If you are in charge of keeping a loved one’s gravesite clean and looking its best, one of the things you need to know how to do is clean the marker. This is not always a simple thing to do, since the marker can be made of lots of different materials. If that is something you are worried about and you are not sure where to begin, there are some tips that directors of funeral homes in Madisonville, LA want you to keep in mind.
One of the first things you need to do is to gather all of the supplies you will need for the job. You want to avoid anything too abrasive, like power-washing equipment, brushes with hard bristles, or anything similar. You want to turn to sponges and soft-bristled brushes to get the job done since they can ensure you do not cause any damage to the marker. You also want to choose the right cleaning solutions. For most markers, using water, soap, and detergent, is enough. Avoid bleach because it can leave stains.
You want to inspect the marker before beginning the cleaning process. You do not want to do anything to it if you see that the marker has cracks, crumbling, or anything similar since that can be a concern. Only begin the cleaning process if you know for certain the marker is stable.
If the marker is made of marble, you want to wet it with clean water before doing anything else. This is because marble is porous and it can absorb liquid easily. You do not want it to absorb the cleaning solution you are using, so be sure that you wet it with water first. If you see the marker has algae or mold growing on it, you can add a small amount of ammonia to the water and use that. Only do this if the marker is made of marble that is light in color since the ammonia can leave stains in dark marble. The primary reason people plan funeral services is to honor the memory of a loved one who has passed away.
For a granite marker, you can do the same thing you would for a marble one, but you do not want to use any ammonia at all. Instead, add an ounce of detergent to five gallons of water and use that. When you remove the stains and other issues, you want to rinse the marker completely. Never attempt to clean the marker when it is dry, since that can cause flaking.
These are some important tips that can help you keep your loved one’s marker looking its best at all times. You do not want to have to stress about the kind of tools you use, so be sure that you use soft brushes and water, and soap. To learn more about this, you can reach out to a Madisonville, LA funeral home like us. We are ready to help you with the exact arrangements you want to make for a loved one who has died, so do contact us. You can give us a call or visit us today.