Read on to discover how to cleanse your crystals 8 different ways! We’ll also cover why or whether you should, and how often you need to cleanse your crystals.
Table Of Contents
Introduction
Are you not sure if you need to cleanse your crystals? Or how to cleanse them? Have you heard that some methods are dangerous for them? Read on to become a pro at keeping your crystals cleansed and happy!
This is lesson 5 of our FREE Crystal Basics beginners crystal course.
Why Should You Cleanse Your Crystals?
Before we discuss how to cleanse your crystals – let’s look at why we need to?
Crystals work very hard. They are constantly transmitting, absorbing and diffusing energy. Negative or old energy can build up as ‘residue’ in a crystal.
Physically, you need to clean your crystals occasionally to dust off or wipe away any dust or hand marks.
In the same way, we energetically clean our crystals of any negative or stale energy residues.
There are some (rare) crystals that never need cleansing and can actually cleanse crystals around them. But for the most part, it’s an excellent way to interact with your crystals and connect with them. So I always recommend spending time regularly to cleanse your crystal allies.
How Often Do You Need To cleanse Your Crystals?
We recommend cleansing your crystals when you first get them home, as a welcoming ceremony and a chance to interact with them energetically for the first time. After this, you can establish a maintenance routine that fits you and your lifestyle.
2.1. WHEN NEW CRYSTALS FIRST ARRIVE
When you buy from us at Mystic Crystals, your new sparklies will arrive fully cleansed and charged as part of our packing service.
We use our divine in-house ‘Aura & Space Cleanse‘ Spritzer to cleanse all orders, followed by our ‘Meditation & Spirit Guides‘ Spritzer to charge your items with good energy!
So you won’t need to do an intensive cleansing, but it’s still good practice as a chance to energetically ‘meet’ your crystals and work with them for the first time.
If you buy crystals elsewhere, we strongly recommend cleansing them as soon as you’re home.
Remember that your crystals have been handled and touched by many people in their journey to you, and have sat in many environments. It’s best to give them a fresh start in their new home.
Cleansing the crystals also helps to recharge and re-energize them.
2.2. MAINTENANCE
How often you should cleanse your crystals is a completely personal choice, just like how often you dust your home is!
Take into consideration how much they’ve been working, and trust your intuition to tell you if they need a cleanse and recharge.
The more you spend time with and work with your crystals, the more in tune you become with them. The more frequently you cleanse and recharge your crystals, the more they can assist you.
Cleansing is a wonderful way to reconnect with your crystal allies and deepen your understanding and awareness of them.
DIFFERENT WAYS TO CLEANSE YOUR CRYSTALS
There are many different methods to cleanse crystals. It is up to you to find the one that you and your crystal are most comfortable with.
Be sure to check whether your crystal is sensitive to a method before you use it. Some crystals can be damaged by water, like Selenite. Some can be damaged by too much direct sunlight, and so on. In the lists below, I give EXAMPLES of crystals that are not safe – it is by no means a complete list.
I like to mix and match methods depending on what is available to me at the time. Don’t be shy to experiment! Just make sure that whichever method you try is safe for your particular crystal.
Here are 8 different methods you can try in learning how to cleanse your crystals:
1. Water
Cleanse your crystals with running water or rain.
Hold your crystal under running water for a few minutes. As you do so, imagine a beautiful waterfall cascading, waves of a tropical beach lapping, or raindrops splashing over your crystal.
See in your mind’s eye, all the negative energy wash out of the crystal. Feel the crystal become re-energized and purified. This visualization helps to communicate your will energetically, and activate the cleansing process.
I often take my crystals out during a rainstorm, amidst much laughter and wetness. I leave them on the ground while the rain pours down on them. This method combines water and earth.
SAFETY
Not all crystals are suitable for this method. Some examples of crystals that can be damaged by water include:
WATER IS NOT SAFE FOR CRYSTALS LIKE
- Halite
- Selenite
- Lapis Lazuli
- Malachite
- Turquoise
WATER LOVING CRYSTALS INCLUDE
- Aquamarine
- Quartz
- Opal
2. Other Crystals
You can use other crystals to cleanse your crystals!
Some crystals are able to clear negative energy from other crystals. Clear quartz (also known as “rock crystal”), Citrine and Carnelian are all examples. Just programme the crystal to this purpose. We’ll cover programming in the next lesson.
Place the crystal/s to be cleansed on or next to the crystal you have programmed.
For example, put them all together in a bowl. Leave it there for about a day.
A Citrine drusy cluster (a cluster of points on a flat rock base) works nicely to place several smaller crystals on it.
You can programme any flat cluster to this purpose, or use a geode (crystal cave).
Another excellent option is Selenite, which cleanses and recharges crystals beautifully. We have some lovely SELENITE CHARGING PLATES for this purpose.
If you have a collection of tumbled stones, try keeping a tumbled citrine with them.
