Family research

Nelly · Guru

Family research

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Not to my knowledge, Nelly. Moss etc is a natural aging thing.
Although bleach and a wire brush will move the moss, it will damage the underlying stone, especially marble, and the lettering.
We use a stiff brush to remove as much as we can, with just water to rinse it off..... Then take the photos.
Always be careful scrubbing over lettering .

dorian · Guru

This web site suggests that you could use bleach to remove the mould:

www.ehow.com/how_7319885_remove-mold-moss-exterior-brick.html

Afterwards you could use a waterproofing spray like those that are used to prevent rising damp and to seal mortar against continuous driving rain.

barina · Guru

Good old vinegar may do it. Gets rid of the mould / moss on my concrete after winter. Just run it on neat and leave it, is all I do.

Patto44 · Senior Member

'Wet & Forget' or 30 Seconds from Bunnings etc. I use it on the van.

Hendo · Guru

I used 30 Seconds on my grandmothers headstone, just sponged it on, gave it a light scrub, and it came up really good, went back a week later after we had had some rain and it was like brand new. That was about 2 years ago and it is still like brand new.

woolman · Guru

You can use a copper sulphate (blue stone) mixture to kill moss. About a handfull to half a bucket of water if I remember correctly. Can use on tiled roof also but need to wash down thoroughly other wise anything metal will rust very quickly.

Neil

Rip and Rosie · Guru

One of the difficulties with treating headstones is the lack of water. It all has to be carried with you and thus generous or thorough rinsing isn't usually possible.
Extreme care needs to be given to stones with lead lettering or carved lettering and ornamental inscriptions. Time and weather isn't usually kind to such things, and you need to be extremely cautious with chemicals ans brushes.
Many councils won't allow "repairs" to old headstones anymore and so any damage we do trying to clean can be irreparable and/or expensive.
I have found a family grave after a long search, only to be astounded at the level of damage caused by a misguided effort, by a distant relative, to clean it up. Already fragile text was unreadable and chemical un rinsed worsted cracks in the stone caused by weathering.
For me, anything harder than a nail brush is too hard in most cases, and unless I have more then a single bucket of water available, no chemicals.

Bunkerbob · Senior Member

Slightly off topic but here goes. We also stop at some remote graveyards and have a wander around. We have noticed that in the 1800's people would put the full date of birth and eath on the headstone including the century i.e. they would have died 1 March 1827 or 26th January 1864. Around the start of the 1900's we noticed that they started only putting the year. i.e. Died 1 March 11 or 26 Jan 14, not putting the century. Doesn't look good and very short sighted of the headstone maker.

Off topic but interesting.

Bob

The dog lady · Guru

Bunkerbob wrote:
Slightly off topic but here goes. We also stop at some remote graveyards and have a wander around. We have noticed that in the 1800's people would put the full date of birth and eath on the headstone including the century i.e. they would have died 1 March 1827 or 26th January 1864. Around the start of the 1900's we noticed that they started only putting the year. i.e. Died 1 March 11 or 26 Jan 14, not putting the century. Doesn't look good and very short sighted of the headstone maker.

Off topic but interesting.

Bob

It would be better if they put the full date, but I think most of us can work it out if necessary.

Now Telstra employees obviously can't work that out. During a recent call I was asked for my date of birth, to which I replied "24,6,51" Back came the question "is that 1951?"