Kärcher eyes more centuries-old PH churches for cleanup

RESTORATIVE CLEANUP. Kärcher, a German cleaning equipment manufacturer, demonstrates a part of the restorative cleanup of the San Agustin Church on Thursday (Nov. 14, 2019). The church’s cleanup from November 15 to 21 is part of the Germany-based company’s cultural sponsoring program that aims to preserve historical landmarks around the world. (PNA photo by Gil Calinga)

MANILA — While there’s nothing official yet, Germany-based Kärcher is targeting more centuries-old churches in the Philippines as part of its initiative to clean prominent historical structures across the world.

“Nothing official yet but Barasoain Church and Malate Church were floated. Somewhere in Cebu also, those sites are also considered to be part of this ‘Karcher Cleans the World’, but we don’t commit yet because this goes through a lot of processes,” said Kärcher Philippines general manager Mark Palisoc on Thursday when the German cleaning equipment manufacturer conducted a restorative cleanup at the facade of the Baroque-style San Agustin Church and its adjacent convent.

This was the third time Kärcher conducted such initiative in the Philippines the first ones were cleaning the Rizal Monument and the People Power Monument.

Palisoc said the activity is a continuing program.

“As a general manager, I would love to get more opportunities and get more approvals from our headquarters to get more opportunities to contribute to the country,” he said.

In the three Philippine sites Kärcher has visited, the company used its hot-water high-pressure cleaner which utilized steam to spruce up dirt-ridden stones gently.

“In other ways, people use detergent and very strong chemicals. From our part, we try to avoid this.

We are using the power of steam so we can avoid chemicals. (It’s) just pure tap water,” Thorsten Moewes, Kärcher’s cleaning expert said in an interview.

Moewes said most monuments they visited showed signs of biological growth.

“If it’s a layer full of biological growth, the substance behind is always much more damaged afterward that’s why it’s good to remove it from time to time. It’s better to clean every ten years than to wait 100 years because then you need a more powerful cleaning,” he said.

He said the reason for the need to remove biological growth has a technical reason because the algae, especially the lichen, can produce acid that can destroy the stone underneath.