“Other than having our loved ones here with us, there’s nothing more sacred than their headstone,” said Frederickson, curator of the Harbour House Museum in Crystal Falls. “It’s important to preserve these important monuments.”

As a fundraiser for the museum, Frederickson will offer her services to carefully clean headstones and grave markers in the region.

In addition to normal operating expenses, the museum needs a new roof and also has to replace the outside railings.

“I was trying to come up with other ways to bring in funds for the museum,” she said.

HARBOUR HOUSE MUSEUM Curator Gloria Frederickson is cleaning grave markers as a fundraiser for the Harbour House Museum in Crystal Falls. Here is one of the headstones before and after cleaning. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

Frederickson got the idea after seeing a news item on television about Boy Scouts cleaning cemetery stones as community service.

“I talked about it last year but due to unforeseen circumstances, as well as COVID-19 pandemic, it didn’t get off the ground,” she said.

It was important to find a cleaning agent that wouldn’t harm the stone or plants and wildlife, Frederickson noted. She learned about D/2 while attending a Iron County Genealogical Society meeting.

Over time, organic growth can damage cemetery stone and make engraved information illegible. The biodegradable and nontoxic D/2 solution removes stains from mold, mildew, algae, lichens and air pollutants, without causing additional damage.

“The big thing is to do no harm,” Frederickson said. “I use only soft scrapers and brushes — no steel or metal.”

HARBOUR HOUSE MUSEUM Curator Gloria Frederickson is cleaning grave markers as a fundraiser for the Harbour House Museum in Crystal Falls. Here is one of the headstones before and after cleaning. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

The eco-friendly formula helps preserve the stone as well, she added.

Over the past couple weeks, Frederickson has been working on several family stones in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Crystal Falls.

“I have done a couple different methods of cleaning,” she said. “The solution works after letting it sit overnight or just five to ten minutes — it really depends on the condition.”

It even worked on markers that had lots of black mold and orange mold, she said.

“They just come out so nice,” she said. “I am very happy with the results.”

She can clean bronze markers as well, with a different method, she said.

The museum has a map of burial plots in the Crystal Falls, which makes it easy to locate grave markers.

Frederickson will travel to other area cemeteries, including in Iron River, Iron Mountain, Breitung Township or Norway, plus Florence in Wisconsin.

“For those out of the Crystal Falls area, I would have to meet them at the cemetery to direct me to their location,” she said. “After inspecting the stones, I can also give them prices for cleaning.”

Frederickson says the rates vary depending on size and the condition of the stones. Donations start at $25 for 11-by-20-inch marker.

“It’s a personalized service,” she said.

The owners or responsible family member for the grave also will need to sign a legal form before any work is done on the stone, she noted.

The fundraiser will continue through the summer months and into the early fall.

Anyone interested in the service can call Frederickson at 906-875-6219 and leave a message.