Maintaining your loved one’s memorial throughout the year is the best way to keep their memory alive. However, winter is a notoriously tricky season to visit the cemetery regularly. The blizzards and icy conditions also make any tombstone’s maintenance a challenge. Fortunately, there are a few ways to protect your family member’s headstone this winter.
How To Protect Your Loved One’s Memorial
With winter around the corner, you’re probably wondering how to keep your loved one’s memorial in good condition. Here are four simple steps you can follow to keep it in good shape this season:
Choose The Right Material
Most headstones can withstand year-round weather, so you don’t have to worry about falling apart. That said, certain materials can withstand the elements much better than others.
If you want a more weather-resistant headstone, choose a material that has a stronger composition. While materials like limestone or sandstone make carving easier, they’re also softer and more prone to weathering. On the other hand, a granite headstone is much stronger and can withstand most weather conditions without any issues.
Clean It Regularly
Cleaning your loved one’s headstone can help you keep it looking in top condition throughout any season. Most memorials only need an annual cleaning with distilled water and a soft brush to eliminate dirt or stains. However, this depends on whether your loved one’s headstone location is more exposed to natural elements. As a result, you may need to clean it more often throughout the year.
Avoid Using Harmful Chemicals
Be careful when using cleaning chemicals whenever you clean your headstone. Certain cleaning materials like strong soaps and bleach react poorly with monuments. Instead of cleaning them, these household products can cause significant damage. For routine cleaning, purified water, non-ionic soap, and a soft brush will be everything you need.
Consider Adding A Canopy
Adding a canopy to your family member’s headstone is another way to minimize damage, especially if you use a softer material. During winter, a temporary canopy will protect your loved one’s headstone from heavy winds, storms, and other natural elements. However, be aware that every cemetery has different rules regarding canopies. Check with staff to see if they will allow you to use one beforehand to avoid any issues.
Do Monument Cleaners Maintain Memorials During Winter?
As much as you try to maintain your loved one’s memorial, harsh winter conditions make it impossible for some families. If you need help with maintaining a memorial, a reliable memorial service provider will keep it safe throughout the year, including winter. For example, our team offers single cleanings, maintenance packages, and repairs to help preserve your monument’s beauty year-round.
Protect Your Loved One’s Headstone This Winter
Keeping your family member’s memorial pristine is a wonderful way to honor their legacy. However, we understand that making this happen during the colder months is complicated. At Eternal Memorials, we offer maintenance packages or single cleanings to make protecting your loved one’s memorial during the colder months stress-free.
For over 100 years, we have offered high-quality memorial services and monuments to thousands of families across Long Island (Nassau County & Suffolk County), Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, and beyond. We are available seven days a week if you need help creating the perfect memorial and maintaining it for years to come. Please visit our website or contact us today to learn more about our services or schedule your initial consultation.