My good friend Brad Finch has a new line of work that helps people maintain the appearance of their ancestors' graves. He, with the most modern methods, cleans tombstones. He let me watch in Elmwood Cemetery as two stones belonging to veterans of the First World War were restored to near perfect condition.
The process starts with a good soaking, front and back.
Above, next a non-toxic, non-abrasive cleaning solution is applied. It has to sit then for 10 minutes with constant refreshing to keep it moist.
Next is a gentle scraping.
Then a soft brush is used.
A good rinse , front and back.
Above, more brush, below, small brush for crevasses .
Another good rinse, final touchups and allow to dry. The remarkable thing about this process is that the stone keeps looking better and better the more time passes. Brad's website is:
https://www.gravematterskc.comBefore above, after below. The soldiers will be remembered.
