Summary

Store or display stone in an environment with temperatures below 20°C and a relative humidity in the range 45 - 55 % with maximum variations of 4 °C and 5 % respectively within any 24 hour period.
Do not expose marble and limestone to direct heating.
Use cotton gloves for handling most stone objects and disposable latex gloves when handling highly polished stone.
Protect specimens from dust and store in enamel-coated metal cupboards.
If wooden storage or display cabinets are used they must be properly sealed to protect calcareous stone objects from acidic vapours.
Isolate outdoor stone monuments from water sources to avoid or control salt contamination, biological attack and weathering.
Examine and fully document objects before any treatment.
Use dry cleaning methods before any solvent cleaning is undertaken. Take care to avoid abrasion of surfaces.
Test treatments on an inconspicuous part of the object before any large-scale application.
As most stones are porous, use a minimum amount of water or solvent for cleaning.
Use easily removable adhesives that have good ageing characteristics to repair stone. Large or heavy stone repairs may require dowels and stronger adhesives.
Mild cleaning techniques, such as nebulisation, may be suitable for some stone monuments.
Apply a suitable biocide to biological growths on stone monuments before removing them by mechanical cleaning.