Opened 7 · published a price 7 · checked 2026-10-11 · 2 excluded (see below)
Size drives most of the difference. A flat marker sits at the low end of every list, and a large monument at the top. Here’s what each service charges, what the price leaves out, and what doing it yourself costs.
Five price lists, stone by stone
| Provider (area) | What the price covers | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Tri County GSM (New Braunfels, TX) | Light cleaning of a monument, listed as a follow-up after an initial cleaning package: small / medium / large | $75 / $99 / $139 |
| Tri County GSM (New Braunfels, TX) | Deep cleaning of a monument | from $125 |
| JM Headstone Cleaning and Care (Central Valley, CA) | One headstone cleaning | $85, plus a one-time $35 fee for new customers |
| Glory Roses (Los Angeles area) | Headstone treatment: trimming, up to five vases, calcium and water-stain removal, light hand polish | from $90 |
| Memorial Stone Care (San Francisco) | Flat marker / standard upright / large upright or monument | $100–$125 / $125–$175 / $175–$300 |
| Tending (Orlando, FL) | Maintenance cleaning, flat marker, first visit: gentle washing, debris and weeds cleared, photos | $109 |
Two of the lists price by size outright. The New Braunfels company steps from $75 for a small stone to $139 for a large one, for a follow-up light cleaning. The size-based list runs from $100 for a flat marker to $300 for a large monument.
What the listed price leaves out
Read the line under each price before you compare:
- New-customer fees. The Central Valley service adds a one-time $35 admin fee, so a first cleaning there costs $120.
- Deep cleaning vs a light clean. The New Braunfels list separates a light cleaning from a deep cleaning that starts at $125. Bronze plaques are priced by the square foot there: $80 for a deep clean with hand polishing and a new coat of sealer.
- Re-highlighting the lettering. The Los Angeles service says its treatment doesn’t include re-highlighting (painting) or restoration.
- Travel and hard-to-reach cemeteries. The size-based list says prices vary with the stone’s size, condition and location.
Ask how the stone will be cleaned. Two of the services above describe manual or gentle washing. The VA’s own cleaning page says no power washers, and it bars the public from power washing government-furnished headstones. That is one reason we left out a cemetery association’s list that prices a power wash.
Repeat visits and care plans
A cleaning doesn’t last forever. The size-based service says one typically lasts 12 to 24 months, depending on climate, trees and the type of stone. So budget for the next one, too.
Two services make repeat visits cheaper or easier. The Central Valley service sells two cleanings on separate occasions for $150, which saves $20 over two single cleanings. The Orlando service runs its care as a subscription with quarterly photo reports, and says you can cancel anytime. That suits families who live far from the cemetery.
Doing it yourself with a $19 quart
The VA says most headstones can be cleaned with water alone, and a mild detergent can help with tougher stains. For algae, moss or lichen, it lists cleaners made for biological growth. One preservation supplier sells a quart of one such cleaner for $18.95 and lists coverage of 250 to 350 square feet a gallon, so a quart covers about 62 to 88 square feet at that rate.
The gentle method, in short, from the VA’s procedure:
- Get the cemetery’s permission first.
- Test the cleaner on a small hidden spot and let it dry.
- Wet the stone well, and keep it wet.
- Scrub gently in small circles with a soft natural or nylon brush, bottom to top.
- Rinse until no cleaner is left. Clean only when it’s above 40°F.
If a stone is cracked, flaking or badly eroded, the VA says even gentle cleaning isn’t recommended. Ask the cemetery what it allows before anyone touches it.
Our guides to washing limestone, bluestone and flagstone and to white haze on brick, pavers and stone explain how different stones react to cleaners. Caring for an older building nearby? See washing a historic house by the gentlest means. Here’s how we check every price.
Sources
Based on 8 sources · How we price
- Tri County GSM, Pricing (New Braunfels, TX): tricountygsm.com/pricing
- JM Headstone Cleaning and Care, Price List: jm-headstone-cleaning-care.ueniweb.com/price-list
- Glory Roses, Headstone Cleaning, Restoration and Re-Highlight Services: gloryroses.com
- Desideratum Memorial Stone Care, Headstone Cleaning Services Pricing: memorialstonecare.com/headstone-cleaning-services-pricing
- Tending, Headstone Cleaning and Grave Cleaning in Orlando, FL: tending.app/locations/florida/orlando
- Hilltop Cemetery (Mendham Cemetery Association), Cemetery Services (excluded): hilltopcemetery.com/cemetery-services
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, Cleaning Government Headstones and Markers: cem.va.gov/hmm/cleaning.asp
- LimeWorks.us, D/2 Biological Solution: limeworks.us/product/d2-biological-solution
