How to cleanse crystals easily and safely
There are a lot of different options promoted on the web these days on how to clear the negative energies absorbed in your crystals and gemstones. Unfortunately, a lot of them are not safe or practical.
Unless you do some heavy-duty healing work and really know what you are doing, you probably won’t need to use the following methods :
Cleansing Methods to Avoid With Crystals
Using salt water
Although there are a variety of crystals and gemstones that are technically safe when placed in water, a lot of them can weaken or dissolve over time (some of the softer minerals). Since it can be hard to figure out which ones are safe to use with water and which one is not, it’s best to use a safe method for all your crystals and stones. Also, salt is abrasive and may cause tiny fractures to develop and weaken your crystals.
—> crystals you should definitely NOT put in water : bumblebee jasper, celestite, chrysocolla, cinnabar, copper, fluorite, malachite, peacock ore, pietersite, pyrite, scolecite, selenite, serpentine, tiger’s eye
Sunlight
Most crystals and gemstones are found deeply buried in the ground. They are earth beings and can fade and crack when placed in sunlight. I find there are other ways to charge and cleanse your crystals that are safer and as effective (which I talk about later in the post).
You may also want to be careful when displaying your crystals along window sills as they may fade or crack.
Although not technically unsafe, I avoid the following cleansing methods for practical reasons :
Burying your gemstones in the ground
I just don’t get why you would cleanse your crystals with a method that will require further cleaning… This option is just not practical since you have to wash the dirt off of the stone, usually with water, which is not always safe for delicate or soft specimens. I also prefer not to use this method as it may leave the detrimental energies in the soil and negatively affect that area. If you are not mindful of the ways you release the energies from your stones, you may be just transferring the energies from one place to the other instead of transmuting it.
Placing your crystals under the full moon
This may be controversial, but I don’t find this method practical or that effective. I have way too many crystals and gemstones to carry out and risk having them stolen from my patio. I also cannot always wait for the full moon to carry out my cleansing. Unless you only have a few pieces and have a balcony to keep them secure, this isn’t the best option. From my own experience working with stones, I haven’t found that placing them under the full moon to be very effective.
Easy and safe crystal cleansing methods
Here are a few of my preferred gemstone cleansing methods, which are safe, effective and simple.
Incense and smudging
Since I’m all about simplifying and streamlining my processes and rituals, I mainly use smudging as a way to cleanse crystals. Not only does it cleanse the stones, but also my living and working space, as well as myself at the same time.
A lot of emotional energies get saturated in houses. Regular smudging helps to ‘clear the air’. Most people associate smudging with sage but there are many different essences that can be used. Some are better suited than sage for certain types of energies. For cleansing my home and my gemstones I love using Palo Santo or Dragon’s Blood resin. I find those essences to be more effective for emotional energies (which your gemstones will most likely be saturated with). I also prefer the scent of Palo Santo and Dragon’s Blood as it is sweeter and milder than sage.
Rice or coffee beans
Placing your gemstones on a plate of rice of coffee beans overnight can also be effective in most cases.
Make sure to honor the spirit of the rice and coffee for their help and to discard them in nature with gratitude.
Sound bowl or Tibetan bells
The high frequency emanating from the sound bowl or the striking of the bells will break up the dense energies imprinted in the crystals.
Some experiments have been done around the effect of sound and frequency on matter. You can research the work of Masaru Emoto to learn about the effect of music, words, and thoughts on water molecules.
You can also explore the effect of different frequencies on Chladni plate. Here is a good video : resonance experiment
Selenite
Selenite Plate
A plate or wand of Selenite is also a great way to cleanse jewelry or small tumbles.
You can place your jewelry overnight on the Selenite after you have worn them.
That way you make sure that your jewelry won’t start ‘turning on you’ and amplify the energies it absorbed from you, others or your environment.
Sanjeevini healing symbol
I have a neutralizing symbol at the back of my business card to cleanse small pieces.
Place a stone in the center of the symbol and using your focused intent to visualize/perceive the saturated energies being dissolved.
When to cleanse crystals
Now, you may wonder how often you need to cleanse your crystals and there is no one right answer. It will depend on your use of crystals and the energies in and around yourself, as well as where your gemstones are displayed and stored.
In most cases, once a month will be sufficient, but in certain cases, a weekly cleansing might be required. Try to tune into your crystals and establish communication to find out when it’s needed and what method would be best.
Hello my name Frank Hernandez, I have some concerns I was about to purchase the gemstones and Crystal’s recommended from my crystal quiz, but I came across some information in your blog on how to cleanse the crystals/gems and I’m a little nervous about the suggestions you recommend on cleaning them. I feel that it is too much on the magic side as opposed to the spiritual side, and that makes me nervous can I be honest with you are you a person who practices magic/spells/divination/black arts or anything related to that subject because if you do then my sincere apologies no disrespect but I think I got the wrong idea here. Please explain to me what this entails please.
Hi Frank,
I am unsure as to what in this blog post came across as using any spell, magic, or black arts. The only thing I could see would be the Sajeenvini symbol (neutralization card) if that is what you are referring to. Sajeevini is a prayer-based healing system using radiononic or radiesthesia (each specific healing frequency, which in this case, as been converted as graphic). You can learn more about the Sanjeevini here : https://www.saisanjeevini.org/
Hi!
Quick question.
I use mainly Dragon’s Blood Jasper, but it’s the one crystal I can’t find enough information about. I just wanna know if it’s safe to go in sun, water, or salt.
Thank you!
Jaspers are quite hard so most can go in the water, but salt can cause small fractures and break and the sun can cause gems to fade (although maybe less sensitive to sun than quartz). Incense is really the most effective way to cleanse them
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Can you tell me if charging and cleansing is the same thing? I have sage and selenite wands and a selenite cube. I feel it is easiest to just place them on the selenite, but I thought that was a charging method and not cleansing? When saging, do you put them in a container with the smoke or can you just pass the sage over them? Thank you so much! <3
Hi Michelle,
I find Selenite is very good for cleansing. My personal perspective on charging is that it’s not that necessary as crystals are powerful as they are but they do need to be cleansed from the energies that get imprinted and accumulated in them. When they are cleansed and back to their original baseline, they don’t really need more (which is what charging is about). As for the sage, you can just pass the smoke over and around the gems.
Thank you!
Hi there, really enjoyed reading. One question, I can’t seem to find a clear answer on is does cleansing the crystal weaken it and/or should I plan to charge it briefly to help get it back to “normal” after cleansing? I know your feelings about charging and I love the idea that they are all powerful as is, but I do find sometimes I need an extra “boost” in a particular area so I will charge them 🙂 Thanks so much! Cheers
Hi Sarah, I haven’t found that cleansing crystals weakens them. I find that it brings them back to their ‘baseline’. Yes, you could charge them if you feel the need. I just find cleansing more important than charging. If you charge them in the sun, just don’t do it too much as they can loose their color.