Headstone Cleaning Services & Grave Care in Columbus, OH

River Valley Moisture

The air in Columbus is always heavy. Between the rivers and the humidity, the cemeteries like Green Lawn stay damp year-round. That moisture is exactly what moss needs to take over.

We see headstones completely wrapped in green algae. It isn't just surface scum; the roots go deep into the stone. Scrapers usually do more harm than good on this stuff. We use a biological cleaner that soaks in and kills the growth at the root. The green dies off, and the stone looks gray again.

Heavy Clay Soil

The ground here is dense clay. It holds water for a long time. In winter, that wet ground freezes and heaves up. It moves the earth and takes the headstones with it.

Foundations crack and markers start to lean. Sometimes they sink so deep you lose the family name. We provide grave site cleaning services to fix this. We hoist the stone out. We dig out that shifting mud and put in a heavy base of gravel. Gravel drains the water, so the frost can't push the stone around anymore.

Highway Soot

With the major interstates cutting through town, there is a lot of diesel exhaust in the air. It lands on the monuments and sticks. It forms a greasy, black layer that rain won't wash away.

If you touch it, it smears. Dish soap won't touch this stuff. It requires a solvent made for industrial grime. We dissolve that oily layer and wash it away. Suddenly, you can actually see the color of the stone again.

Hard Water Buildup

City water here is hard. When the cemeteries run the sprinklers, that water hits the hot stone and evaporates. But it leaves the calcium behind.

Over time, this builds a white crust that covers the lettering. It bonds to the stone like cement. Families searching for headstone cleaning services near me often think the stone is ruined. We use a cleaner that dissolves the mineral bond safely. The white haze melts away, and the letters stand out sharp.

Sticky Tree Sap

Buckeyes and Maples drop sap and seeds all over the markers. That sap is sticky. Dirt lands on it and stays there, creating black gummy spots.

The sun bakes this mess until it is rock hard. We have to soften it up to get it off. We use a solvent paste that breaks down the resin. Once it's soft, we wipe it away. The stone gets clean without us having to scratch at it.

"A year ago I traveled to Ohio and visited the cemetery where most of my family is buried. I was appalled at the condition of the gravestones for my loved ones. Because of this, I came back home and decided to look for someone who could clean and maintain those gravestones. I saw an ad in FaceBook of Tending and was thrilled to contact them. I am soooo glad I did. They were easy to work with; they did exactly what they said they would do; they charged exactly what they said they would; and, I have been so very impressed with their business and their work ethic. I am very pleased with this company and recommend them to anyone who could use their service."

— Beck, Ohio

Winter Spalling

Our winters are destructive. Water gets into hairline cracks during the day. At night, it freezes and expands. That pressure snaps pieces of the stone right off.

We call it spalling. When a chunk of granite snaps off, you can't fix it with hardware store epoxy. It won't last a single winter. We clean out the break and inject a structural stone adhesive. It fills the void and keeps the water out so the stone holds together.

Mower Marks

Landscapers work fast. We often find black rubber marks on the corners of flat stones where the mower tires hit them.

That rubber burns onto the stone face. Water won't remove it. We use a solvent that melts the rubber transfer. We wipe it off and trim the grass back. This gives the mower drivers a little room so they don't hit the stone next time.

Service Costs in Columbus

Pricing depends on the job. Removing sap is cheaper than lifting a sunken marker out of the clay:

We inspect the stone first. Then we give you a price.