Katherine, I live in Texas and will not be able to attend the headstone workshop. However, I am very interested in learning the "how to's" My great grandparents headstones are being covered by a small green mossy-like substance. Could you please as Mr. Thomas how I clean this substance off without doing any damage? If I let this growth continue, one won't be able to read the lettering. Thanks! Jackie --- kat@hallofmaat.com wrote: From: "Katherine Reece" <kat@hallofmaat.com> To: <chilton@yahoogroups.com> Cc: alwalker@rootsweb.com, ALLOWNDE@rootsweb.com, al-cemeteries@rootsweb.com, alchilto@rootsweb.com Subject: [ALWALKER] Headstone Repair and Cleaning Workshop Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 13:22:50 -0500 The Chilton Cemetery Association is pleased to announce that we will be hosting a headstone repair and cleaning workshop at the Rocky Mount Cemetery in Chilton County. The Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance will be assisting the CCA on the workday. Charles Thomas, owner of Eagle Eye Masonry in Pinson Alabama, will be onhand demonstrating the correct way to repair and clean headstones. Everyone is invited and admission is free. This is not just for the residents of Chilton County but for anyone who wants to learn how to correctly take care of old headstones. Details: When: June 27, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. Where: Rocky Mount Cemetery in Jemison Alabama on County Road 51 Directions: From I-65 - the 219 Jemison Thorsby exit turn east onto County Road 42 for half a mile. At the four way intersection turn left onto County Road 51 for two miles at which time you'll go back over the interstate. Continue on Co. Rd. 51 for one mile to the Rocky Mount Cemetery on your right. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ALWALKER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

> I live in Texas and will not be able to attend the headstone workshop. However, I am very interested in learning the "how to's" > My great grandparents headstones are being covered by a small green mossy-like substance. Use a popsicle stick and scrap it off .... then wash it with plain water and a brush. That does a lot of good just that alone. Whatever you do don't use bleach, bleach sets up a chemical reaction in the stones that will eventually destroy them. I'll ask him if there's anything that can kill the moss off safely and keep it from coming back. No moss on it ... but we got these results in just 15 minutes of brush and water... http://www.chiltoncemeteries.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=65 If we'd had our popsicle sticks with us I'd have got that nasty black stuff of it too.... we'd have gotten it whiter but it was just a quick stop at this cemetery. This is information from the guidelines sent to us by the Alabama Historical Commission If cleaning with water does not achieve satisfactory results, consider these other products that have been determined safe for use on historic gravestones: a. Non-Ionic detergents i. Kodak's Photo Flo, availabe at photographic suppliers. Use 1 oz to 5 gallons of water. ii.Vulpex: available from conservator's supply houses. Use 2 parts Vulpex to 2-4 part water. iii. Orvis: a horse soap available from equine suppliers. b. Biocide (safely removes algae, mold, and mildew) i. D2 available from Cathedral Stone Products. Depending on the type of the deposit, it can be used undiluted or in a 1:1 or 1:4 ratio. Do not use stronger solutions such as acids, bleach, or blasting to remove dirt or plant growth from the gravestones. While you might be initially impressed by the extremely white appearcnce that you get when you clean with acids or bleach, you have introduced chemicals into the pores of the historic gravestone that will infinitely increase the speed of deterioration. Household detergents and cleaners such as Dawn, Ivory, Tide, 409, Windex, Clorox Borax, Tilex, etc should never beused to clean historic gravestones. These products could contain acids that will lead to the formation of salt crystals that get trapped in the pores of the stone, grow, and eventually cause breaks in the stone.