect from the process of cleaning the grave marker. To help you through it, there are some tips that directors of funeral homes in Philadelphia, PA want you to remember.

One of the first things you want to do is to gather the tools you need to get the cleaning done. You want to avoid anything that is abrasive, like power-washing equipment, brushes with hard bristles, and similar things. You do not want to damage the marker by using anything too rough. You also want o to avoid harsh chemicals like bleach. Bleach can stain the marker and cause all manner of other issues. Instead, you want to use water, soap, and detergent.

You also want to assess the marker before starting the process of cleaning it. If you see that it is crumbling, flaking, or that it has cracks, you want to avoid cleaning it. That can cause more damage and you do not want that. If you see that the marker is not stable in any way, avoid cleaning it.

If the marker is made of marble, you want to start the process of cleaning it by wetting the marker completely. This is because marble is porous and so will absorb any liquid. To avoid it being the cleaning solution that you want to use, use water first. Then, you want to look for algae or other kinds of growth. If you see signs of this, you can add a small amount of ammonia to the water and use that. Only do this if the marker is light in color since darker stone can get stained. If the stone is dark, you want to use soap and water.

For a granite marker, you want to begin the cleaning process in the same manner. You want to be sure that you wet it with water before using anything else. You also want to remember that you do not want to use ammonia at all. Instead, add an ounce of detergent to about five gallons of water to make certain you can get stains or algae off. Always rinse the marker to avoid leaving streaks or residues.

These are all important things you want to remember when getting ready to clean a loved one’s grave marker. If you are not sure about how to begin the process, you can always reach out to experts for a bit of guidance. You can turn to a Philadelphia, PA funeral home like us. Our team is ready to answer all of the questions you may have about this and much more. Give us a call now or visit us today to get started.