PLEASE read the following, before deciding how you will treat grave markers: First, my personal list of DO's and DON'Ts: - DON'T TOUCH a marker, with ANYTHING. Friction from rubbings, or brushing, even with a soft brush, can remove grains from soft markers. - DON'T use any CHEMICALS, not even household preparations. Cleaners can actually dissolve the stone, if the chemistry is right. For EACH different kind of stone, there may be ONE or more safe cleaners. It is unlikely that a single cleaner is safe for all types of minerals/stones. Leave it to chemically trained professionals. Soaps, shaving cream can leave a residue. The residue may combine with atmospheric polutants to form solvents. At very least, it provides a favourable site for biologic entities like lichens, or moss, to take hold and accelerate their destructive effects. - DO take advantage of lighting at very shallow angles. You need to provide strong light, aimed at the stone from a low angle, designed to cast very long shadows from the engravings. This will highlight VERY shallow engravings, even better than shaving cream. I have photographed grave markers after sunset, with tripod, and auxillary lighting, just to control the angle that the main lighting comes at. - DO take a spray bottle of pure, clean water. Preferably rain water, without chlorine, flouride, etc, but that is hard to do. Try taking photos as it is first. If some parts are wet, and others dry, making it uniformly wet may improve things. - DO remember, that the lack of noticeable effect today, does not mean that you have not shortened the life of the marker by generations. Some knowledgible resources mentioned in a previous email by noted professional genealogist J. Brian Gilchrist: "No one has mentioned the technical standards papers produced by the internationally respected Association for Gravestone Studies. Yesterday Ron Cushman mentioned the Anson - Cartwright technical paper produced by the Government of Ontario which is excellent. Richard Collins site "sculptor.org" - is by far the superior site for articles on all aspects of monument cleaning technologies, conservation, maintenance, and non-destructive procedures." I personally was shocked by the advice that Mr. Ross had obtained from his attempts to contact knowledgible professionals (my compliments to Mr. Ross for his efforts). I personally contacted an individual at: A Creber & Son Monument Co 416-261-9393 110 Anaconda Avenue, Scarborough, ON M1L 4M6 (The company name, etc, and following comments attached with permission) - as professionals, they have witnessed destroyed markers, by people attempting to clean with household chemicals, including bleach - don't add anything that can leave a residue (including shaving cream) - don't use any brushes, specially on older markers - leave the cleaning to professionals, with VERY SPECIFIC chemicals. I received an email on the ON-CEM list from Sheila (gendreamer@wightman.ca) with a proposal to create an "Ontario Cemeteries Conservation Group". I would encourage any such group to include in their mandate, the provision of sound advice on how to treat grave markers. On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 09:55:48 -0500, Charles Geo. Ross UE wrote: > I have noticed quite a few grave stones are very hard to read because >of the weather deterioration and moss on the lettering. I did have a problem >with this until I was advised of how to obtain 100 % readable pictures. >I carry a small pocket knife to clean out the moss and a tooth brush to brush >it away. Then I use foam shaving cream sprayed on the stone and spread it with >a squeegee. This leaves the cream only in the carved lettering and looks like new. >Incase your wondering about any damage to the stone, I have checked with two >different grave stone carvers who stated that as long as you don't scrape the >stone removing the moss and the shaving cream will do no damage (men have >used it on their faces for years). To clean stones they use Tide and a bristle >brush (not a wire brush). By the way the shaving cream will dry up and disappear. >I have also told a few Cemeteries that take pictures upon request and charge a >fee, and they are now using this method with great success. >Try it and you'll be surprised how great it works. >Above for your information................... >Loyally, >Chuck Ron Cushman net-genealogy@rogers.com ON, Canada