Community Chat

[Shorty2U]

We went to my parents grave yesterday. The stone had some mold on it before, well now its worse this Summer. Especially over my moms name (its really bad).

It got me upset because we go regularly and try to take care of the grave and put flowers etc. Plus I see many other stones that are much older than my parents stone and they look perfectly fine. (Parents stone is from 1979 when my mom passed away)

I looked on line how to clean head stones and most say a little bleach and water BUT not for colored stones. My parents stone is a mauve like color with a glossy finish.

Now out back at our home when we get mold around the french doors and siding I use Fantastik and it does a great job, but I don't know if I should use this on a grave stone.

I could also call the cemetery and ask a professional to do it but I thought if I could do it myself and save money, well that would be a help. (Of course if I cant I will call them for help with this).

But I am just wondering if anyone here has cleaned a colored grave stone or knows what to use that wont damage it?

And PS from going there a lot I notice the black glossy stones of the past years seem to hold up very well, as do some of the older white glossy stones.

[JustJazzmom]

Bring the Fantastic with you and clean an inconspicuous area of the stone and see if that works. Bring an old toothbrush with you too to get the mold out of any nooks and crannies.

[IamMrsG]

@Shorty2U    There is a product called Wet & Forget that I've heard Gary Sullivan, a radio show Home Fixit host, recommend.   I have not used it personally, though.

[sweetee2]

I read on line because of the complexity of different types of stone, it's best to call a professional. 

[felixmom]

I've been spraying my parents' gravestone (mostly around the bottom and up the sides) with an equal amount of bleach and water for past 20 years and it too is a pinkish stone. It's not glossy though so maybe that's the difference I don't know.

Anyway, it has absolutely no mold on it while others around it are covered with it. I do it maybe twice during the summer season and always on a sunny, hot day.

I

[wagirl]

Is it mold or algae and moss? I had slippery algae and moss on my front steps and used full stregnth peroxide on it, let it foam up and then scrubbed and rinsed. My steps are wood but the walkway is concrete. Seemed to do the job pretty well.

[avid shopper]

try baking soda,   you can buy a huge 5lb bag at W in the seasonal shop for $9.00 and I swear by it for most cleaning jobs.  It's gentle and environmentally friendly.

[Shorty2U]

Thank you for the replies.

I too thought of baking soda. Maybe I will try that, and take bleach, and also do the fantastik (on the side to see what happens). Yes (to answer the question), it is mold not just moss.

I will go next Sunday. If these things dont work I will call them, perhaps they can just tell me what to use and or give me a price estimate if need be.

[RedTop]

For bronze markers, use a soft cotton cloth and clear water only.   They have a clear coat finish, and you do not want to remove that with chemical cleaners.   When the professional clear coat starts to wear off, you can recoat it.   

For granite (not black granite) and marble markers, use a solution of 2 gallons water, 2 cups Clorox, 1 cup Tide powder, and 1 cup Spic and Span, with a soft bristle brush to remove mold, mildew, and moss.   Rinse thoroughly with clear water, and dry with a soft cotton cloth.   

This information was given to me by the salesman at our local monument company, and is the only acceptable cleaners that should be used to clean the stones.   I help take care of our family cemetery, and this information is what I pass along to those asking about cleaning a stone.    

We have a marker in our family cemetery that is crumbling away from the top down.   When I forwarded a picture of the stone to the monument company, their guess was that someone has used a strong cleaning product on this stone which is slowly, but surely, deteriorating this marker.   There is nothing we can do to fix this stone.   Please remember these markers are part of history, and must be preserved with care.   No one knowingly wants to damage the stone with chemicals, or permanently scratch with a stiff brush.  

[sabatini]

Hi!

I found this out years ago when my kid bought a car that'd been impounded for over a year. The inside of that car looked like an unhealthy science project, and since the car had dark tinted windows the mold had really taken off.

We used straight white vinegar in a spray bottle. Bleach does not kill mold, it just lightens the discoloration.

Straight vinegar will kill the majority of various molds, and the rest of them are killed w/ vinegar & baking soda combo.

Spray on & leave for an hour, spray again, & scrub lightly, then rinse.

You're a good daughter!