Grave Cleaning & Headstone Restoration in Federal Way

Removing Pine Sap and Heavy Moss in Federal Way

The cemeteries in Federal Way are dark. The massive firs and cedars at Gethsemane and Washington Memorial Park block the sun, so the ground never really dries out. That damp shade is perfect for moss. We aren't talking about a little green fuzz. We find flat markers completely hidden under a solid mat of moss and pine needles. You can walk right over a grave and not even know it is there.

Then there is the pitch. The trees drip sap all summer. It hits the stone and cures into hard black beads. It looks like road tar. Dirt sticks to it, making the polished granite look gritty. Families searching for headstone cleaning services near me call us to kill that heavy moss, melt off the hardened pitch, and lift the markers that are sinking into the soft forest dirt.

Killing Deep-Rooted Moss

Moss roots dig deep into the stone here. Scrapers don't work on live moss; they just slice the top off while the roots stay alive. In this damp air, it grows back almost immediately.

We kill it chemically. We soak the stone with a cleaner that chases the roots down into the granite. The moss turns brown and dies. Dead moss loses its grip and falls off the stone without a fight.

Cleaning Douglas Fir Sap

Water won't touch pine pitch. It is waterproof glue. If you scrub it, you just smear the sticky mess across the letters. Metal blades are even worse; they dig right into the granite finish.

We chemically melt the pitch. It turns from a hard rock back into a sticky liquid. We wipe it up by hand. It is slow, tedious work because we have to go spot by spot, but it saves the polish.

Lifting Sunken Flat Markers

The ground under these trees is soft. It compresses easily. Heavy flat markers sink. At Washington Memorial Park, we see thousands of stones that have dropped below the grass line. The sod grows over the edges and hides the names.

We cut the sod back to give the stone a clear border. Then we pry the marker up out of the mud. We pack the hole with crushed gravel. This creates a solid, draining base. We set the stone back down flush with the grass so it doesn't sink again.

Removing Acidic Needle Stains

Pine needles pile up on the stones. As they rot, they leak acid and tannins. This leaves a dark brown stain on the granite. Soap won't move it because the stone has absorbed the color.

We put a thick paste over the spots. It draws the brown color back out of the stone. We cover it and leave it alone. When we rinse the paste away, the stain is gone.

Fixing Mower Damage

The mowers run fast here. They run right over the flat markers. We find black rubber tire marks and chipped edges on almost every plot.

We clean the tire marks with a solvent that breaks down the rubber. For the chips, we use diamond files to grind the sharp edges down. We smooth it out so the mower deck slides over it next time instead of catching and making it worse.

Service Costs in Federal Way

We have flat-rate pricing for Federal Way, Des Moines, and Auburn. We don't need to visit the cemetery to give you a price. Check our subscription builder to see the exact cost for your plot.