How I Cleaned My Father's Stone the Day Before the Unveiling Ceremony

headstone cleanning in Pennsylvania | headstone cleaning in California

It was the night before my dad's unveiling. I’d driven six hours from Ohio, my back ached, and I had a bottle of D/2 Biological Solution in my passenger seat. My dad, Frank, was a mechanic. He had grease under his fingernails his whole life. The stone we’d picked was a simple grey granite—nothing fancy. But when I walked up to it that evening, the thing was covered in bird droppings, lichen, and that greenish-yellow moss that loves to eat into lettering. I panicked. I’d read online that you should never clean a stone with bleach or wire brushes. But I also read that you shouldn’t wait until the last minute. Well, I’d waited. My sister was flying in at 7 AM. The rabbi was coming at 10. I had maybe three hours of daylight left.

I’m not a pro. I’m just a guy who volunteers with a local cemetary preservation group once a month. We use the same stuff every time: D/2 Biological Solution, soft nylon brushes, and alot of patience. That night, I learned what happens when you mix panic with a deadline. Took me three tries to get the lichen off the base. Worth it. The stone looked like the day it was set. Here’s exactly what I did—mistakes included—so you don’t have to guess the day before your own ceremony.

What You’ll Actually Need (No Fancy Gear Required)

I keep a small kit in my trunk. For this job, I grabbed: one gallon of D/2 Biological Solution (buy it online, it’s about $40 but lasts for years), a pump sprayer (the cheap 1-gallon kind from the hardware store), a bucket of clean water, two soft nylon brushes (one stiff-bristle for tough spots, one soft for lettering), a bunch of old cotton rags, and a plastic scraper for loose bird droppings. That’s it. No pressure washer. No bleach. No wire brush. I also brought a headlamp because I knew I’d be working until dusk. Big mistake: I forgot gloves. My hands smelled like a chemistry set for two days. Wear gloves.

Step One: Wet the Stone and Mix Your Solution

First thing I did was spray the whole stone with plain water from the pump sprayer. This keeps the cleaner from drying too fast and lets it soak in. Then I mixed the D/2 with water—exactly what the label says: 1 part D/2 to 4 parts water. I poured it into the sprayer, shook it up, and sprayed the entire stone from top to bottom. Don’t skimp. Cover every inch, especially the base where moss hides. Then I waited. I set a timer on my phone for 15 minutes. I sat on a bench and watched the foam start to lift the green off. It’s weirdly satisfying. Like watching a time-lapse of decay reversing.

Step Two: Scrub Gently, But Don’t Be a Wimp

After the D/2 sat for a full 15 minutes, I took the stiff nylon brush and started scrubbing the flat faces. I used circular motions, not too hard. The moss came off in clumps. For the lettering, I switched to the soft brush and went with the grain of the carved letters. You don’t want to scratch the polished surface. There was one spot—a big splatter of something that looked like tar—that wouldn’t budge. I re-sprayed it with straight D/2 (no extra water), let it sit another 10 minutes, and scrubbed again. Came right off. Patience is the secret. Not muscle.

Step Three: Rinse Like You Mean It (But Not Too Hard)

This part is importent. Leftover cleaner can leave a white residue if it dries. I used my pump sprayer with clean water to rinse from the top down. I did three full passes, making sure no soapy streaks were left. Then I took a clean rag and gently blotted the face of the stone—not wiped, blotted. This speeds up drying and avoids water spots. I also checked the base. Water pools there, so I used a rag to soak it up. A dry stone for the unveiling matters. Nobody wants to stand around looking at a wet rock.

Step Four: The Night-Before Panic Check

By the time I finished rinsing, it was almost dark. I turned on my headlamp and walked around the stone. I found three things I missed: a smear of lichen near the bottom edge, a bit of bird guano stuck in a crack, and a faint yellow stain on the back. I spot-treated each with a dab of straight D/2, scrubbed with a soft brush, and rinsed again. Took maybe 10 minutes. Then I stood back and looked at it. The stone was clean. Really clean. The grey was even, the letters popped. I sat there for a minute. Felt like I was doing something for my dad that he’d actually appreciate. Then I drove to a motel, ate a gas-station sandwich, and passed out. Next morning, the stone was bone-dry and perfect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I clean a headstone the night before an unveiling if it’s raining or humid?

A: You can, but it’s risky. D/2 needs to sit on dry stone for at least 15 minutes to work. If it’s raining, the solution gets washed off too fast. If it’s very humid, the stone won’t dry overnight. I’ve done it in humidity—just bring a big umbrella or a tarp to cover the stone while the cleaner sits. Then uncover it to rinse. Not ideal, but it works in a pinch.

Q: What if I don’t have D/2 Biological Solution and the ceremony is tomorrow?

A: Honestly, I’d rather you used just plain water and a soft brush than grab a household cleaner from under the sink. Bleach, ammonia, or anything labeled 'all-purpose' can damage the stone or leave a residue that attracts more moss later. If you can’t get D/2, just wet the stone, scrub gently with a nylon brush, and rinse. It won’t remove deep stains, but it’ll look better than nothing. No bleach. Ever.

Q: How do I clean the lettering without damaging it?

A: Use a soft-bristle nylon brush—the kind you’d use on a delicate car finish. Dip it in your cleaner and gently brush along the grooves of the letters, not across them. Don’t dig in with a toothpick or wire. If the gunk is really stuck, spray the area with extra D/2 and let it sit longer. The chemical does the work, not your elbow.

Q: Is it okay to use a pressure washer on granite the day before a ceremony?

A: I’d say no. Even on granite, a pressure washer can blast away the polish on the surface or force water into cracks that freeze later. I’ve seen a pressure washer chip the edge of a granite stone. Stick to the pump sprayer and elbow grease. It’s slower, but you won’t cry the next morning.

Q: What should I do if the stone has lichen or moss that won’t come off with one application?

A: Don’t panic. Apply D/2 again and let it sit for 20 minutes instead of 15. Some lichen is stubborn, especially if it’s been there for years. I’ve had to do three rounds on really old stones. Just re-wet, re-spray, re-scrub. It will come off. The key is not to scrub so hard you scratch the stone. Let the solution do it's job.