What's the importance of cleansing and charging crystals?
Crystals have a remarkable ability to absorb negative energies from individuals, the environment, and surrounding objects. However, these absorbed energies may clash with the crystal's inherent traits, leading to stagnation and blockages. Similar to a drained battery losing its ability to function, this can result in the crystal ceasing to absorb, redirect, and emit healing vibrations effectively. Cleansing and charging the crystals are essential practices to restore them to their natural state.
It's important to cleanse your crystals whenever you acquire new ones and intend to use them for the first time. Regular cleansing is also necessary for tumble stones, palm stones, jewellery, or any crystals you carry with you outside your home. Crystals kept in your home, on your altar, or in your office should be cleansed and charged once a month. Crystals kept in your home, on your altar, or in your office should be cleansed and charged once a month. For crystals carried with you daily, it's ideal to cleanse them upon returning home. If time is limited, cleansing should be done at least every couple of days.
How do you cleanse your crystals?
There are many options to choose from, we listed the most commonly used options. The below-listed options are all effective, make your choice based on ease and the amount of time you have available.
- Waft sage smoke over it for one minute – sage has a multitude of healing properties. Allow the smoke to cover the stone
- Waft palo santo smoke over it for 1 minute – same as above
- Cover it in a bowl of brown rice for 24 hrs – this method is great for protective stones such as tourmaline. Dispose of the rice after cleansing as the rice would have absorbed the energy you are trying to eradicate
- Place it in a bowl of rock salt water – bear in mind, that not every crystal should be placed in water, any crystals that are soft, porous, or contain trace metals, such as malachite, selenite, kyanite, halite, calcite, lepidolite and angelite. See our crystal directory for crystal properties including hardness ratings for each crystal
- Bury the crystals in the soil underground for 24 hrs – bear in mind the crystals that can’t be placed in water can be damaged due to inclement weather
- Place it on a selenite plate overnight – this method not only cleanses but charges your crystals as well!
- Carnelian, clear quartz, and hematite are said to have a clearing effect, these are however smaller pieces so you would need to have a bowl of these stones to be able to cleanse your crystals with them. Just place your crystal on the top of these stones for 24 hrs.
- If you are an energy healer or feel confident, you can also restore your crystals using your own energetic vibrations with visualisation, directing your energy to the crystal. Visualise your hand filling it with radiant white light and covering the crystal, for about 1 minute or until you feel a shift in the stone’s energy.
How do you charge your crystals?
- Place your crystals under the light of the full moon overnight, if you missed the full moon, it will also be effective up to 3 days before or after the full moon.
- Place your crystal under sunlight for 30 minutes. Even if it is cloudy, the sun will charge it.
- If you have a huge variety of crystals select a large piece of high vibrational crystal such as selenite, amethyst or any kind of quartz, you can charge them and then place your smaller crystals or jewellery on it.
- Place them on selenite – you can use selenite plates or selenite bowls and keeping your smaller crystals in these is an easy and efficient way. However, as long as the crystals touch a piece of selenite, they will get charged.
- Place them near Amethyst – if you have a larger piece of Amethyst, it is said it won’t even need to touch, but for best results, we would recommend putting it next to which Amethyst will cleanse and charge your crystals.
- If your crystal seems heavier than usual or lost its shine, you can reactivate it by surrounding the crystal with its more energetic counterparts. Popular choices are clear quartz, selenite, carnelian, kyanite and apophyllite.
Once a stone is cleansed and charged it should feel energetically and physically lighter to the touch.
When we care for our crystals, we’re caring for ourselves. We’re allowing energy that’s inharmonious with our lives and intentions to leave in a peaceful and healing manner.
Taking these small measures allows us to be more mindful in our interactions with the stones, with ourselves, and with others.
How do you clean your crystals?
While certain crystals can be easily cleaned of debris or dust by rinsing them under water, it's important to note that water exposure can have adverse effects on certain crystals. For instance, water may lead to the formation of cracks or rust, gradual dissolution or crumbling of the crystal, or even alteration of its color over time if submerged for extended periods. Therefore, whether water can be used for cleaning or if only a soft dry cloth should be used depends on the composition of the crystal.
The Mohs hardness scale is a great indicator, crystals with ratings lower than 5 should not be placed in water with the exceptions of Tangerine quartz and Black Tourmaline which have a hardness rating of 7 or higher but water can still damage them. Most water-sensitive crystals will still be fine if you run them under water for less than a minute as long as they are wiped dry afterward.
Crystals that are not water-safe can simply be cleaned by a soft, dry cloth or duster.
See more info on each crystal in our crystal directory. Here are the lists* of popular crystals that are water-safe and not water-safe.
Water-safe crystals: Aventurine, Agate, Amethyst, Ametrine, Clear Quartz, Jasper, Rose Quartz, Smokey Quartz, Tiger’s Eye
NOT water safe crystals: Amazonite, Angelite, Apatite, Aquamarine, Azurite, Selenite, Calcite, Celestite, Chrysocolla, Pyrite, Hematite, Malachite, Tourmaline, Carnelian, Fluorite, Jade, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, Lava Stone, Lepidolite, Moonstone, Opal, Ruby, Sodalite, Unpolished Turquoise, Topaz and crystals containing iron or copper*
*The list is not exhaustive so do your research on any crystal before placing it in water or saltwater
For full details on the water safety of crystals visit our crystal directory.
