Cleaning a Grave Marker
One of the many things you may have to do to ensure your loved one’s gravesite looks its best is to keep the marker clean. That is not always a simple thing to do, especially if you do not have any experience doing so. There are a number of things that can help you with this kind of maintenance, however. To make this easier, there are some tips that directors of funeral homes in Dewey, OK want you to remember.
It is important to gather the right tools for the process. You want to have things on hand that will not damage the grave marker. You do not want to use power-washing equipment or anything with hard bristles. You also do not want to use harsh chemicals like bleach, since they can stain the marker. You want to use detergents and soaps as well as clean water.
Before beginning, you want to be sure that the marker is in good shape. Take the time to look for cracking, crumbling, or flaking, since that can tell you the marker is not stable enough to clean. If you do not see any damage, then you can start the process of cleaning it. You want to begin by removing debris like leaves to ensure that this is not an issue when you wet the marker.
If your loved one has a marble marker, you want to begin by wetting the stone so that it does not absorb the cleaning solution you use. Since marble is porous, you want it to absorb water first. You then want to look for algae or mold. If you see signs of this, you can add a bit of ammonia into the water and use a soft brush to clean the area. Do not do this if the stone is dark, since the ammonia can leave stains. Instead, use water and soap.
For markers made of granite, you can follow the same process but avoid using ammonia. You can mix an ounce of detergent into five or so gallons of water so that it is diluted enough to not cause issues. Never try to clean the marker when it is dry and do remember to rinse the stone thoroughly before you start the process.
These are some of the things you want to remember when getting ready to clean a grave marker. You do not want to damage the marker, so do take your time learning about the different techniques that can prevent serious damage. You also want to remember that you can always ask the provider of the marker for information on how to keep it clean. If you still have questions about the process of maintaining a gravesite, you can reach out to a Dewey, OK funeral home like us. Our team is here to help you with all of the decisions you need to make after the loss of a loved one, so do reach out to us. You can call us now or visit us today to speak with one of our experts.
