Cleaning a Stone
Grave Marker or Monument with Orvus Soap
Supplies Needed:
· Ensure there will
be a sufficient supply of clean water on site
· Bring soft white
nylon bristle brushes only
· A jar of Orvus Soap
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1.
Stay safe by ensuring the grave marker you plan to
work on is stable enough to withstand the pressure that will be applied to it during
the cleaning process.
· Many markers are
leaning or loose on their base and could fall over on someone. This is a crucial consideration as every year
we read about people, including children, who have been killed by tombstones
that have toppled over onto them.
· Thus, if IN DOUBT DON’T CLEAN!
2.
Assess the overall condition of the gravemarker -- taking into account if it is flaking, pealing,
or “sugaring” -- meaning it is fragile to the touch, and thus, too fragile to
apply any pressure on the surface.
· A gravestone’s
condition can be determined through a gentle touch and by rubbing your fingers
or hand over the surface.
· Take notice if any
stone material rubs off onto your hand, then logically it will surely come off in
greater amounts by using even a gentle nylon brush in a scrubbing type
application.
· If your gravestone fails this testing, do not
proceed and Leave the Stone Alone!
3.
The next step is to thoroughly soak down the gravestone
with plain or distilled water.
· A good rule to remember
is that you can’t overuse water to wet down a gravestone.
· Stone
is a porous material that needs to absorb water to be thoroughly and
properly cleaned without being damaged.
properly cleaned without being damaged.
4.
Pour water on your brush to sufficiently wet it
down.
· This will help
when scrubbing the gravestone
5.
Apply Orvus Soap
· Apply a small
dab of Orvus Soap to the pre-wetted brush.
· Orvus Soap is quite concentrated, and it lathers
up rather quickly.
6.
Apply the Brush to the Gravestone
· Work in a gentle
circular scrubbing motion moving from the bottom of the gravestone to the top.
7.
Rinse the gravestone thoroughly
· Rinse the
gravestone starting from the top to the bottom.
8.
Wait for the gravestone to dry and assess its
appearance
· Allow the surface
of the gravestone to dry sufficiently to see how it appears.
· This Orvus Soap cleaning
process can be completed one more time.
· Gravestones
should only be cleaned every 18 months.
Orvus
soap is best used for cleaning off mud, dirt, and heavier amounts of moss and
molds.
Please keep in mind that in order to clean a gravestone that has deeply embedded biological growths or staining from such growths, a bio-wash type product is recommended.
Please keep in mind that in order to clean a gravestone that has deeply embedded biological growths or staining from such growths, a bio-wash type product is recommended.
The
gravestone conservation professional community safely recommends using “D/2 Biological
Solution” and “Revive Bio-Wash”. Both are
products that have a long record of safety for you and stone grave markers and
monuments. Both products can be found for
sale with a simple “Google” search. They
are not
available for purchase in local retailers.
Links to additional references for proper cleaning
of stone (limestone, sandstone, marble, etc.) grave markers:
