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The appearance of a headstone can change gradually over many years. What begins as a small amount of green growth or a few dark marks can become more noticeable as the memorial continues to face rain, damp conditions and the changing seasons. For families, arranging the right care can help preserve the appearance of a loved one’s memorial without resorting to harsh cleaning methods.
The Patio Black Spot Removal Company provides professional gravestone cleaning across Kent, carefully treating headstones affected by lichen, algae, dirt and organic staining. From larger towns such as Maidstone and Canterbury to smaller communities throughout the county, our team can visit cemeteries and churchyards to professionally clean memorial stone.
Our approach considers the individual headstone, its condition and the type of staining present before treatment begins.
If you would like professional help caring for a loved one’s memorial, contact us to discuss the headstone and where it is located. We can advise you on the service, confirm the cost and arrange a suitable visit. Call 0800 500 3032 or email info@pbsr.co.uk to speak to our team.
A headstone is exposed to the outdoor environment every day, often for decades. Its surroundings can therefore have a considerable influence on how its appearance changes.
Moisture and shade can encourage green algae, while lichen may become increasingly established on the surface over time. Fallen leaves, nearby vegetation and general organic debris can contribute further staining, particularly where a memorial takes longer to dry after wet weather.
Kent has a varied landscape, encompassing historic towns, countryside communities and coastal areas. Conditions will differ considerably from one cemetery or churchyard to another, which is why we look at the individual memorial rather than making assumptions based simply on its location.
Some marks may be relatively straightforward to treat, while established organic growth can require a more specialist approach. Increasing the amount of pressure or scrubbing is not necessarily the answer, particularly when working with older memorial stone.
Our guide to black spots and lichen on outdoor stone provides more information about how this persistent growth develops.
A memorial is not simply another outdoor stone surface. Its age, material, inscription and individual features all need to be considered when deciding how it should be cleaned.
This can make DIY cleaning difficult if you are uncertain about the stone or the products you should use. A general household cleaner may not be appropriate, while excessive scrubbing or pressure can introduce unnecessary risks.
Professional cleaning provides an alternative for families who would prefer the work to be undertaken by someone experienced with outdoor stone. We can inspect the headstone, consider its condition and use a cleaning process suited to the memorial rather than taking the same approach to every surface.
Our experience of treating outdoor stone led us to develop Stone King Gravestone Cleaner, rather than relying on a general exterior cleaning solution.
Stone King has been specifically formulated for gravestones, memorials and ornamental stone. It is designed to tackle algae, dirt, grime and stubborn organic staining while reducing the need for aggressive pressure washing or abrasive scrubbing.
The treatment is also biodegradable.
Developing the product ourselves means our professional team has direct knowledge of the treatment used during the service and the types of surfaces it was created for. This allows Stone King to form part of a cleaning system built specifically around the requirements of memorial and ornamental stone.
We can work with a wide range of headstone materials, including:
If you do not know what type of stone the memorial is made from, this does not prevent you from making an enquiry. We can consider the material when reviewing the headstone.
Individual features are also taken into account. Where lead lettering is present, these areas are carefully covered and protected so the cleaning treatment does not come into contact with the lead.
Before arranging the service, we require a clear photograph of the front and back of the headstone, along with details of the cemetery or churchyard and sufficient directions to locate the correct grave.
If you would prefer to identify the memorial yourself, you can arrange to meet our team on site.
Formal permission is not normally required, although we recommend contacting the church or cemetery before the planned visit. This allows you to check that our attendance will not coincide with a funeral, wedding or another important event.
Once the memorial and location have been reviewed, we can confirm your quotation and arrange the professional cleaning visit.
On the agreed day, our team will locate the headstone and take time to review its condition before starting. Flowers, ornaments and other movable items are carefully set aside where they restrict access, allowing us to work around the memorial properly.
Our standard service covers the headstone itself. Once the area has been prepared and any features requiring additional care have been protected, our specialist treatment is applied to the stone. It is given time to work on the organic growth and staining before the memorial is thoroughly rinsed.
The condition of the headstone determines what can realistically be achieved. A memorial affected by many years of weathering may respond differently from one cleaned more recently, so we avoid making assumptions about the finished appearance before assessing the stone.
Before
AFTER
You may be looking for gravestone cleaning in Kent because a relative is buried in the county, even though you now live somewhere completely different.
Provided we can confidently identify the correct grave, you do not have to travel to the cemetery or churchyard while the work takes place. This allows family members elsewhere in the UK, or those now living overseas, to organise professional care for the memorial.
We can also supply photographs taken before and after cleaning on request, giving you a clear record of the work carried out.
Our standard professional headstone cleaning service is £450 including VAT, plus £0.50 per mile for the complete round trip from GU10 2DZ.
The £450 charge relates to the headstone itself, with travel added according to the location of the cemetery or churchyard. We will confirm the total quotation before arranging the work.
If an on site assessment shows that a memorial is unsuitable for treatment, we will not continue simply because the visit has been booked. Any deposit paid will be returned.
After professional cleaning, ongoing maintenance can help prevent the memorial from quickly returning to its previous condition.
Patio Black Spot Preventer can be applied annually to help prevent lichen returning and deal with new green algae. No pressure washing is required, and green algae will usually disappear within approximately three to five days of application.
A complete professional clean is therefore not normally required every year. Depending on the memorial and its environment, another professional visit may be considered in around three to five years.
Our guide to removing green algae from outdoor stone contains further information about managing this type of growth.
Some families may prefer to maintain the headstone personally rather than arrange a professional visit. If that suits your circumstances, Stone King Gravestone Cleaner is available to purchase directly from us.
When carrying out the treatment yourself, follow the full instructions supplied with the product. Stone King is generally given around one hour to work before being rinsed thoroughly with clean water. More established staining may require a further application.
You can buy Stone King Gravestone Cleaner online for use when caring for a family memorial yourself.
Our service is built around specialist stone care rather than general exterior cleaning.
We provide professional headstone and gravestone cleaning throughout Kent, including:
If the memorial is elsewhere in Kent, contact us with the location. Our coverage extends beyond the places listed and we may still be able to arrange a visit.
If you would like our team to care for a loved one's headstone in Kent, contact us to discuss the memorial and its location. Call 0800 500 3032 or email info@pbsr.co.uk and we can advise you on the next steps.
Yes. We can assess heavily weathered memorials, although the result will depend on the condition of the stone and how established the staining has become.
Our approach does not rely on unnecessarily aggressive pressure washing. We use a specialist treatment and cleaning process suited to memorial stone.
Clear location information is important. If necessary, you can arrange to meet our team at the cemetery or churchyard and identify the memorial personally.
Usually not. Annual Preventer maintenance can help control new growth, with another professional clean potentially considered after approximately three to five years.
Get in touch today and we’ll reply promptly with a free patio cleaning quote – no pressure, just great service and results.
