3 evaluation of cleaners for government issued headstones

Evaluation of Cleaners for Government Issued Headstones

Mary F. Striegel, Ph.D. and Jason ChurchNational Park Service

National Center for Preservation Technology and Training

Draft: Do Not Use, Cite, or Quote

NCA Maintains 3 million+ gravesites.

• NCA preserves historic headstones which are 50 years or older.

• Today’s marker is tomorrow’s historic headstone.

NCPTT, a leader in advancing preservation technology, and NCA partnered to evaluate cleaners for marble headstones based on soiling and biogrowth.

Headstone Soiling

• Dirt

• Air Pollution

• Biological Organisms

• Bird Droppings

• Plant or Tree Sap

Micro-organisms• Bacteria: can

slowly cause stone loss

• Fungi: Can change visual appearance

• Algaes: provides the most visual changes

Fungi sample found on marker in San Francisco.

The StudyPhase I (2004-2005)

• Define Goals• Choose Cleaning Criteria• Recommendations must

meet NCA National Shrine Standards.

• Evaluate commercially available cleaners based on:– Appearance– Biological Re-growth– Physical and Chemical

Changes– Ease of Use

Bath National Cemetery

• Bath, NY

San Francisco National Cemetery

• San Francisco, CA

Santa Fe National Cemetery

• Santa Fe, NMAlexandria National Cemetery

• Pineville, LA

Jefferson Barracks

National Cemetery

• St. Louis, MO

Field Test Sites

Definitions

Selection of Cleaners:

Table 1. Chosen Cleaners are ordered from Acidic to Basic.

Cleaner H2Orange2 Grout Safe Kodak Photo-Flo D-2 Marble Cleaner Daybreak

pH 3.81 7 9.5 10.5 12.1

pH Acidic Basic Alcohol Chelate Solvent Surfactant Bactericide

D-2 9.5 X X

Daybreak 12.1 X

H2Orange2 Grout

Safe 3.81 X

Kodak Photo-Flo 7 X X X

Marble Cleaner 10.5 X X X X

Implement Field Studies5 cleaners + water

1,440 test patches

240 stones

5 National Cemeteries

Phase II (2005-2007)

• Monitor regrowthin the field for 18 months at Alexandria, Jefferson Barracks, San Francisco, and Santa Fe.

• Evaluate cleaning effects on test stone in the lab

• Elimination: H2Orange Cleaner and Kodak PhotoFlo and Bath National Cemetery

Phase II Laboratory Tests

Accelerated Weathering Microscopy

Phase III (2008-2011)

• Plan long-term monitoring at two of the four sites

• Alexandria, San Francisco, and Jefferson Barracks cleaned the study headstones since phase II

• Alternate laboratory study was devised at Harvard University

Phase III Bio Lab Study

• Samples of Colorado Yule and Georgia White Marble

• Innoculated with A fungus, Aspergillus niger

• After 7 weeks, samples were cleaned

• Evaluated microbial growth at Day 1, Day 34, Day 41, Day 90, Day 127 and Day 188.

Results

Study Findings: Field Results

• Field studies showed:– Daybreak, D2, and WEG

Marble Cleaner performed well

– Kodak Photo-Flo was the first cleaner to fail in the field (greatest biological regrowth)

– H2Orange Safe Cleaner failed after six months at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (killed bacteria but left green fungi)

ClimaticDifferences

Semi Arid Steppe: Santa Fe

Humid Subtropical: Alexandria

Mediterranean: San Francisco

Humid Continental: Bath Jefferson Barracks

Location Differences• Sunny areas:

Biocidal effects last much longer.

• Shady areas:

Fungal growth is more likely to return.

Study Findings: Lab Results

• Lab studies looked for chemical and physical changes on the stone.

• Lab studies showed:– Daybreak left significant

salt deposits on stone

– D2 initially left small amounts of salts on stone: later D2 was reformulated, no salts found on repeat testing.

– WEG Marble and Granite Cleaner left no salts.

Daybreak

Study Findings: Biological Lab Results

• Further accelerated biological studies, after 188 days showed:

– Fungi regrowth on WEG samples

– No regrowth on D2 and Daybreak.

Issues to Consider

Other Threats to Headstones

• Salt Damage

• Freeze Thaw Cycles

• Improper Cleaning

Preservation Practices

• Use the gentlest least invasive method

• Consider long-term effects

• Minimize cleaning impacts

• Don’t remove original surface

Cleaning known to damage stone

• Bleach and Bleach like products

• Strong acids or bases

• Power tools

• Pressure washing

Cleaner Factors to Consider

• Manufacturer’s Recommendations

• Dilution ratio

• Dwell time

• Biocidal Cleaners

• Lightening with time

• Temporary non-permanent color changes during cleaning

Recommended Actions

Cleaning Recommendations

• Use D2 Biological Solution or similar biocidalcleaner, following manufacturer’s directions. Do not dilute.

• Apply to WET stone surface using a sprayer.

• Gently agitate with a soft bristle brush.

• RINSE thoroughly with water.

Cleaning Frequency Factors

• Research offers observations, but frequency of cleaning will depend on location and climate of individual cemeteries.

• Different locations will need different cleaning schedules.

Spot Cleaning

• Minimize the frequency of cleaning the entire cemetery by scheduling spot cleaning on those headstones located in shady areas that exhibit more biological growth and soiling.

Summary

• Of the five cleaners tested, D2 Biological solution was most effective and left no harmful residues.

• Daybreak is a bleach solution.

– Continued use of Daybreak will result in long term damage to headstones.

• Use of high pressure power washers can erode the surface and deteriorate headstone.

• Use of chemical cleaners can be successfully accomplished by a three-person team.

3 evaluation of cleaners for government issued headstones

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