The Jet Fuel Fallout
Burbank sits directly under the airport flight path. The jets come in low. They dump unburnt fuel mist directly onto the cemeteries. This isn't dust. It is oily, industrial residue.
It lands on the headstones. The Valley heat bakes it. It turns into a hard, black varnish. Rain slides right off it. The water can't cut the grease. It builds up layer by layer.
The stone feels like the floor of a mechanic's shop. It leaves black sludge on your fingers. If you are searching for headstone cleaning services near me because the stone looks dark, that is aviation fallout. You cannot scrub this off with soap. You just smear the tar around. Tending uses industrial grave site cleaning services. We use aviation-grade degreasers to cut through this petroleum film. We lift the oil out of the pores to reveal the clean stone underneath.
The "DG" Washout
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills is built on steep slopes. The ground is "Decomposed Granite" (DG). This isn't rock. It is loose sand and gravel. It has zero hold. It rolls like marbles under the foundation.
Heavy rain washes this soil right out from under the concrete. The ground disappears. The monument tips forward because the front edge is floating on air.
If you are searching for tombstone repair and restoration because a marker is leaning, do not just push it back up. The soil will just wash away again. We pack the void with angular gravel. Unlike round DG grains that roll, angular gravel locks together. It stabilizes the base and keeps the memorial upright against the erosion.
Valley Smog "Sugaring"
The Verdugo Mountains act like a wall. The smog gets trapped against the hillsides of Burbank. This pollution creates an acidic microclimate.
This acid settles on older white marble markers. It eats the calcium. It dissolves the natural binder that holds the stone crystals together. The surface turns rough. We call this "sugaring" because the white grains fall off like sugar.
Power washing destroys this soft stone. We use gentle conservation methods. We clean the pores and apply a liquid consolidant. It soaks into the crumbling face and hardens, gluing the stone back together to stop the history from dusting away.
Hard Water Armor
Sprinklers run constantly to fight the heat. The water hits the hot granite and flashes to steam. The minerals stay behind.
This builds up a layer of white calcium. It looks like concrete splatter. It covers the name. You can't scrape it off; you will scratch the polish.
We use professional cleaning stone gravestones chemistry. We apply a descaler that melts the mineral bond safely. We turn the hard crust into a soft paste that rinses away, restoring the deep black contrast of the memorial.