Crystals and gemstones are known to absorb positive and negative energy from you and the environment around them. If you want your stones to keep functioning to their full potential, you need to cleanse them. This is particularly important if you use them for healing. So, how to cleanse crystals?
Don’t worry, you don’t need to wait for the full moon to cleanse your beautiful gemstones. Read on to discover everything you need to know about cleansing crystals and how to do it the right way.
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Do I need to cleanse my crystals?
If you are using your stones for healing, then yes, you definitely need to cleanse them. Some people enjoy having crystals around and don’t use them for anything else than home decor. If this is your case, you do not really need to cleanse them. But a good clean with water could be both beneficial to remove dust and the bad vibes from your minerals.
Why do I need to cleanse crystals?
Many people use crystals to soothe their mind, body, and soul because they are said to absorb energies. So, after a while, they need to be cleansed to clean them from any negativity they have absorbed from you and their environment. Cleansing crystals is a way to refresh them and renew their energy.
How often should I cleanse my crystals?
How often you want to cleanse your gemstones is really up to you. If you use them for healing sessions, you can cleanse them weekly. Also, you can be intuitive about this. If you find them looking dull, greasy or sticky, it’s time to cleanse them.
I personally like to cleanse mine once or twice a month, before I set my intentions.
Also, you should always cleanse your crystals as soon as you get them. Because while they’ve been sitting on a shelf, they’ve already absorbed energy from their environment and anyone who has handled them before you.
How to cleanse crystals: the complete guide
There are many different ways you can cleanse your gemstones. If you are unsure of how you want to do it, try several different ways and see what works best for you. Below, I have listed 10 ways to cleanse crystals.
Sage
Sage is known for its many healing properties. For this reason, smudging crystals with sage is one of the most effective ways to cleanse them. All you have to do is hold your crystals in the smoke to cleanse the stored negative energies. I personally use white sage smudge sticks to cleanse my crystals and my home.
Crystal clusters
Some crystals have the ability to cleanse other crystals. Clear Quartz, Amethyst and Selenite are some of them. Crystal clusters can absorb the energies contained within other gemstones and neutralize bad vibrations. You can effectively cleanse your crystals and energize them at the same time with crystal clusters.
Selenite does not need cleansing. To clean your gemstones with Selenite, simply place your crystal over your Selenite. If you are using Selenite wands, you can put all your crystals in a box with Selenite and program your wand to cleanse all crystals.
Sunlight or Moonlight
Sunlight and moonlight can both charge and cleanse your gemstones. However, some stones such as Amethyst or Rose Quartz are susceptible to discoloration under the sun. So do your research before you put your stones out.
I like to set my crystals out on a full moon night and bring them in before noon the next day. This way, they bathe both in sun and moonlight. If you don’t have an outdoor area, you can place your stones on a windowsill. Also, don’t forget to check the forecast for rain before you put your crystals outside, you wouldn’t want to mess up your stones.
You can cleanse and charge your crystals under any moon, but the full moon is the best time to do it.
Salt
Salt has many healing properties. Many people use it as an antiseptic, for detoxifying or cleansing. To cleanse your crystals with salt, fill a large bowl with sea salt or Himalayan pink salt and bury your gemstones in. You can leave them here for 24 hours and wait for the salt to work its magic.
Note that some crystals don’t handle salt exposure really well. In fact, salt can be damaging to certain gemstones. So, don’t forget to research which stones can be cleansed with salt before using this method.
Once you finished cleansing your crystals with the salt, throw it away. You can’t use this salt for cooking.
Running water
Cleansing your crystals with water is a great way to physically and energetically cleanse them. You can use tap water, bottled water, rain, river or ocean water. Whatever water source you choose, make sure your stone is completely submerged. Dry well when complete.
As far as I’m concerned, I like to soak my crystals in a bowl of river or ocean water.
But remember, some crystals should never get wet. This cleansing technique is best for hard stones such as Amethyst or Quartz, which can handle water exposure. You can learn more about what crystals can’t get wet here.
Saltwater
If you want to combine the benefits of salt and water, you can put your crystals in a saltwater bath. It is one of the easiest ways to cleanse your gemstones.
You can soak your crystals in water with a pinch of salt for 24 hours. You can also collect a bowl of ocean water if you prefer. Don’t forget to rinse your crystals after the salt bath and pat dry completely.
I already mentioned that salt isn’t good for all stones. Stones that are soft or porous (Selenite, Malachite…) will not react well to salt. Use this method for hard stones only.
Earth
After all, the earth is giving us crystals, so what’s best than a bit of nature to restore their energies.
Like sunlight and moonlight, earth can charge and cleanse your crystals. If you have a garden, you can bury your crystals in the ground for a day. They will be reenergized with earthy energy and cleaned from the negative vibes they accumulated.
Fire
You can use fire to cleanse your crystals. All you have to do is rotate them 7 times over a candle flame. Direct fire will immediately burn away all the negative energies.
If you don’t want to use fire, you can use smoke to cleanse your gemstones. The most popular smudging tools are incense, sage, and palo santo. I mentioned earlier I like to smudge my stones with sage. But you can smudge your crystals with any bundle of herbs. This method is great because you can cleanse your stones and purify your home at the same time.
For this method, all you have to do is place your smudging tool in a fireproof dish and let the smoke cleanse your crystals.
Visualization
You can actually cleanse your gemstones with the power of your mind. One of the best ways to do that is to meditate with your crystals.
For this method, simply get into a meditative state, and hold your crystal in your hands. Then, visualize a bright white light enveloping your gemstone. Alternatively, you can blow on your crystal. Imagine you are blowing a bright stream of white light. Do this until your feel your gemstone is shiny.
This method is great for those who practice meditation often. However, it’s not the best if you have a big batch of stones to cleanse as it can be tiring.
Sound cleansing
You can use the vibrations and the sound of a singing bowl to cleanse your crystals. All you have to do is place your crystals around the bowl, not inside, and strike the side of the bowl. Repeat as necessary.
Bottom line
As you can see, there are many different ways we can cleanse our crystals. I personally like to smudge them before recharging them under the moonlight on a full moon.
After cleansing your crystals, you can program them and set new intentions. How do you cleanse your crystals? Let me know in the comments below!