Grave Cleaning & Headstone Restoration in Naperville

Cleaning Hard Water Scale and River Algae in Naperville

Naperville cemeteries face two main problems: the river humidity and the sprinklers. The West Branch of the DuPage River winds right past the main burial grounds like Naperville Cemetery. That water keeps the air heavy and wet. We see granite that should be polished black, but it is fuzzy and green. That is river algae and moss. It thrives here. It digs its roots into the stone pores and eats away at the finish.

The other issue is the manicured lawns. To keep that grass green, the irrigation runs constantly. Naperville water is hard. Every time the sprinklers hit a headstone, they leave a layer of calcium behind. Year after year, this builds up into a thick white crust that looks like concrete splatter. Families searching for headstone cleaning services near me call us to strip off that mineral armor and to kill the green biological growth that hides the family name.

The "White Haze" Calcium Buildup

Walk through Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery. You will see rows of dark granite markers where the bottom half is completely white. That is limescale from the irrigation. It bonds to the stone surface. It is extremely hard.

You cannot scrape this off. A razor blade will just scratch the polished granite underneath. We use a buffered acidic cleaner. We apply it directly to the white crust. It reacts chemically and softens the calcium. We scrub the residue away with brushes. It usually takes multiple applications to dissolve a decade of buildup, but we get down to the clean stone without burning the polish.

River Algae and Lichen

The dampness from the river feeds biological growth. We see slick green algae on the flat markers and crusty orange lichen on the rough-cut bases. The lichen is dangerous to the stone. Its roots grow deep into the granite. Pulling it off dry rips grains of stone out with it.

We kill it first. We soak the stone in a biocide that penetrates the roots. The plant dies and releases its grip on the rock. Then we wash it away. We get calls for cleaning granite gravestones that look like mossy rocks. After we treat them, the granite sparkles again.

Sticky Tree Sap Stains

Naperville is known for its big trees. Old oaks and maples drop sap, pollen, and seeds. This stuff lands on the markers and bakes in the sun. It turns into black, sticky tar. Dust sticks to it, creating a dark, ugly smudge that soap won't touch.

We use a solvent made for breaking down resins. We apply it to the black spots. It dissolves the sap so we can wipe it clean. We also handle the acidic bird droppings that burn into the marble surfaces under those trees.

Sinking Flat Markers

The soil near the river is soft. Heavy rain turns it to mud. We find flat granite markers that have sunk two or three inches below the grass line. The turf grows over the edges, and eventually, the marker disappears.

We cut the sod back and dig the marker out. Putting it back on soft dirt is a waste of time. We remove the mud and replace it with a pad of crushed gravel. The gravel locks together and drains water. It gives the stone a solid foundation so it stays level with the grass.

Granite Chip Repair

Landscaping crews have a lot of mowing to do. They move fast. We see fresh chips on the corners of upright monuments and tire burn marks on the flat stones.

We clean the rubber marks off with a solvent. For the physical chips, we can't glue the stone back on. Instead, we use diamond pads to grind the sharp, broken edge until it is smooth. This blends the damage so your eye doesn't catch it, and it stops the mower blade from hitting that same snag again.

Marble Weathering

Acid rain hits the older white marble markers hard. It dissolves the calcium binder in the stone. The surface gets rough and sugary. You rub it, and white dust comes off.

We stop the deterioration. We clean the loose grit off the surface. Then we saturate the stone with a consolidant. This fluid soaks deep into the marble and hardens. It glues the sand grains back together. The stone becomes solid again, and the lettering stays sharp.

Bronze Plaque Renewal

We see many bronze markers in the memorial parks here. Snow and ice destroy the protective clear coat. The bare bronze oxidizes and turns a chalky green. It looks abandoned.

We strip the bad coating and the corrosion. We scrub the metal down to the original brown finish. Then we heat it up and spray a fresh clear coat. This seals the metal against the Naperville winter. The plaque looks brand new.

Service Costs in Naperville

Dissolving thick calcium scale takes expensive chemicals and time. Lifting a sunken ledger stone takes a crew. We need to see the specific problems to give you a price. Use our online tool. Pick the cemetery, show us the stone, and we give you a quote.