Grave Cleaning & Headstone Restoration in Kettering

Lawn Chemical Damage

Kettering lawns are famous for being perfect. But keeping that grass green is hard on the headstones. The landscaping crews spray heavy fertilizers that are packed with salt.

When that spray hits the markers, it eats right into the polish. It leaves a rough, white band along the bottom where the shine is gone. That isn't dirt you can wash off; the stone is actually burned. We have to polish that section again to seal the stone so the salt stops eating it.

Sprinkler Scale Buildup

At places like David's Cemetery, the sprinklers run all summer. The water here is hard. The sun dries the water off the hot granite in seconds, leaving the minerals stuck to the face.

It builds up a hard white haze that covers the names. It's like concrete. Taking a razor blade to it will just scratch the stone. We use a wash that melts the white stuff off safely. It removes the crust without dulling the granite underneath.

Sinking in Clay Hills

This area is hilly and built on heavy clay. One hard rain and the ground turns to grease. We see heavy monuments sliding downhill or sinking deep on one side.

Propping it up with a brick won't work. We provide grave site cleaning services that include leveling. We dig out the sinking side and pack it with sharp gravel. It bites into the clay and creates a solid, flat base that stops the stone from moving.

Tree Sap Stains

We have big old maples and oaks everywhere. They provide shade, but they also drip sticky sap all summer long. That resin lands on the markers.

Dirt hits that sticky mess and turns into black tar. Scrubbing just makes a bigger smear. We use a pitch remover that melts the sap on contact. It wipes clean without us having to grind the dirt into the polish.

Moss in the Shade

In the older, shaded sections, the stones never really dry out. Green moss and black algae take over. They cover the dates so you can't even read them.

The roots of that moss dig into the stone pores. Families searching for headstone cleaning services near me often use bleach, but that damages the stone over time. We use a biological cleaner that kills the plant life down to the root. It dies and falls off, leaving the stone clean and undamaged.

Winter Freeze Cracks

Ohio winters are tough. Rain gets into the seam between the tablet and the base. Overnight, it freezes solid. That ice expands and pushes the stone apart.

We see bases split right down the middle. We provide professional grave stone cleaning services that include repair. We fill the crack with stone adhesive. It welds the rock back together solid so the ice can't split it open again.

Crumbling Limestone

In the historic spots like Beavertown, the old markers are made of local limestone. It's soft. Acid rain has eaten away the surface until it feels like sand.

If you pressure wash these, you'll destroy them. We clean them gently by hand. Then we apply a consolidant. It soaks into the stone and glues the sandy grains back together. It stops the crumbling and saves the inscription.

Mower Scuffs

The mowing crews are always in a rush. They move fast. They often bump the corners of the stones with the tires.

It leaves a black rubber burn mark. Water won't touch it. We use a specialized wipe that softens the rubber instantly. It wipes right off. We trim the grass back to give the mowers a little room to miss next time.

Service Costs in Kettering

Pricing depends on the job. Restoring a chemical-damaged stone takes more work than a simple wash:

We check the stone. We see what it needs. Then we give you a price.