Find out who owns/manages the cemetery you have chosen. Learn what cemetery district you are in and contact your local municipalities to obtain permission to volunteer your time. Many historic pioneer cemeteries are out of perpetual care funding and are unable to afford to maintain their sites. Your request to volunteer, will often be welcomed with gratitude.
Cemetery maintenance is a time consuming. What is most important is that you feel good about your work. Try to have fun, and pace yourself. It's better to do a little bit of rewarding work each week than to burn yourself out doing in a marathon weekend of drudgery.
Cemetery maintenance is a time consuming. What is most important is that you feel good about your work. Try to have fun, and pace yourself. It's better to do a little bit of rewarding work each week than to burn yourself out doing in a marathon weekend of drudgery.
Volunteering in the Cemetery: Cemetery Etiquette
- Choose a reasonable time to work. (Limit yourself to hours of operation.)
- Do not clean near mourners who are visiting or while nearby a funeral taking place.
- Do not leave waste behind.
- Do not bring pets to roam freely on site while you work.
- Do not move or remove fresh flowers or recently placed tributes from grave sites.
About Cemetery Stones: Granite vs. Marble
Many private cemeteries require the use of granite for monuments, but for those who allow marble monuments and headstones, it's best to request a "honed finish" rather than a "polished finish". The matte surface of the "honed finish" is helpful in hiding acid etching.Additionally, the denser the marble the lower its absorption rate, making it more resistant to wear. White marbles are some of the most resistant, and the best come from Carrara, Italy and Danby, Vermont.
How to Clean Headstones and Grave Markers
Below are some DOs and DON'Ts for safely cleaning headstones and grave markers:
| DO | DON'T |
| Do bring supplies: Large bucket, Natural Bristle Brushes of various sizes, Water, Colorless Non-ionic soap, (Liquid or paste), A wooden scraper, Gardeners pumping water sprayer, Apron, Dust mask, Ammonia (For cleaning marble or limestone – One tablespoon of ammonia can be mixed into your solution to remove grease and oil.) | Don't expect every stone to come completely clean. Vigorous scrubbing can damage your artifact as every cleaning removes some surface material from the memorial stone. It is always better to maintain the integrity of the material over achieving an immaculate finish. |
| Do thoroughly wash off the stone with water, keeping it wet throughout the entire cleaning process. | Don't clean wooden headstones. |
| Do mix a bucket of non-ionic soap. | Don't use flammable or corrosive materials for cleaning. |
| Do use a natural bristle brush to thoroughly wash off all faces of the monument working from the top down. | Don't use bleach to clean as it may stain monuments. |
| Do use lots of water and keep the stone wet through the entire washing process. | Don't sand or scrape with files or wire brushes. |
| Do use a wooden scraper to remove algae/lichens and other harmful growth. | Don't use ammonia to clean metal or bronze surfaces. |
| Do consider sodding and seeding | Don't use high pressure hoses, sand blasters or abrasive chemicals to clean monuments or graffiti. |
| Do consider wearing headphones. | Don't clean a monument more than once annually with the exception of lightly rinsing away dust and bird droppings. |
| Do keep away from active dig areas. | Don't move or remove fresh flowers or recently placed tributes from gravesites. |
| Do keep your vehicle on paved pathways. | Don't work in areas with pests or wildlife |
Additional Cemetery Cleaning Precautions
- Vandalism – Report recent vandalism/graffiti to cemetery management and police department.
- Graffiti Restoration – Because the most common tool for removing spray paint from surfaces is a pressure washer with a mixture of sand and water, we do not recommend it for tombstone cleaning. In cases of tagging we recommend you seek the help of a professional.
- Spraying for insects – We do not recommend that you take it upon yourself to spray any kind of pesticides while working on site. Always avoid wasps nests and beehives.
- Mausoleum flies and other pests should be dealt with by professionals.
