How to Cleanse Crystals: 10 Safe Ways to Clean Crystals

A Complete Guide on How to Cleanse Crystals and Stones

Crystals heal by absorbing or repelling subtle negative energies and imbalances. However, their downside is that they can become overloaded and need purification at times. Just as we need to rejuvenate, crystals do as well. Are you wondering how to cleanse crystals? Then you’ve come to the right place!

There are several different ways you can clean your crystals. Below you’ll find the top 10 ways to cleanse and recharge crystals.

Choose one or more of these cleansing methods that best meet your preferences and surroundings so you can unlock the full healing potential of your crystals!

Why Is it Important to Cleanse Crystals?

Many people use crystals to soothe their minds and bodies. For example, these best crystals for insomnia can help banish nightmares and let you ease into a more peaceful and restful sleep, while these top crystals for abundance can attract more prosperity into your life.

However, because of their composition, all types of energies can stick to crystals. These energies can then build up over time and diminish the power of your crystals.

Related: The Best Crystals You Can Use to Cleanse Your Tarot Cards

When you heal with crystals, the stones are said to absorb or redirect the negativity you’re trying to release. You certainly don’t want those energies hanging around!

Plus, crystals can often travel over long distances before they’re purchased. During their journey, they’ll pass through many hands and absorb the energies around them. These energies might be misaligned with the ones you’re trying to attract into your own life.

By regularly cleansing and recharging your crystals, you can restore them to their natural state and get them back to their full potency.

1. Running Water

Best for: hard stones that can handle water, such as amethyst and quartz

Don’t use this with: soft or brittle stones that can’t handle water, such as selenite, halite, and kyanite

Approximate duration: 1 minute for each stone

Water is said to neutralize negative energies that accumulate in your stone and return these energies back to the earth. Although natural running water, such as a stream, works best for this practice, you can also use water that’s coming out of a faucet.

No matter what type of water source you use, make sure you completely submerge your stone so you can wash away all of the negative energies. You can then pat dry your crystals when you finish.

2. Saltwater Bath

Best for: hard stones that can handle water, such as amethyst and quartz

Don’t use this with: stones that are porous, soft, or contain trace metals, such as calcite, opal, malachite, and selenite

Approximate duration: up to 48 hours

Throughout history, salt has been used to banish negativity and absorb unwanted energy.

Natural saltwater from the ocean works best for cleansing your crystals. If you live near the ocean, you can collect some saltwater in a bowl or jar to use at home.

If you’re not near the ocean, you can make your own saltwater. Simply mix a tablespoon of sea, rock, or table salt into a bowl of water.

When you place your crystals in the saltwater, make sure they’re completely submerged. Let them soak anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Then rinse them off with freshwater and pat them dry.

Pour the leftover saltwater into the soil so the Earth can absorb the remains of the energies contained.

3. Selenite

Best for: all stones

Approximate duration: 24 hours

Selenite is fantastic for cleaning crystals. It’s a unique and powerful crystal that can magnify the natural energy of other stones and purify them.

Additionally, selenite doesn’t hold on to the energy it absorbs, so it never needs to be charged or cleaned.

Even though cleansing with selenite is incredibly easy, it’s still highly effective. You can also use this method with any type of crystal, which makes it a great option for porous or metallic-based stones.

Simply place your crystals on top of a selenite charging plate for at least 24 hours. This will give the selenite enough time to absorb energy from the crystals and cleanse itself.

Selenite is also amazing for cleansing tarot cards for the first time.

4. The Light of the Full Moon

Best for: hard stones

Don’t use this with: soft stones, such as selenite and celestite, which can be damaged by inclement weather

Approximate duration: overnight

The power of the full moon is incredibly potent. It’s the end of the lunar cycle and brimming with powerful energy.

In addition to being a good time to cleanse your crystals, you can also use the full moon light to charge your crystals and use full moon rituals to let go of anything that’s no longer serving you.

To cleanse your crystals using the full moon, place them where the moon light can reach them. If possible, place them on the ground so the negative energies will flow back into the Earth.

If you have black crystals, consider charging them under a new moon. They vibe with the darkness we experience on new moon nights.

5. Natural Light

Best for: most tumbled stones

Don’t use this with: vibrant stones, such as amethyst, and soft stones, such as selenite and celestite, which can be damaged by inclement weather

Approximate duration: a few hours

In addition to moon light, natural sunlight can also help cleanse your crystals. However, since prolonged exposure to direct sunlight may weather or dull the surface of the stone, you don’t want to use the strongest light of the day.

Instead, try to place your stones in either early morning or early evening light. Similar to moonlight, this cleansing method works best if you can place your crystals directly on the ground so negative energies go back into the Earth.

To get the best of both worlds, you can also place your stones outside shortly before nightfall and bring them back inside before 11 a.m. This will allow your stones to bathe in the light of both the moon and sun.

