Most interesting video. As a genealogist for almost 60 years, cemeteries are a huge source of information for me, and I surveyed all the cemeteries in this old South Carolina county over a period of years, and they were published by the local genealogical society in several volumes. These surveys are a valuable resource for researchers. It is painful to me to see tombstones destroyed by well-meaning but ignorant people using harsh chemicals like Clorox to "clean" the stones, especially the old marble ones used from the 1700's to the 1920's. Clorox will cause the stone to disintegrate in a short time! Is there anything that can be done to slow this process? People need to THINK before using any chemical on a tombstone. Thank you for your work.
I do professional roof and exterior cleaning, and bleach is a wonderful cleaner for most items, but definitely not tombstones. Liquid bleach is sodium hypochlorite which after the chemical reaction is complete becomes sodium chloride, or salt mixed into water. As salt dries, it crystalizes and expands, then dissolves when it rains, then crystalizes and expands as it dries. The first noticeable damage would likely be the fine edges on engravings/inscriptions, and the damage would just grow over time. Once salt is in the stone, I'm not aware of any way to remove the salt besides time and repeated rain, if that would even work. - No acids/vinegar or caustics (low or high pH). - No dish soaps, harsh soaps, or chemicals. No bleaches/chlorine (liquid or powdered bleach). No salts. No oils. No peroxides. No flour (yeah, some people clean markers with flour...) - No pressure washers, sand blasters, or power tools. - No metal scrapers, wire brushes, or abrasive pads (including magic eraser). D2 is best when used properly, but there are less aggressive methods before using D2. Wet and Forget is approved for cleaning tombstones, but I don't use it. I just don't see the logic in spraying a cleaner that contains a blue dye, especially on white marble. I don't see blue dye coming out of a stone any more than salts, and over time and repeated cleanings, the blue dye would just compound in my opinion. I cannot say for sure since I won't even use Wet & Forget the first time because of the dye. People don't realize it, but you are not allowed to clean markers/tombstones that you do not have permission to clean. You need to contact the local city/county and have written permission. The local administrators of the cemetery can tell you exactly who to contact.
Great work mate, I cleaned a headstone of my great great aunt's daughter who died in 1926 in my local cemetery. She passed away at just 9 months old. Her stone was a mess and is in white marble, I've spent alot of time during covid lock down cleaning it up and the surrounding area. It's perfect now and looks like it was put there yesterday and stands out like a beam of light amongst all the old stones around it. I've really felt a great satisfaction from doing this and will keep it perfect as long as I have breath. She would have been 96 at the end of the march 2021 and will always have flowers and be thought of after this infant only had one Christmas that of 1926. Bless her and bless you great video 👍.... I used wet and forget on the stone by the way and highly recommend it with patients.
I know Wet & Forget is approved for cleaning tombstones, but I don't see the logic in applying a product with a blue dye to any marker, especially on white marble. D2 is safer to use in so many ways for humans, and it contains no dye. I'd be happy (well, happier) with W&F if only it didn't contain that blue dye. Seems after repeated cleanings that blue dye would compound, and be impossible to remove.
Well we’re certainly from the same tribe! Unfortunately physical limitations are now exceeding some of what I still need to do. Particularly for my grandparents’ gravestone way out in the country at the old family cemetery. It’s a double stone put in place when he was buried almost 40 years ago. As he preferred, there was no vault. Twelve years later she was buried and tho she didn’t want one either, some of the kids made sure she had one. So obviously in time the dirt settled much lower on his side as the casket finished deteriorating and filling in. So the long stone is now far from level, probably 8” lower on his end and it’s falling down into the ground. I need to lift that end and preferably keep it blocked up into place as I fill in all the gap space end to end with a bucket or two of concrete to create a wedge that’ll remain level permanently. But that strength is long gone for me and no one else seems to care yet. I have however cleaned the lichens off the stone a time or two. And cleaned up many illegible family stones over a century old, revealing some beautiful old white marble. I’ve also cleaned some old stones from other original families out there. For me it’s not like Asian ancestor worship. It’s just a matter of decency and respect for real lives that were lived and that mattered. Okay, rant over. lol
Thank you for doing this for your family. Wet & Forget is approved for cleaning tombstones, but I don't use it because it contains a blue dye. It seems illogical to clean a tombstone (especially white marble) using anything with a blue dye, so stick with D2 for cleaning embedded bacteria stains. If the stains are not present, water and a brush are less agressive forms of cleaning.
Wonderful video!!! Well done!!!!
Wow that is so nice that he does that ,very kind
Amazing and beautiful Casey.
