An increasing trend of social media videos attempting to clean gravestones is well meaning but is potentially damaging.
Short before and after videos have become increasingly popular online. The videos show people scrubbing gravestones with all sorts of household cleaning products including wire brushes, pressure washers, and bleach. The results can appear dramatic, but conservation experts warn that these methods can cause irreversible damage to historic memorials.
Many churchyard monuments and gravestones are made from soft stones such as Portland limestone or Bath stone, which can be easily harmed by harsh cleaning techniques. Abrasive tools and chemicals may strip away protective surfaces, loosen lead lettering, or accelerate the natural breakdown of the stone.
A gravestone may appear cleaner immediately after scrubbing, the real damage often becomes visible months later as stone begins to flake, crumble or stain permanently.
National heritage bodies have warned about the risks. Guidance from Historic England stresses that well-intentioned cleaning can stain surfaces or speed up deterioration. In many cases, memorials should not be cleaned at all unless by an experienced conservator.
In the Diocese of Oxford, work on churchyard memorials is also subject to church law. Cleaning monuments generally requires faculty permission and consultation with the family or heirs. Parishes seek advice before any work is undertaken to make sure that the monuments are looked after properly.
Churchyards also have ecological importance. Guidance from Caring for God’s Acre highlights that lichens found on memorial stones can be rare or protected species, and removing them may damage important habitats.
We discourage DIY cleaning and instead direct anyone concerned about the condition of a gravestone to the appropriate diocesan guidance.
Advice on caring for churchyard monuments is available from Historic England and the War Memorials Trust, both of which stress that careful conservation is essential to protect these historic memorials for future generations.
Churchyards hold centuries of local history and memory. By taking care with how they are maintained, parishes help make sure these important places continue to be preserved with dignity and respect.