How to clean a Headstone: Safe methods for granite, marble & bronze

Visiting a loved one's grave is one of the most personal things a family does. And when moss creeps across the stone, when dirt darkens the lettering, or when a bronze plaque loses its luster, the instinct to clean it is entirely natural — even loving.

But cleaning a headstone the wrong way can cause real, permanent damage. The wrong product, the wrong brush, or too much pressure can scratch polished granite, dissolve the surface of marble, strip the patina from bronze, or erode lettering that took a craftsman hours to perfect.

At Abby Rose Inc., we've seen the results of well-intentioned but harmful cleaning — and we've helped families restore memorials that suffered for it. This guide covers the right way to clean granite, marble, and bronze headstones, with materials you can find easily and methods that won't put the memorial at risk.

Before you start: what not to use on any headstone

Certain products and tools are so commonly used — and so reliably damaging — that they deserve their own section before anything else.

• Never use bleach. Household bleach is one of the most damaging substances you can apply to a headstone. It kills biological growth on contact, which makes it tempting, but it also breaks down stone surfaces over time, accelerates weathering, and leaves residue that continues working long after you've rinsed. On marble especially, bleach causes irreversible surface degradation.

• Never use wire brushes or abrasive scrubbing pads. These scratch polished granite, gouge softer stones like marble, and can remove fine engraving detail permanently. Even a stiff-bristled household scrub brush can be too aggressive on older or weathered stone.

• Never use pressure washers. The force of a pressure washer — even on a low setting — can chip, crack, or flake stone, especially older memorials or any stone that has developed micro-fractures from freeze-thaw cycles in NJ and PA winters.

• Never use acidic cleaners. Vinegar, many household bathroom cleaners, and products containing muriatic acid will etch and dissolve calcium-based stones like marble and limestone. Even diluted, acid-based products cause cumulative damage that shows up over years.

• Never use shaving cream. Despite being widely recommended online, shaving cream contains chemicals that can damage stone surfaces and leave residue. It's a myth that has persisted far longer than it should have.

The safest rule: if it wasn't specifically formulated for memorial stone cleaning, don't use it.

How to clean a granite headstone

Granite is the most forgiving of the three main memorial materials — dense, non-porous, and resistant to most weathering. But it still requires care, especially on polished surfaces where scratches show clearly and engraved detail is vulnerable.

What you'll need:

• Clean water (bring it with you — most cemeteries don't have running water on-site)

• D/2 Biological Solution or a similar pH-neutral stone cleaner formulated for memorials

• Soft natural-bristle brush (a soft-bristled wooden brush or shaving brush works well)

• Clean soft cloths or sponges

• Plastic scraper (optional, for heavy biological buildup)

The process:

Start by rinsing the stone thoroughly with clean water to remove loose dirt and debris. Work top to bottom so runoff doesn't redeposit on areas you've already cleaned.

Apply D/2 Biological Solution — the professional standard for memorial cleaning — directly to the wet stone. Work it gently into the surface with a soft brush using circular motions. Pay particular attention to engraved letters, where dirt tends to accumulate in the recesses.

Allow the solution to dwell on the stone for a few minutes. For heavy moss or lichen growth, you may need to let it sit longer and return for a second application. D/2 continues working after you rinse, so even if growth doesn't disappear immediately, it will break down over the following weeks as the stone is exposed to rain and sunlight.

Rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry. Avoid wiping dry with cloth, which can introduce fine scratches on polished surfaces.

For heavy biological growth: A plastic scraper — never metal — can carefully lift moss or lichen before applying cleaner. Work gently and never force the tool against the stone.

How to clean a marble headstone

Marble requires more care than granite. It is softer, more porous, and far more reactive to acidic substances. In the Mid-Atlantic climate of NJ and PA, marble is also more susceptible to weathering — many older marble headstones have a characteristic softening of their surface from decades of acid rain exposure. This makes careful cleaning even more important: an already-weathered surface is more easily damaged.

