Most cave temples in China are hosted in sandstone cliffs, which are susceptible to various weathering-induced deteriorations under environmental influences. Among these, surface pulverizing and exfoliation are particularly prevalent, characterized by their extensive distribution and severe impact on the historical and artistic value of sandstone cultural heritage. Feasible and effective consolidation techniques are urgently required to address these issues. Taking the surface pulverizing exfoliation disease at the North Grotto Temple of Qingyang as an example, three reinforcement methods were tested based on the morphological features of the deteriorated surfaces, including spraying, emulsion adsorption and drip infiltration. Through systematic experiments, critical parameters for spraying reinforcement were identified, and the efficacy of solute materials in emulsion adsorption was validated. The results of three methods for reinforcing sandstones of the North Grotto Temple were also evaluated by various qualitative and quantitative analyses.The study clarified the adaptability of these techniques to surface pulverizing exfoliation disease on different sandstone grotto temples, argued that spraying functioned as the foundational method, combined with emulsion adsorption and drip infiltration to meet diverse consolidation requirements. It provides practical insights and methodologies for refining anti-weathering reinforcement technologies and evaluating their effectiveness in cave temple conservation.