6. Soil

Best for: most hard stones

Don’t use this with: soft stones that can easily scratch

Approximate duration: 1 to 7 days

Bringing crystals back to their source (Mother Earth) is an amazing way to cleanse them. The Earth can immediately start to renew a crystal’s energy by pulling negative energies directly from the crystal.

In order for this method to work properly, you need find a spot outside that’s quiet and undisturbed. Your crystals only need to be buried a few inches deep — just enough so they’re completely covered by dirt.

Mark the spot where you buried them and let them rest for 1 to 7 days. Once you dig them out, gently rinse them with clean water and pat them dry.

7. Smudging

Best for: all stones

Approximate duration: about 30 to 60 seconds for each stone

Just like you can smudge a room to clear bad vibes and restore natural energy, you can also smudge your crystals to do the same thing. You can use any smudge stick of your choice (such as sage, rosemary, or palo santo) to cleanse your crystals with smoke

It’s best to smudge your crystals outside so the smoke can disperse the negatives energies into the air. However, if you can’t smudge outdoors, at least make sure you do it next to an open window.

When you’re ready, ignite the tip of your smudge stick with the flame. Hold the stone over the smoke for around 30 to 60 seconds and ensure the plumes touch every part of the stone.

8. Sound

Best for: all stones

Approximate duration: about 5 to 10 minutes

Sound healing uses the vibration of a single pitch or tone to wash over a crystal and cleanse it.

You can use chanting, a singing bowl, a tuning fork, or even a beautiful bell to cleanse with sound. It doesn’t matter what key the sound is. You only need to make sure the sound is loud enough for the vibration to fully encompass the stone.

This method is ideal if you have a large crystals that are not easy to move.

9. Breath

Best for: smaller stones

Approximate duration: about 30 seconds for each stone

Using your own breath is an effective way to clean your stones.

To get started, hold the stone in your hand. Clear your mind then focus on your intention. Inhale deeply through your nostrils.

Bring the stone close to your face and exhale in short, forceful breaths through your nose and onto the stone. Use your other hand to wave your breath over the stone to fully cleanse it.

10. Visualization

Best for: all stones

Approximate duration: about 1 minute for each stone

Visualization is an outstanding method to cleanse crystals because it’s safe and you can use it on all types of stones. While it may seem a little intimidating at first, the more you practice and the more you become in tune with yourself, the easier you will find it to direct your energy to the stone you want to clean.

Begin the process by taking a few minutes to ground yourself and center your thoughts and energy. When you feel ready, pick up your stone and visualize a pure, white, radiant light coming out of your hands and surrounding the stone.

As the light grows, you can feel it getting brighter and warmer. Envision the light pushing the impurities and negative energies out of the stone, which allows your stone to shine brighter.

Continue this visualization until you feel your crystal’s energy shift and become light and clean.

Common Questions on How to Cleanse Crystals

Now that you know more about the top 10 ways to cleanse crystals, here are some answers to a few more common questions.

How Do I Know if a Crystal Has Been Cleansed?

A clean crystal should feel lighter to the touch because it’s not weighed down with negative energy. You might also be able to feel the positive energy flowing from the stone.

How Often Should I Cleanse My Crystals?

The more often you use a crystal, the more energy it collects. Consider cleaning all of your crystals at least once a month. Crystals that you use more often should be cleaned more frequently.

If you have a stone that’s feeling heavier than usual, or it doesn’t seem to be working as well as it used to, go ahead and cleanse it. You never have to wait a certain amount of time between cleanings, so follow a schedule that works best for your needs.

Should I Cleanse My New Crystals?

Absolutely! As discussed earlier, crystals can pass through several hands and absorb all types of different energies before you purchase them.

To make sure you’re always starting with fresh, pure crystals, it’s a good idea to cleanse any new stones as soon as you bring them home.

What Should I Do With My Crystals After They’re Cleansed?

If you’re not going to immediately start using your crystals after you clean them, find a mindful place to store them. If possible, consider keeping them near plants or windows so they can absorb these natural healing energies.

There’s also nothing wrong with placing your cleaned crystals around your home, office desk, or any other space that aligns with your intentions.

How to Cleanse Crystals and Remove Negative Energy

Caring for your crystals is like caring for yourself. It’s always important to set aside some time to renew, recharge, and banish negative energy.

Now that you know how to cleanse crystals properly, you can use them in a clear, peaceful, and healing manner that will best suit your intentions.

More Helpful Mystic Insights

Did you enjoy learning more about how to cleanse crystals? Are you interested in growing your mystic knowledge even more? Then please be sure to check out some of our other popular posts:

• The Best Healing Crystals for Anxiety and How to Use Them
• How to Use Bay Leaf Manifestation for Money
• The Best Crystals for Pisces
• Conflicting Crystals: Which Crystals Should You Never Pair Together

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