What you'll need:

• Clean water

• D/2 Biological Solution or a dedicated marble-safe cleaner

• Very soft natural-bristle brush — softer than you'd use on granite

• Clean cloths

The process:

The approach is essentially the same as for granite, but with lighter pressure throughout. Marble scratches more easily and the softened surface of an older stone is more fragile than it looks.

Wet the stone fully before applying any cleaner — never apply cleaner to dry marble. Work with the softest brush you have, using minimal pressure. Let the cleaner do the work rather than the scrubbing action.

Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry naturally.

Important note on older marble: Very old or heavily weathered marble — the kind where surface letters are already difficult to read — may be too fragile to clean safely without professional assessment. If the stone is in this condition, contact us before attempting any cleaning. Aggressive cleaning of compromised marble can accelerate deterioration rather than reverse it.

How to clean a bronze memorial plaque or marker

Bronze behaves differently from stone and requires a different approach entirely. New bronze has a bright, golden finish. Over time, it develops a natural patina — a darkening that enhances relief detail and is considered part of the material's character by many families. Cleaning bronze removes this patina, which will return naturally but may take time.

Decide before you begin whether you want to restore the bright original finish or simply remove dirt while preserving the patina. Both are valid choices — they just require slightly different approaches.

What you'll need:

• Clean water

• Mild dish soap (pH-neutral, no abrasives)

• Soft cloth or sponge — never abrasive

• Bronze cleaner or paste (if restoring the bright finish — look for products labeled safe for cast bronze)

• Bronze wax or paste wax (optional, for protection after cleaning)

For routine cleaning (preserving patina):

Mix a small amount of mild dish soap in clean water. Apply with a soft cloth, wiping gently across the surface. Work into recessed areas — letters, emblems, border details — with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry with a soft cloth to prevent water spotting.

For restoring the bright finish:

Apply a purpose-made bronze cleaner according to the product instructions, using a soft cloth. Work in small sections. Rinse thoroughly and buff dry. Follow with a thin application of paste wax, which slows re-oxidation and provides a degree of weather protection.

What to avoid on bronze: Never use steel wool, abrasive pads, or any cleaner containing ammonia or bleach. These will scratch the surface or cause uneven discoloration that is difficult to reverse.

When to call a professional instead

Cleaning a headstone yourself is appropriate for routine maintenance — removing seasonal dirt, light biological growth, surface dust. But there are situations where attempting to clean a stone yourself can cause more harm than the dirt it's removing:

• Structural damage. If the stone is cracked, leaning, chipped, or showing signs of spalling (surface flaking), cleaning can worsen the damage. The stone needs professional assessment and repair before it's cleaned.

• Heavy lichen or deep staining. Established lichen has root-like structures that penetrate stone. Attempting to remove it physically without the right professional products and technique can pull stone surface away with it.

• Older or fragile marble. As noted above, heavily weathered marble may be too fragile for DIY cleaning.

• Engraving damage. If cleaning reveals that lettering has faded, chipped, or become difficult to read, that's a conversation about re-engraving — not a scrubbing problem.

At Abby Rose Inc., we offer professional cleaning and assessment for memorials throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. We bring the right products, the right tools, and four decades of experience working with natural stone. If you're unsure about the condition of a headstone or want it cleaned properly, we're a phone call away.

Questions about a memorial you'd like to restore or maintain?

Whether you need advice on cleaning a headstone yourself or want professional help with a more complex situation, Abby Rose Inc. is here.

We serve families and cemeteries throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania — including Trenton, Hamilton, Princeton, Burlington County, Mercer County, and Yardville.

Contact us today to talk through what your memorial needs, or explore our full range of monument services to learn more about how we work.

Abby Rose Inc. — Custom headstones and monuments serving families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania for over 25 years. Located at 602 U.S. Highway RT. 130, Yardville, NJ 08691. Call us at (609) 585-2242.