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Archiver > CEMETERY > 1997-08 > 0872473405


From: Ted Floore< >
Subject: Re: styrofoam to clean
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 1997 21:43:25 EDT


Peggy,

This is the first I have heard of this method.

My son did his BSA Eagle Project in an old cemetery yesterday.

In an effort to better read one of the older stones (d. 1814) that was
covered in lichen, we scrubbed it with a plastic bristled brush and plain
water. The stone cleaned up very well - but the clean stone was harder
to read that the dirty one; no contrast.

One thing we did use to make the lettering stand out was shaving cream.

A can if cheap shaving cream and a window squeggie (sp??) works very well
to make the stone readable.
Spread a little foam on the face of the stone and squeggie it into the
letters; they pop out like you could not believe. Rinse the stone with
lots of water after you have transcribed the info and taken some
pictures.

Some historians do not agree with this approach - they prefer rubbings.
They say the chemicals in the cream will damage the stone. I do not
agree. The cream is on the stone for 10-15 minutes then rinsed off.
This can't be any more harmful than the acid rain they are subjected to
all of the time. Some will even say that scrubbing the stones will harm
them. Who knows who is right, or even if there is a right answer.

Any way, good luck. Let me know what you used and how it turns out.

Ted FLOORE
Mt. Pleasant, SC


http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/5110 (case sensitive)

On Sun, 24 Aug 1997 20:12:31 -0400 (EDT) writes:
>The August/September issue of the Family Tree (Odam Payne Library,
>Moultrie
>GA) shows a gleaning from another newsletter stating that the best
>thing to
>clean an old tombstone with (&maybe be able to read it better??) is a
>piece
>of styrofoam. Has anyone tried this? Doesn't seem like it would have
>any
>lasting effects. Comments? Peggy in Janesville WI
>
>

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