How to clean and care for crystals
Just like humans, crystals need to be cleansed, reset, and recharged. You'll know your crystal(s) need cleansing if they seem to be losing their brilliance, sparkle, luster, color, or feeling of power. Often, dust is attracted to crystals, which can alter the stone's energetic and healing properties due to the reduced number of light photons reaching the crystal. Crystals also absorb the energy of people who have touched or used them. There's nothing wrong with this energy, but it's helpful to cleanse it to support the crystals' greatest healing potential.
There are many ways to cleanse your crystals. The method you choose will depend on the crystal's properties, as well as your intuition and personal preferences. One of the most important aspects of crystal cleansing is setting an intention for the cleansing. This is almost as important as the cleansing process itself. Before beginning your chosen cleansing method, consider your intention, what you are doing, and why. When cleansing your crystals, focus on your intention.
Crystal purification methods
Clean with water (only for crystals that are not soluble in water)
- Use a very mild detergent with warm water in a bowl, then rinse under clean running water.
- Hold the crystals under running cold water for 2 to 3 minutes while keeping your intention in mind, or place the crystals in a bowl and let the water run over them in the sink. If a crystal has been working hard, more time may be needed. Use your intuition to know when it is cleansed. Allow to air dry naturally.
- To find out which crystals are soluble in water (cannot be placed in water), consult a mineralogy reference book available at your local library or search for an online resource.
Clean with a soft brush
- You can use a soft brush to dust off any buildup.
Cleaning with salt
- Use a tablespoon of salt in a bowl of water and soak the crystals. It's effective, but it can be quite harsh and difficult to remove the salt buildup from the crevices.
- Another option is to place dry salt on a plate, stacked around a stone, and leave it for a day. This won't damage the stone and can be a powerful alternative cleaning method. Discard the salt after use.
Sound cleaning
- Use a tuning fork, a Tibetan singing bowl, crystal bowls, bells, chants, drums or cymbals to
- Place stones near the instrument and keep your intention in mind. For singing bowls, place the stones inside the bowls and make a circle around the rim. For singing, hold the stones in your hands while singing.
Purification by smoke - incense and mud sticks
- Use incense, cones, resins, herbs or mud sticks that produce enough smoke to cleanse and clear the crystals.
- Sandalwood, juniper, frankincense, and sage have strong purifying properties and are popular with energy workers.
- Light incense, resin, or mud sticks and carefully hold the stone through the smoke, or place the incense near the stones for constant access to the smoke.
Surround your crystals with other purified crystals.
- Place the crystals on a bed of amethyst or quartz, or inside a geode, and allow the crystalline energies to purify and clear. Let your intuition guide you on how long to leave them.
- As you get closer to crystal energy, you can begin to feel and notice the subtle energetic qualities of the crystals and the messages they have for you. Let these messages guide you.
- Place the crystal in the sun with a clear intention or after cleaning it with water, you can leave it in the sun to dry and recharge with solar energy.
- Be careful when doing this with quartz as it can concentrate the sun's rays and present a fire hazard.
Cleaning with the moon
- Hold your crystals with a clear intention and leave them in the direct light of a full or new moon.
- Hold your crystals with an intention or a short prayer before leaving them overnight.
Cleaning with earth
- At the full moon, bury your crystal in the earth or clay (clearly mark the spot) and at the new moon, dig it up. You can also do this for a week if you don't want to wait that long. The crystal will be cleansed and re-energized.
Breath, light and Reiki
- Maintain your intention and breathe several times over the stones.
- If you are attuned to Reiki, place your hands on the crystal and set a clear intention.
- Visualize a healing light on the crystals to protect, cleanse, and purify them.
- Quickly pass the stones through the light of a candle.
Citrine, kyanite, and azeztulite are self-cleaning crystals and never need to be cleaned. Clear quartz and carnelian cleanse other crystals (good for cleaning fragile and water-soluble crystals) but must be cleaned themselves afterward. Keep a carnelian stone in your crystal bag, and you'll never need to clean your crystals.
Other important notes on maintenance and use
- When the crystals are not in use, it may be helpful to wrap them in a silk or velvet cloth to protect them from scratches or energy transfer.
- Always clean crystals after you buy them.
- Always cleanse crystals after using them for healing.
- Always clean jewelry that you received from someone else because it can transmit the other person's energy.
- Crushed stones are more durable and can be stored together. Other crystals should be stored separately to prevent damage.