GraveStone Cleanings
Why clean a gravestone
Our loved ones maintained their homes, shouldn't we maintain their eternal resting place? Headstones are also a large financial investment. But they are exposed to the elements, dust and debris in the atmosphere, and bird droppings. The stone shown to the right, is a side by side comparison of the difference a cleaning can make. Our goal is to clean a stone, NOT, make it appear new. Our goal is to do no harm to the stone or the surroundings. On this example ( a three person headstone) the left side has not been cleaned in over 30 years, the right side was cleaned by me a week before this picture was taken. We use biological cleaning agents that continue to clean after we walk away.
Our methods: first and foremost we do no harm! This is important for two reasons, one to preserve the stone, and second to preserve the area around the stone from secondary damages from chemicals. We utilize only biological cleaning agents, water, and good ole elbow grease. What is a biological cleaning agent, it is one that utilizes enzymes to break down the organic material on a stone. If the stone has a heavy coating of biological matter, we may scrape it down with a plastic or wood scrapper, NEVER metal. The plastic or wood will be broken down by the stone, not the stone being broken done. An added benefit of using biological cleansing agents, they continue to work after we walk away.
Before we start any work, we will inspect the stone and grave-site and provide you with an estimate. In addition to cleaning we do offer added services, this include but are not limited too: Trimming grasses and shrubs; placing flowers/plants*, placing flags*. We also offer yearly seasonal grave clean-ups; we will do an initial in depth cleaning, and seasonally thereafter do a touch up cleaning and grave maintenance of trimmings.
Why hire us? Our owner is hands on. She inspects all graves/stones, scopes needed and optional works, prepares all estimates and does the vast majority of our cleanings. Our owner is a lifetime NJ resident. she spent over 15 years working in the insurance and property damage industry. She has taken countless hours of education in the science of cleaning.
Can I afford this?
Yes, you can. Rates start at $40 and are dependent on several factors, including but not limited to: location of cemetery; size of stone, amount of cleaning needed, added services; and is a water source available. Most flat and “traditional” headstones fall into the $40-$60 range. We provide before and after photos of stones cleaned. We offer one-time cleanings, or we offer service plans that include quarterly monthly or even weekly services. Prices will be determined after site inspection and in-depth conversation with you.
Scheduling:
For grave cleanings we will provide you a time frame in which the work will be performed. We cannot give exact times for cleanings, as there are influences we cannot control such as weather and we will not work during a funeral within a respectful distance of the stone. Weather - we cannot clean stones when the temperature is less then 40 degrees or in hot weather when the stone is hot to the touch. We cannot clean in rain, or when rain is forecast for the next 24 hours.
Important Notice:
You must be related to the person(s) buried at this stone or be a representative of the cemetery or a civic group responsible for the grave for us to be able to clean it. If you do not meet this criteria you need written permission from a family member or the cemetery for us to proceed with a cleaning.
