Construction Red Dust
Olive Branch never stops growing. There is always a bulldozer moving dirt somewhere nearby. That kicks up tons of fine red dust that drifts into the cemeteries like Blocker and Pleasant Hill.
When that dust settles on a headstone and gets wet, it doesn't just wash off. It sets up hard, almost like clay. It creates a dull red haze over the polish. You can't just hose it down. We use a cleaner that breaks the bond of that clay dust so we can rinse it away and make the granite shine again.
Sinking in Powder Soil
The dirt in DeSoto County is essentially fine powder. It packs down okay when dry, but one heavy rain washes it right out. It leaves flat markers floating on nothing.
We see footstones that have tilted forward or sunk completely because the ground just dissolved underneath them. We provide professional grave site cleaning services that include leveling. We lift the stone and pack the hole with crushed stone. That gives the marker something solid to sit on that won't wash away in the next storm.
Bradford Pear Stains
They planted Bradford Pear trees everywhere in this town. They look nice in bloom, but they are messy. The small fruit drops on the headstones and rots.
It leaves sticky, dark circles that turn black in the sun. The flies love it. You can't just brush it off; you’ll end up spreading that black paste all over the granite. We use a solvent that dissolves the fruit residue. We clean it off and treat the stone so the next batch doesn't stick as hard.
Bermuda Grass Mats
The grass here is aggressive. Bermuda grass sends thick runners right across the flat bronze markers. If you miss a few mowings, the marker disappears under a thick mat.
We don't just run a mower over it. We cut the sod back by hand. We create a clean edge around the marker. It makes the name visible again and keeps the grass from taking over for a while.
Hard Water Crust
To keep the lawns green in this heat, the sprinklers run a lot. Our water is full of calcium. It leaves a heavy white scale on the dark granite stones.
It builds up layer by layer until you can barely feel the engraving. Families searching for headstone cleaning services near me often try to chip it off, but that scratches the stone. We use a wash that eats the calcium but leaves the stone alone. The white crust melts away.
Mud Dauber Nests
Mud daubers love the deep lettering on the older upright monuments. They pack red mud into the carved names to build their nests.
When you knock the nest down, that red mud stays behind. It stains the porous inside of the letters. We clean the nests out carefully. Then we use a brush and a cleaning solution to get that red stain out of the grooves so the name stands out clearly.
Lichens on the North Side
Even in open fields, the north side of the headstone stays damp longer. That's where the lichen grows. It looks like crusty gray paint scabs.
It digs its roots right into the granite. If you scrape it, you leave a mark. We spray it with a biological cleaner. It kills the lichen so it releases its grip. A few days later, it falls off, leaving the stone undamaged.
Bronze Patina Failure
We have many bronze markers here. The humidity and the chemicals from lawn fertilizers attack the clear coat on the bronze. Once that coat cracks, the metal turns ugly—brown and chalky green.
We strip the bad coating off. We restore the rich gold color of the bronze. Then we seal it with a high-grade lacquer. It protects the metal from the fertilizer and the weather.
Mower Tire Marks
Landscapers move fast. They hit the corners of the stones with their zero-turn mowers. It leaves a black rubber streak that looks like a burn mark.
Water won't touch it. We use a specialized wipe that softens the rubber. It wipes right off. We check for chips or damage and clean the area so the stone looks respectful again.
Service Costs in Olive Branch
Pricing depends on the job. Digging a sunken marker out of the mud takes more time than cleaning off dust:
- Leveling: Resetting stones in washing-out soil.
- Dust Removal: Cleaning heavy construction red clay.
- Bronze Refinishing: Restoring oxidized metal markers.
- Edging: Cutting back thick Bermuda grass.
We look at the site. We see what needs to be done. Then we give you a price.
