Cleaning the Rizal Monument in the Philippines

Hot steam as a solution to organic dirt

In the heart of Manila, capital of the Philippines, Kärcher cleaned the Rizal Monument in the context of its cultural sponsorship in December. Due to the tropical climate, the granite memorial was mainly affected by organic dirt.

Using a hot-water pressure washer, Kärcher efficiently freed the obelisk made of granite from organic growth, emission pollution and loose dusts. A steam setting was used to also destroy deep-seated spores and to slow down the development of new biological growth.
Since the focus of the cleaning problems in the rather tropical climate of the Philippines is on biological growth, and black gypsum crusts are rarely to be found, Kärcher will concentrate on convincing the local specialists in charge of cleaning monuments of the potential of cleaning with hot steam in future.

Memorial for national hero José Rizal

The memorial is dedicated to José Rizal. The Philippine national hero was part of the independence movement when the country was still under Spanish colonial rule. The granite monument with a height of 12.7 meters was erected from 1908 to 1913 in the Rizal Park in Manila.

Facts at a glance

Country: Philippines
City: Manila

Material: Granite
Type of dirt: Algae, fungi, lichen, emissions, dust
Cleaning technique: Hot-water high-pressure cleaning

Execution: December 2017