People buy crystals for different reasons.  Some, just for the decorative aspect, as they are gorgeous and can add a touch of elegance to your home. However, most people collect crystals for their supposedly spiritual, mental, or health benefits.  Crystals are full of vibrations, which has been proven, think Quartz and watches, and humans also have a vibrational frequency.  So, for centuries, crystals have been used for various reasons by shamans all the way to royalty. 

Regardless of your reasons for buying crystals, they all need cleaning.  Why, you ask?

Do you realize how many people handled that beautiful Ocean jasper heart before it got to me?  Dozens, if not more, as it journeyed from the mine, to a distributor, to a place that carves crystals, to a wholesaler, and then to a shop where I bought it.  Crystals are known to absorb energy, so any negative encounters along the way will change it from positive to negative.  That’s why you need to cleanse your crystals before you use them for any type of healing purposes.  

I have to be honest, I have yet to clean any of my crystals, expect for my Quartz minerals.  Since Quartz is one of the strongest vibrational crystals on the planet, they can also cleanse other crystals placed around them.  So, I’m not all bad.  😁😁

Below are several ways to clean your precious crystals. 

Running Water:

If you want to neutralize the negative energy in your crystals, water will transform it back to the earth.  It’s preferable to use a stream, but hey, who has access to that, right? So, you can use good, old tap water.  Though, myself, I feel filtered would work better.  Think of all the chemicals they put in our drinking water.  Yuck.  Still, tap will work if that’s all you have. 

You can either fill a bowl with water, or hold it under the faucet for at least one minute.  Then pat it dry with a towel.  

Just be aware that only hard stones, like Quartz, can be used in water.  Softer types, like Selenite, Kyanite, Calcite, etc. do NOT like water.  Do your research before using water or you’ll ruin your stone.

Saltwater:

Again, this can only be used with hard stones, like Quartz or Amethyst. 

Salt has been used for centuries to absorb unwanted energy and banish negativity.  Why do you think Sam and Dean put salt around doorways and windows to keep out demons? 

If you don’t have an ocean or other body of saltwater nearby, nix a tablespoon of sea, rock, or table salt into a bowl of water.  Preferably filtered, at least in my opinion.  Once your crystal is completely submerged, let it soak for a few hours to a few days.  Rinse and pat dry when done.

Stones NOT to use in this process are: Malachite, Selenite, Calcite, Lepidolite, and Angelite.  Do your research. 

Brown Rice:

Rice draws out negativity and can be used on all stones.  Yay for that, But, Nay if you have a lot.  Like I do.  Brown Rice is especially beneficial for protective stones like Black Tourmaline.  I believe Obsidian would fall into that category as well. 

Fill a bowl with dry brown rice and bury your crystal beneath the grains.  Let it sit for at least 24 hours.  Once done, dispose of the rice.  DO NOT use it as it has absorbed all the negativity from the stone.  You don’t want that foulness in your body.  No way.  

Natural Light:

A lot of people use the solar or lunar cycle to cleanse their crystals.  However, you can clean them at anytime during the day. 

Set your stone out before nightfall, but be sure to bring it in before 11:00 am.  This way, the crystal will be bathed by both the rays of the sun and moon.  Warning though, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will weather your crystals.  So be sure to bring them in before the noon day hits. 

If you have access to a patch of ground, place your stone directly on the earth for further cleanings.  After 10 to 12 hours, bring them in the  house and clean them off with water.

This treatment is great for your smaller crystals like tumbles or carvings.

Vibrant stones like Amethyst don’t like the direct sunlight.  And from what I’ve been told, Celestite doesn’t either.  You also have to be aware of any rain or snow that might effect softer crystals.

Do you know that you can bury your moss agates in the ground to activate them?  You can also bury them under your plants to help them grow.  I did that with a few of my planters this years.  I’ll let you know my findings.  

Sage

Sage isn’t just used for cooking.  Because of it’s multitudes of healing properties, you can use it to smudge your crystals of their negative energies. 

To do this, you’ll need a fire-safe bowl, loose or bundled sage, and a lighter/matches.  OR, you can just use a smidge kit with everything you need, except the lighter/matches. 

If you’re unable to smudge outside, make sure your room is well ventilated.  Light the tip of the sage with the flame, and then move the stone through the smoke.  If it’s a crystal you use a lot, you can do several passes to make sure it’s been thoroughly cleansed. 

You can use smudging on every type of rock you have.  The downside is, if you live in an apartment, the neighbors may complain.  I’ve bought a smudge kit but haven’t used it yet for that reason.   

Sound

Did you know that you can use sound to heal and cleanse your crystals.  You can either chant, use a singing bowl, a tuning fork, or even a nice bell.  The purpose is to let the tone or pitch wash over the stone, bringing it into the same vibration as the sound. 

This method is great for collectors, like me, who have a large volume of crystals that can’t easily be moved.  You need to do the treatment for 5 to 10 minutes and you can use it on every type of crystal you have. 

I have to say, I hadn’t heard of this form of cleansing until I did research for this post, so yeah, I’m going to give this one a try.   

Using a larger stone:

If you have a large Clear Quartz cluster, an Amethyst geode, or a Selenite slab, you can use them to cleanse your other crystals.  However, they will need to be cleaned before and after the process. 

Place your stone either inside or directly on the larger one.  The larger stone’s vibrations will remove the inharmonious energies from the smaller ones. They will need to be in contact for at least 24 hours. 

I’d read before that after cleansing and charging your Clear Quartz crystals, you can place them among your collection to achieve the same goal.  I have a lot of Clear Quartz so that’s what I’ve been doing.  So, maybe, I’ve been cleaning my collection without knowing.  😂🤣

I hope you find these tips helpful.  Please let me know in the comments, which method you prefer for cleaning your own precious gems.