Thanks for the info -- I did want to clean them for photos!! In a message dated 8/25/02 6:10:53 PM, mudman@cableone.net writes: << Kay, It is a good idea not to use any product to clean a tombstone. Unless you want to take a picture there is no reason to clean it. Just about anything you do to it will not be long lasting or be kind to the structure of the stone. In the very old marble stones just about everything will cause damage. The marble is very soft and the granules have been exposed to the weather for so many years that they crumble easily into tiny granules. If you must use something make sure that it is a Neutral pH of 7 and under no circumstances use an acid or caustic liquid on the stone. This will destroy the surface of the stone and erode the carvings. There are radical people who tell you not to even touch a stone. This is like having a rare coin and putting it in the safety deposit box so nobody can enjoy it. I am of the persuasion that the only time you should clean a stone is to photograph or register it. I have registered 40 cemeteries in Oklahoma with over 30,000 names and have had to clean a few just to be able to read them. The only time I clean a stone is when it is covered with lichens and moss. For removal of these I used a plastic ice scraper for a car window. It is so soft it will not harm the stone but it will leave the moss in the carvings. The carvings should not be scraped with a hard object as this WILL break off small bits of the stone to the point where they cannot be read in future times. So, To clean a stone just for the sake of good housekeeping? Forget it. It will do more harm than good and very little good at that. Dennis Host - Murray County, OK >>