High Plains Wind Damage
The wind out here is constant. It drags dirt across the open fields and sandblasts the headstones. It happens every day.
After a few years, that friction cuts the polish right off the stone. The face turns dull and feels rough like concrete. We can't bring that mirror shine back in the field, but we can seal the surface. We deep clean the stone and apply a hardener. It locks the grain so the wind blows past without eating any deeper into the rock.
Sticky Dairy Dust
Clovis is surrounded by dairies. The dust here isn't just dry earth; it is heavy and sticky. It carries organic matter from the feedlots.
When this dust hits a damp headstone, it sticks like glue and starts growing mold. Families searching for headstone cleaning services near me often think the stone is ruined. It’s just filthy. We use a cleaner designed to kill that organic growth. We wash the grime out of the pores, and the granite looks clear again.
Well Water Scale
The well water here keeps the grass green, but it is brutal on stone. It is packed with calcium. When sprinklers hit a hot marker, the water dries instantly, but the minerals stay behind.
This builds up into a thick white scale that covers the names. It grips the stone hard. If you try to scrape it, you scratch the granite. We provide professional grave stone cleaning services to remove this safely. We use a buffered acid. It melts the calcium crust chemically. We rinse the sludge away, and the inscription becomes clear again.
Sun-Bleached Inscriptions
There is no shade on the High Plains. The sun hammers these stones. It burns the black paint out of the engraved letters until they are the same color as the rock.
A marker you can't read doesn't do its job. We fix that. We scrape out the dried-up paint flakes. We clean the grooves with solvent. Then we re-ink the letters with monument-grade lithichrome. It is tough paint. It stands up to the UV rays and makes the name sharp again.
Jet Fuel and Diesel Film
Between the jets at Cannon and the trains running through town, the air is dirty. It carries unburnt fuel and exhaust. It settles on the stones as a greasy layer.
Dirt sticks to that grease and won't wash off with rain. The stone just looks permanently dark. We use a heavy degreaser to cut through that hydrocarbon film. It strips the oil off so the natural color of the stone can show through.
"Great job! Thanks!"
— Amy Blue, Tending Client
Shifting Sandy Soil
The ground here is loose sand. It moves. We see it shift when the spring winds blow hard or when we get a heavy rain.
Upright monuments start to tilt as the ground moves out from under them. A leaning stone cracks easily. We fix it before it falls. We lift the monument. We pack the hole with angular gravel. Gravel bites together and holds the weight, keeping the stone level even when the dirt around it moves.
Service Costs in Clovis
We price based on the type of cleaning and the level of wear:
- Ag Dust Removal: Cleaning sticky organic buildup.
- Scale Removal: Dissolving hard water mineral deposits.
- Letter Repainting: Restoring sun-faded text.
- Stabilization: Resetting stones in shifting soil.
We visit the cemetery. We look at the work. Then we give you a price.
