How to clean a headstone

EFFECTIVE: Peter Hoar, from Headstones Wairarapa, Masterton, demonstrating how a waterblaster can be used to clean a headstone. Over 30 people turned up to watch the demonstration in Pioneer Cemetery. PHOTO/HAYLEY GASTMEIER

More then 30 people turned out to Pioneer Cemetery yesterday to see how to clean a headstone using a waterblaster.

A cemetery preservation group asked Roger Hoar, owner of Headstones Wairarapa, to put on the demonstration to show people how simple it was to tidy up a loved one's gravestone.

"It's very simple to do and brings it back looking like brand new," said Mr Hoar, whose business had won three national awards for its restoration work.

"We are quite passionate about trying to restore the history of our town."

He said granite was one of the hardest minerals "next to a diamond" so waterblasting granite headstones was an effective and cheap way of cleaning, which people could do themselves.

Mr Hoar's younger brother, Peter Hoar, who is also involved with the family business that has been running since 1901, said waterblasting headstones was rewarding.

"It gives me some pleasure seeing them before and after, it makes a huge difference and doesn't need to cost endless money."

Roddy McKenzie, from the cemetery restoration group, said the group was committed to cleaning up the Masterton cemetery and were first going to focus on the Pioneer Cemetery.

"The older we get, the more history we lose."

He said eventually the group planned to have each pioneer's individual story next to their headstone, so people could learn more about Masterton's history.