Although memorials are built to last, using durable granite, that doesn’t mean they are always going to look as spotless and polished as the day they were placed. Between the weather, lawn chemicals, bird droppings, hard water, tree sap, algae and plant matter, memorials can become stained, and their paint can start to degrade and fade over time.
If your loved one’s memorial looks like it could use some TLC, follow these directions to help restore its original beauty.
Do-It-Yourself Memorial Cleaning Tips
If you prefer to clean your loved one’s memorial yourself, be sure to keep in mind the following memorial care tips:
- Use a cotton cloth and soft fiber or nylon bristle brush to prevent damaging the stone (wire brushes can cause scratching).
- Don’t use bleach, soap, oil-based products or harsh chemicals. Grave markers are porous, and these chemicals can seep in and lead to corrosion. Instead, use a non-ionic dish soap like DAWN.
- Have plenty of clean water on hand. If the tap water in your area has a high mineral content, consider using filtered or distilled water.
- Make sure the marker is thoroughly wet before you start.
- As you clean, scrub gently starting from the bottom and working your way up. This helps prevent streaking.
- Rinse with clean water and don’t let the marker dry until you are finished rinsing.
- Depending on how dirty the monument is, it may require more than one cleaning. Consider using an eco-friendly solution that is specially formulated to remove pollution caused by environmental elements like dirt, lichen, mold, mildew and algae.
- If your attempts at cleaning aren’t effective, reach out to a member of the Milano Monuments team for advice or service.
What To Do When the Paint Fades
There are two options for repainting or touching up the paint on a headstone—either do it yourself or hire a trusted professional. If you plan to repaint the headstone on your own, keep these tips in mind:
- The stone must be thoroughly clean and dry. The best time to re-paint is during the hot summer months. Just check the weather and make sure rain isn’t forecasted for the day you are painting or the day after to give the stone ample time to dry.
- You will need to hand paint the stone with a soft fiber brush and paint made specifically for granite. Milano Monuments has painting kits available for purchase. Contact us online or call (216) 362-1199 for more information.
- Granite paint isn’t easy to remove, so before starting, make sure you have a steady hand to reduce the chance of mistakes.
If the touch up or repair is beyond your skill level, professional restoration is an option. When contacting a specialist, it’s helpful to provide a current photo of the headstone as well as the location of the grave in case the person needs to go onsite for an inspection.
Consider a Maintenance Care Package
Many monument companies offer maintenance packages that range from one-time visits to all-inclusive plans. Plans may include things like:
- Removal of debris, litter, leaves and plant matter.
- Cleaning the headstone and adding a fresh coat of paint when needed. This can also include cleaning and polishing bronze grave markers.
- Planting or delivering flowers, trimming grass, weeding, edging, mulching and pruning overgrown brush.
One of the benefits of this type of program is if anything is found that could impact the appearance or safety of the gravesite, it can be brought to your attention. More extensive restorations like repairing a damaged or broken headstone, stabilizing a stone, or resetting a sunken or leaning headstone will incur additional charges.
Resetting an Upright Memorial
In colder climates, frost has the potential to get under a memorial foundation and freeze, causing it to sink, tip or lean when it thaws. To avoid this, it is extremely important that a burial plot’s foundation is poured deep enough and backfilled. If your loved one’s memorial has started to lean, you may need to contact a specialist to reset it.
Resetting an upright grave marker is not something you should attempt to do yourself. Not only do you risk personal injury (an average upright marker weighs over 200 pounds), but you also risk further damage to the stone. Cemeteries often have stringent rules regarding the length, width and depth of the base where a headstone sits, so leave it to the professionals to navigate any issues that may arise during the restoration process.
Need to restore a memorial?
Have questions about cleaning or painting a memorial? Interested in an estimate on these services or a more extensive repair or restoration? Call one of our memorial specialists today—our team is happy to help!