Most interesting video. As a genealogist for almost 60 years, cemeteries are a huge source of information for me, and I surveyed all the cemeteries in this old South Carolina county over a period of years, and they were published by the local genealogical society in several volumes. These surveys are a valuable resource for researchers. It is painful to me to see tombstones destroyed by well-meaning but ignorant people using harsh chemicals like Clorox to "clean" the stones, especially the old marble ones used from the 1700's to the 1920's. Clorox will cause the stone to disintegrate in a short time! Is there anything that can be done to slow this process? People need to THINK before using any chemical on a tombstone. Thank you for your work.
I do professional roof and exterior cleaning, and bleach is a wonderful cleaner for most items, but definitely not tombstones. Liquid bleach is sodium hypochlorite which after the chemical reaction is complete becomes sodium chloride, or salt mixed into water. As salt dries, it crystalizes and expands, then dissolves when it rains, then crystalizes and expands as it dries. The first noticeable damage would likely be the fine edges on engravings/inscriptions, and the damage would just grow over time. Once salt is in the stone, I'm not aware of any way to remove the salt besides time and repeated rain, if that would even work.
- No acids/vinegar or caustics (low or high pH).
- No dish soaps, harsh soaps, or chemicals. No bleaches/chlorine (liquid or powdered bleach). No salts. No oils. No peroxides. No flour (yeah, some people clean markers with flour...)
- No pressure washers, sand blasters, or power tools.
- No metal scrapers, wire brushes, or abrasive pads (including magic eraser).
D2 is best when used properly, but there are less aggressive methods before using D2. Wet and Forget is approved for cleaning tombstones, but I don't use it. I just don't see the logic in spraying a cleaner that contains a blue dye, especially on white marble. I don't see blue dye coming out of a stone any more than salts, and over time and repeated cleanings, the blue dye would just compound in my opinion. I cannot say for sure since I won't even use Wet & Forget the first time because of the dye.
People don't realize it, but you are not allowed to clean markers/tombstones that you do not have permission to clean. You need to contact the local city/county and have written permission. The local administrators of the cemetery can tell you exactly who to contact.
I only wish there were more of you. I have so many country cemeteries by me that are in dire need
I agree with him
Love this video - thanks!
Your an inspiration Casey
I love this!
Great work mate, I cleaned a headstone of my great great aunt's daughter who died in 1926 in my local cemetery. She passed away at just 9 months old. Her stone was a mess and is in white marble, I've spent alot of time during covid lock down cleaning it up and the surrounding area. It's perfect now and looks like it was put there yesterday and stands out like a beam of light amongst all the old stones around it. I've really felt a great satisfaction from doing this and will keep it perfect as long as I have breath. She would have been 96 at the end of the march 2021 and will always have flowers and be thought of after this infant only had one Christmas that of 1926. Bless her and bless you great video 👍.... I used wet and forget on the stone by the way and highly recommend it with patients.
Lmp m
I know Wet & Forget is approved for cleaning tombstones, but I don't see the logic in applying a product with a blue dye to any marker, especially on white marble. D2 is safer to use in so many ways for humans, and it contains no dye. I'd be happy (well, happier) with W&F if only it didn't contain that blue dye. Seems after repeated cleanings that blue dye would compound, and be impossible to remove.
Good work sir god bless you
Lovely man
How cool. What a great thing.
I recently located the grave of an ancestor. The headstone is 300 years old. Is there any way I can clean this without damaging it further.
Good job buddy
WHAT A WONDERFUL THING TO DO WELL DONE TO YOU SIR
LOTS OF RESPECT 👍👍👍
Well we’re certainly from the same tribe! Unfortunately physical limitations are now exceeding some of what I still need to do. Particularly for my grandparents’ gravestone way out in the country at the old family cemetery. It’s a double stone put in place when he was buried almost 40 years ago. As he preferred, there was no vault. Twelve years later she was buried and tho she didn’t want one either, some of the kids made sure she had one. So obviously in time the dirt settled much lower on his side as the casket finished deteriorating and filling in. So the long stone is now far from level, probably 8” lower on his end and it’s falling down into the ground. I need to lift that end and preferably keep it blocked up into place as I fill in all the gap space end to end with a bucket or two of concrete to create a wedge that’ll remain level permanently. But that strength is long gone for me and no one else seems to care yet. I have however cleaned the lichens off the stone a time or two. And cleaned up many illegible family stones over a century old, revealing some beautiful old white marble. I’ve also cleaned some old stones from other original families out there. For me it’s not like Asian ancestor worship. It’s just a matter of decency and respect for real lives that were lived and that mattered. Okay, rant over. lol
Thank you for doing this for your family. Wet & Forget is approved for cleaning tombstones, but I don't use it because it contains a blue dye. It seems illogical to clean a tombstone (especially white marble) using anything with a blue dye, so stick with D2 for cleaning embedded bacteria stains. If the stains are not present, water and a brush are less agressive forms of cleaning.
Casey, I see you also use Orvis Soap paste.
Wet and Forget
D2 is a better, safer product. D2 is used by the national parks service to clean the headstones in the national cemeteries.