Taking care of a loved one’s headstone and burial site

November 15, 2017


A gravestone is a permanent reminder of the memory of a loved one and a lasting tribute to their importance. Gravestones can play an important role in not only commemorating their life but also in providing loved ones a place to grieve and to honour their memory.

Choosing a monument is rarely a swift decision. Lots of time and care goes in to choosing the right type of headstone. This means looking at the shape, the symbolism and of course, the inscriptions. With this in mind, it is important that we know how to keep a headstone clean, protected from the elements and in good condition for years to come.

Most headstones are quite low maintenance, provided that they are made from good quality materials like marble or granite. This means that they do tend to hold up well in bad weather. However, they can still become dirty from soil, mud, branches, leaves and other debris. Generally speaking, this kind of dirt can be cleaned away with a simple mix of water and bleach along with a cloth. Create a 50/50 mix and wipe down the headstone, then after 15 minutes wash it down with some more water. This can also help protect against mould and mildew. If there are harder pieces of mud caked on to the gravestone then you can use a soft-bristle brush to remove it. Avoid using anything tougher as it may leave scratches on the headstone.

Now, you may also want to clean up the site around the grave. If there are toys, flowers, balloons or other trinkets that have begun to look tired you may want to remove them or replace them. There may also be litter or leaves which need raking up around the grave. Remember that artificial flowers are usually a better choice if you can’t regularly visit.

Asking for help

Sometimes it is best to ask for help with the cleaning of a gravestone. It might be that you live far away from the burial site and are unable to tend to it. You may be physically unable to clean it, or it might simply need some specialist T.L.C.

Here at Cravens we offer help with existing memorials to bring them back to their full glory. Our services include creating additional inscriptions, re-gilding, re-painting and renewing lead lettering. We also re-fix memorials that have become unstable using modern ground anchor systems and provide in depth professional cleaning which can make a huge difference to your loved one’s burial site. To find out more and talk to one of our team please call us on 0151 228 3900 or click here to send us an email.