Volunteers can clean national cemeteries on National Day of Service

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• It would have been nice if there were information left on the proper way to clean headstones so that those of us not in the loop can clean the headstones of
  veterans in our area!!!

  • Stephen is right: I was looking for the information on how to clean headstones, and also would the materials be provided or "bring your own." Could not find scanning! You can do irreparable damage to headstones if you use certain chemicals and/or abrasive items such as steel brushes, spatulas or sharp scrapers, etc..

    • I agree, although I think the purpose of having participating cemetaries is so that they are there to instruct people how to properly do it and provide supplies. I don't think it's wise to advise people to go to random cemetaries and do this work themselves as you stated. The risk of damage is too much. Maybe we could all reach out to our local memorials and let them know about this opportunity so they can get signed up for next year’s event. :)

• Just stopped yesterday at Fort Snelling National cemetery in Minnesota, on my way back to Arizona . My fathers headstone with many others are turning black. what a disgrace to our service men and women. if I new how to clean the head stones are would donate time the next time thru to help clean up these sacred markers.

  Thanks

• The VA would prefer that all veterans were dead and buried.

  • This is a very unproductive and worthless statement.
    It is shameful for you to post such a statement.

    Many dedicated and caring people work at the VA, including my daughter who care deeply about US Veterans.

    I’m a US Veteran, severely disabled from service. As hard as it is, the VA works with me and local community care doctors to do their best to care for me.

• And it would be nice to know if the cemetery staff is going to provide all necessary supplies or if you should bring supplies like soap, brushes, rags, or personal protective things like household chore gloves, eye protection (if using a power washer or strong chemicals), or if you should wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty (although that should be common sense for something like this).

  Would it have been too hard to make an official headstone cleaning video and post it on YouTube, so people can get an idea of what they will be expected to do? That way they can make a better-informed decision on whether they are suited to this particular volunteer task. It is 2021 after all.

• Supplies Needed For Cleaning Headstones
  First, you’ll need some cleaning supplies to get started. Supplies vary based on the gravestone material. Here, we’ll go over what you’ll need for marble, granite, and bronze headstones.

  Marble Headstones
  Clean water
  Soft-bristle brush
  Ammonium hydroxide detergent or household ammonia mixed (1 oz per gallon of water)
  Gloves
  Sponge
  Spray bottle
  Granite, Sandstone, Slate Headstones
  Clean water
  Soft-bristle brush
  Non-ionic detergent (1 oz per gallon of water)
  Biocidal cleaning solution
  Gloves
  Sponge
  Spray bottle

  Assess The Headstone
  First and foremost, assess the condition of the headstone. If it shows signs of flaking, crumbling or cracking, then avoid using hard-thistle brushes, do not scrape, and avoid power washing. Be sure to avoid using bleach because it causes brown staining over time. Sandstone, slate, and marble gravestones will gradually deteriorate after cleaning, so they should be thoroughly cleaned every 7-10 years, and no more.

  Marble headstones should only be cleaned if they are in decent condition. If too much cracking or damage decay is present, attempting to clean it could cause further irreparable harm.

  How To Clean Marble Headstones
  Soak: Soak the stone by spraying it down with a hose or dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface. Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work. Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution.
  Mix: Dilute ammonium hydroxide (use with caution) 1:4 with water when cleaning light colored stones. This is particularly effective for the removal of biological growth. Make sure you are rinsing thoroughly with clean, fresh water.
  Apply: Use a brush to gently apply the soap/water mixture. Test your solution in an inconspicuous area first, this will ensure that you get the desired results once dried.
  Scrub: With a soft-bristle brush, gently scrub the headstone in orbital motion from bottom to top. Avoid any cracks or flakes when scrubbing. You may want to avoid cleaning the entire stone if there is an excessive amount of scratches or flaking.
  Rinse: Avoid pressure washing the stone. Always rinse the stone from bottom to top to avoid streaking. Rinse with a hose or bucket of water with clean, fresh water until the stone is clear of any cleaning solution.
  Be sure to keep the headstone wet throughout the procedure.

  Repeat this process every 2 years for thorough cleaning, although normal dirt and residue may be removed simply with water and nothing else.

  How To Clean Granite Headstones
  Soak: Soak the stone with a hose or by dumping a bucket of clean water over the entire surface. Headstones can be very porous and can soak up the cleaning solution before it has a chance to work. Spraying down the headstone first will help maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning solution.
  Mix: Non-ionic detergents are generally recommended for cleaning granite headstones. Mix just one-ounce of non-ionic detergent to 5 gallons of water.
  Apply: Use a brush to gently apply the cleaning solution. Always test the solution to ensure the best results after the area has dried.
  Scrub: With a soft-bristle brush, gently scrub the headstone in an orbital motion from bottom to top. Avoid any cracks or flakes when scrubbing. Avoid cleaning the entire stone if there is an excessive amount of scratches or flaking.
  Rinse: Always rinse the stone from bottom to top to avoid streaking. Rinse with a hose or bucket of water with clean, fresh water until the stone is clear of any cleaning solution.

• A little more notice on events like this would be nice. I just got this in my email from the VA today, the 7th. It happens in 3 days. It is hard to make arrangements for an event like this in that short amount of time.
  Also, I was an engineer at a company that sold media blasting supplies and equipment, amongst other things. I am sure I could have bought a pallet of baking soda media at cost for this project. I could have brought it, my compressor, generator, and soda blaster to a site and cleaned hundreds of headstones.

• the links to sign up on this page are not working correctly. I get an error.

• Yes. We would like info on how to clean the headstones. Noticed the Veterans cemetery in Jacksonville, Mo and Higginsville, Mo are NOT on the list but probably should be. These are rural areas but they have several headstones as well as the cremation area that could be tended to. Thank you.

• I would consider doing this an honor. But I cannot participate this Friday. Three days notice is too short, I would prefer 2-3 weeks noticeI to be sure I can participate. This time I have appointments I just cannot cancel. Sorry.

• No options for Arlington National Cemetary?