People are often surprised to learn that the most common cause of damage to old gravestones is well-meaning cleaning. Bleach, pressure washers, and stiff brushes can strip the surface and accelerate erosion for decades after.
Our method is gentler and slower. We start by soaking the stone with plain water, then work from the bottom up with soft natural-bristle brushes and wooden scrapers. For lichen and biological staining we apply D/2 Biological Solution, a pH-neutral cleaner trusted by the National Park Service, and let time and rain do most of the work over the following weeks.
The goal is never to make a 200-year-old stone look new. It is to stabilize it, make it legible, and leave it standing for the next generation. Thank you for funding work that is measured in patience.