Grave Cleaning & Headstone Restoration in Rockford

Cleaning Tree Sap and River Mold in the Forest City

They call Rockford the "Forest City." That implies a lot of shade, and shade is bad for gravestones. In cemeteries like Greenwood or Willwood, massive old oak and maple trees cover the grounds. They drop sap, pollen, and wet leaves constantly. This organic debris lands on the markers and rots. It turns into a sticky black paste that bakes into the stone under the summer sun.

The Rock River cuts right through town. It keeps the humidity high. That damp air feeds the green algae and black lichen that take over the granite. We see polished stones that look fuzzy and dull. Families searching for headstone cleaning services near me call us to strip off that sticky tree resin and kill the biological growth that hides their family history.

Removing Sticky Tree Sap

Sap is the biggest headache here. It drips from the canopy and hardens on the limestone and marble. Dust sticks to it. It forms a black, tar-like seal. You cannot wash this off with soap and water. Scrubbing just smears it around.

We use a solvent specifically made for organic resins. We apply it to the black spots. It breaks the chemical bond of the sap. The tar dissolves into a liquid, and we wipe it away. This gets the stone clean without using abrasives that would scratch the finish.

Killing Rock River Lichen

The dampness from the river helps lichen grow on the rough-cut sides of the monuments. We see orange and grey crusts covering the bases. The roots of this stuff grow deep into the granite pores. Pulling it off dry rips grains of stone out with it.

We kill the infestation first. We soak the stone in a biocide. It penetrates the pores and kills the root system. The lichen turns a yellowish powder and releases its grip. We wash it off. We get calls for cleaning granite gravestones that look like part of the landscape. After we treat them, the granite stands out again.

Hard Water Scale Removal

Rockford water is hard. The cemeteries water the grass to keep it green. The sprinklers hit the stones and leave minerals behind. Over time, this creates a thick white crust of calcium and lime. It bonds to the stone face.

Scraping this scale scratches the polish. We use a buffered acidic cleaner. We apply it to the white haze. It fizzes as it eats the calcium. We scrub the residue away with soft brushes. It takes work to get through years of buildup, but we get down to the clean surface without burning the stone.

Fixing Sunken Flat Markers

The ground in Rockford moves. Winter frost shoves the flat markers up, and the spring mud pulls them down. This movement buries the stone. The grass grows over the edges until the marker disappears.

We cut the sod back and dig the stone out. Putting it back on the dirt is a mistake. It will sink again. We remove the mud and replace it with a pad of crushed gravel. Gravel locks together. It drains water so the ground doesn't heave under the stone. We set the marker flush with the ground on this solid base.

Limestone Conservation

Acid rain damages the older limestone markers in the Scandinavian Cemetery. It dissolves the binder in the stone. The surface turns sugary and fragile. The lettering starts to wash away.

We stop the sand from falling off. We clean the surface gently. Then we apply a consolidant. This fluid soaks deep into the stone and hardens. It glues the loose grains back together. The stone becomes solid again, preserving the inscription for the future.

Restoring Oxidized Bronze

Winter snow piles up on the flat bronze markers. The protective clear coat fails. The wet metal oxidizes and turns chalky green. You can't read the names.

We strip the failed coating and the green corrosion. We use brushes to get down to the clean brown bronze. We don't paint it. We restore the natural metal. Then we heat it and spray a new high-grade clear coat. This seals the bronze against the snow and rain.

Repairing Mower Chips

Landscapers have a tough job. They hit the stones. We see fresh chips on the corners of the granite bases and black tire marks on the flat markers.

We wipe the rubber marks off with a solvent. For chips, the stone is gone, but we can fix the appearance. We grind the sharp edges down with diamond pads. Smoothing the chip blends it in and prevents the mower blade from catching that spot again.

Service Costs in Rockford

Dissolving tree sap takes specialized solvents. Lifting a sunken ledger stone takes labor. We need to see the condition of the site to give you a number. Use our online pricing tool. Pick the cemetery, show us the stone, and we give you a quote.