To use this method, be sure to programme the cleansing crystal first. It is also important to remember to visualise the crystal working to cleanse the other crystals as you place them.
SAFETY
This method is safe and suitable for all crystals.
3. Earth
The earth’s natural magnetic charge and grounding qualities can draw off negativity from crystals. This method returns the crystal to where it came from – the earth, its natural home. It works especially well for earthy crystals like Jasper.
As you bury the crystal, see in your mind’s eye the crystal being rejuvenated by the earth. Leave the crystal buried for about a day and a night.
Another option is to fill a bowl with sand and lay your crystals on top of the soil. This is a safer option for crystals that could be dirtied or damaged by soil.
SAFETY
Delicate stones are not suitable for burying. You may have trouble cleaning them afterwards without damaging them! You can place them on top of soil as pictured on the right.
4. Salt
Similar to the method above, fill a bowl with desert or Himalayan salt and place your crystals on top of the salt.
The salt will draw off any residual negative energy and cleanse your crystals.
Salt can be reused several times. Keep the salt in a container where it is free from moisture.
We offer CRYSTAL CLEANSING SALTS for this purpose. It combines pink Himalayan salt with organic botanicals and crystals, charged and ready to cleanse your crystals. Due to the combination of elements we’ve used, this blend can be reused indefinitely.
SAFETY
This method is safe and suitable for all crystals.
5. Sound
The vibrations of pure sound can cleanse crystals. You can use a bell, timsha/tingcha or SINGING BOWL.
See in your mind’s eye the pure, resonating vibrations passing through the crystal and cleansing it.
You can use this method to cleanse several crystals at once, paying attention to each crystal for a moment in turn.
SAFETY
This method is safe and suitable for all crystals.
Take a look at our SACRED SOUND INSTRUMENTS collection to see what sound instruments you might like to use.
6. SMOKE
Light a SMUDGE STICK or INCENSE. Gently wave the smoke over and around your crystal. You can use your hand or a feather to wave the smoke.
As you do this, picture any negative energies being swept away and dissipating with the smoke.
Choosing a botantical that has cleansing properties (like SAGE, PALO SANTO, SWEETGRASS or LAVENDER) further boosts the power of this cleansing method.
It has the added benefit of clearing the energy of the room too! Open the window/s and door/s to let the smoke exit, if you are indoors. I like to play soothing music while I do this cleansing ritual. If you are new to smudging, you might want to also read HOW TO SMUDGE for additional tips.
Read our guide, HOW TO SMUDGE, WHEN AND WHY! for easy to follow steps.
SAFETY
This method is safe and suitable for all crystals.
7. Sunlight & Moonlight
Put your crystal outside on the grass on a bright sunshine-filled day, or leave it out at night on a full moon. You can do this indoors too, by placing the crystal/s on a windowsill to soak up the rays.
Place your crystal with intention, seeing in your mind the crystal absorbing the rays to become cleansed and energized.
There are many crystals that absolutely relish a day in the sun, especially solar plexus related stones such as Golden Healer, Aventurine, Carnelian, and Citrine.
Personally as a Cancerian, I’ve always been attracted to the magical allure of a full moon. Full moon energy is excellent at cleansing and recharging crystals.
SAFETY
Some crystals can be damaged by sunlight, causing their colour to fade. Examples are Rose Quartz and Azurite.
However moonlight is safe for all crystals. For either method, if you are leaving your crystals outside, check that it is not going to rain (for water sensitive crystals).
8. Oils & Sprays
Oils and sprays tap into the power of botanicals to cleanse. You can make your own essential oil blend with plant extracts which have cleansing properties. Or you can buy a spritzer or oil blend crafted for this purpose. We have our AURA & SPACE CLEANSE spritzer, which we follow with our MEDITATION & SPIRIT GUIDE spritzer.
Mist a light spray over the crystals, being careful not to overdo it. If using an oil blend, put a small amount on your finger and lightly touch each crystal.
As always picture in your mind the crystals being cleansed and recharged.
SAFETY
Not all crystals are suitable for this method. Some delicate mineral specimens may be damaged by water or oil. Crystals on the higher end of the hardness scale will generally be fine, as would all tumbled stones.
In Summary
Cleansing your crystals is the energetic equivalent of physically giving them a clean or dust. It’s also a great way to connect with your crystal allies and learn to work with them better.
There are many different methods to try, which you can experiment with. You can also mix and match, combining methods to make your own personal cleansing ritual, or do different methods at different times. There are two very important points to remember:
- ALWAYS CHECK THE SAFETY and suitability of a method for your selected crystal/s.
- THE ACT OF VISUALISING the method working to remove old energy from your crystal is crucial. This visualization helps to communicate your will/intention energetically, and activates the cleansing process.
…UP NEXT
Well done for completing lesson 5! In our next lesson, we’re going to learn about programming a crystal – what that means, if/when it’s necessary, and how to do it.
CRYSTAL BASICS Crystal Course for Beginners Lesson 6: