How to Clean/Cleanse Crystals

How to Clean/Cleanse Crystals

By Lourdes Lebron

When first working with a crystal, it is a good idea to begin by cleaning it. The goal is to remove any energy that might hamper its vibrations.  There are many ways to accomplish this and this article will touch upon a few of the easiest methods.

The easiest way to clean a crystal is to place it in moonlight on a windowsill. If the temperature is warm you can place it on the ground or on a porch or deck (cold temperatures can crack and break many crystals). If you lay it on the ground, marking the area will insure that you don’t lose it.

Intention is the handiest method to clean a crystal. Just hold it in your hand and imagine all negativity being washed away by your intention.  Visualizing white light works well for many people as well. Hold the crystal in your hand and see/feel a white ray coming from your hand into the stone. For some people it will be easier to imagine it coming from the Third Eye Chakra. Do this for a few minutes or until the crystal feels energetically lighter or cleaner.

Burying a crystal in a potted plant is a convenient way to purify a stone. If the crystal is not that dirty just placing it above ground will do. If the crystal needs heavy duty cleaning, bury it in the dirt. If your crystal can be damaged by water do not use this technique, because the crystal will receive water each time you water your plant.

Some crystals love being washed in lightning storms. To do this, place the crystals in a bowl and place the container outside on the ground before an oncoming storm (never go out in a storm to do this). The water and lightning hitting the ground will send out vibrations to the bowls that will clean the crystals.  Before doing this make sure that the crystals will not be damaged by water and that they will not be disturbed while being outside.  If the storm has very strong winds, do not use this method. The winds can blow the container and rocks all over the place and will cause much damage.

Another method of clearing stones is to pass it through the smoke of a Sage Stick, Palo Alto stick, or incense. Light any of these in a heat proof container and, as smoke is produced, hold the crystals approximately 6 to 12 inches above the source and let the smoke surround the crystal (be sure to keep your hand far enough from the heat so you don’t get burned).  Do this for a few minutes or until the crystal feels energetically clean.

Burying crystals in salt is a good option for many crystals. Place the stone in a bowl and cover it with sea salt. If sea salt is not available, you can use table salt or Epsom salt. Make sure that your crystal is dry before doing this.  Leave the crystal in the salt for at least 20 minutes. If the crystal has absorbed much negative energy, leave it in the salt for a day or two.  After using the salt, throw it out; do not reuse it.

Running a crystal through cool water is a favorite method due to the convenience.  You can let cool water run over a crystal to clean it. It may take as little as a few seconds to 10 minutes. Be sure to dry the crystal thoroughly after using this method. There needs to be caution taken with this method, because many crystals can be harmed by water. Selenite, Calcite, and Rock Salt are a few of the crystals that can be damaged by water. Always check your crystal’s sensitivity to water before doing this.  

Rice is terrific for cleaning many minerals. Bury your crystal in a bowl of rice for a day or two.  After retrieving the stone, discard the rice and do not use it.

Rose Quartz can be cleaned with Rose Petals. Gather newly blossomed Rose Petals in a container and lay your crystal on top of the petals. Some crystals may need to be covered in the petals to become fully cleansed.

Geodes, cathedrals, and clusters may also be used to get rid of unwanted energies in the crystal. First make sure that the cluster you are using is clean itself and then place the crystal in it. I prefer Clear Quartz Clusters for most crystals. The cluster must be bigger than the crystal it is cleaning. Leave the stone being cleaned on top of the cluster for a day or two.

Using sound can clear minerals of negative energy quickly. A tuning fork can clean crystals by gently using vibrations.  Hold the crystal in your hand and ding the other crystal in your other hand. Slowly move the tuning fork in a counterclockwise direction around the stone. Move the tuning fork around the crystal until it stops vibrating. This may be done twice more if the crystal needs more cleaning.

Sound can also come from musical instruments like a piano. Reiki can be used to wipe away unwanted energies from crystals. If you are a Reiki 1 practitioner, you can hold the crystal in your hand and ask the Reiki energy to release any energies not needed from the crystals and transmute it into positive vibrations. If you are level 2 or above, place the Cho Ku Rei symbol into the crystals 3x and see/feel it going into the stone. Imagine the CKR erasing all the negative energy away. 

Pendulums are a convenient way to release psychic energy from stones. Hold a pendulum that has been cleaned above your crystal and the crystal will rotate either counter clockwise, up and down, or left to right based on what your pendulum designates a “no” sign. When it is done cleaning it will then go in the opposite direction and will infuse the crystal with positive energy.  

The methods described above are just a few of the ways that crystals can be cleaned. Experiment and see which ones feel best for you and your crystals. You may find certain methods work wonderfully time and time again, while others work best on certain occasions. 

 For a quick view of the most common methods, this helpful video below is very handy.