Cleansing crystals is a powerful and simple process to clear negative or stagnant energy that they may have absorbed. Think of cleaning your crystals as recharging their power and returning them to a pristine energy state for future use. There are several ways to cleanse your crystals, and the type of crystal determines the cleansing method you'll want to use.
Why Should You Cleanse Your Crystals?
Cleansing crystals regularly is important in order to neutralize any negative energies collected within the crystal's energy field. Cleansing helps to keep their energy at as high of a vibration as possible. New crystals need to be cleansed to clear any negative energy that may have accrued before the crystal came to you.
How to Cleanse Crystals With Salt
Cleansing crystals with sea salt is one of the oldest methods, and has remained popular for both its simplicity and its powerful properties. Sea salt and pink Himalayan salt are the best types of salt for crystal cleansing, due to their purity. Avoid table salt, as its power has been weakened through processing.
Salt Cleansing Method
It's important to follow the salt cleansing directions carefully, so you can optimize the energy of your crystals.
- Bury your crystal in a bowl of salt. You can use a glass or pottery bowl, or you may wish to use a plastic one to minimize the risk of chipping your crystals.
- Leave the bowl of salt and crystals underneath a full moon overnight.
- If your crystals have collected a lot of negative energy, you can leave them outside undisturbed for three days.
- When you remove the crystals from the salt, either bury the salt or empty it into a trash bag and dispose of it.
- Never reuse the salt since it has drawn out the impurities and negative energies the crystal has absorbed. This is especially true if you've used the crystals in a clearing or healing ceremony.
- Once you've removed your crystals from the salt, wash them with clear water. If you live beside a mountain stream or river, rinse your crystals in the water. If not, use filtered or bottled water to ensure harmful chemicals such as chlorine don't contaminate your crystals, which can null the cleansing process.
Salt Water Cleansing Method
The second salt method uses sea salt and fresh water together to create a salt bath. Spring water, or water from a clean stream or river, is best for the salt water cleansing method. Spring water is filled with living energies of nutrients that nourish. Use this method only if your crystal can be exposed to salt and water.
- Dissolve the sea salt in the water.
- Add the crystals you want to cleanse and place the bowl in the sun for three days.
- Follow the same rinsing method as above.
What Crystals Can Go in Salt?
Salt cleansing works well with untreated quartz-based crystals that won't be damaged by the salt:
- Quartz
- Amethyst
- Citrine
- Rose quartz
- Smoky quartz
- Jasper
- Agate
- Chalcedony
- Carnelian
- Aventurine
- Onyx
What Crystals Cannot Go in Salt?
You should never cleanse porous or soft crystals with salt, nor should you cleanse treated crystals with any type of salt. For these crystals, using smoke or cluster cleansing is the best method.
- Halite
- Selenite
- Gypsum
- Desert rose
- Aqua aura quartz (treated)
- Pyrite
- Tourmaline
- Calcite
Quartz Cluster Crystal Cleansing
You can also cleanse crystals by using clusters of quartz or amethyst, which is a form of quartz.
- This is the easiest way to cleanse a crystal, and it works with every type of crystal.
- Place the crystals you want to cleanse onto the cluster crystals for 12 to 24 hours.
- Be sure you regularly cleanse the large clusters using a different method to ensure they vibrate at their highest possible frequency before using them to cleanse other crystals. Cleanse your large quartz clusters before and after cleansing other crystals.
Using Selenite for Cleansing
Cleansing with selenite is also a cluster method. Selenite possesses great healing power, and a strong vibration, making it ideal for cleansing crystals.
- This is the simplest method of cleansing because it only requires five to ten minutes to complete the cleansing process.
- Place the crystal you wish to cleanse beside the selenite.
- You can also place the crystal directly on top of the selenite for a stronger connection.
- Selenite is a soft mineral that scratches easily, so be mindful of moving and handling it near harder crystals.
Cleansing Crystals With Smoke
Cleansing crystals with smoke is an ancient practice found in many cultures and has many benefits.
- It works for all types of crystals.
- Use sage, cedar, sandalwood, lavender, palo santo, and other incenses for crystals too sensitive for water or salt cleansing methods.
- Allow the smoke from the incense to cloak and surround your crystals.
- There's no time limit for the cleansing process. Most people have a sense of knowing when their crystals are completely cleansed.
Burying Crystals in the Ground
This is an ancient method that relies on the theory that you're returning the crystals to their natural state of being.
- Find a nice place that won't be disturbed by animals or humans.
- Don't bury brittle, porous, or treated crystals, such as gypsum, pyrite, halite, selenite, or aqua aura quartz, as they may be damaged by this method.
- You only need to bury your crystals a few inches deep.
- Mark the spot so you can find it again.
- If any of your crystals are terminated, place with the point down.
- If it's a double-terminated crystal, consider using the salt treatment if it's a quartz; otherwise opt for the sunlight treatment or water and salt.
- Leave your crystals buried for a minimum of one 24-hour cycle, and up to three days if you feel there is a great deal of toxic energy stored inside the crystals.
Cleansing in Sunlight and Moonlight
One of the oldest crystal cleaning methods is to use the energies of the sun and the moon.
- Place any kind of crystal outside so it's exposed to the sunlight or moonlight.
- A full moon or a cloudless day is best for moonlight cleansing.
- Some crystals respond better to moonlight than sunlight. If you're uncertain which of the two energy sources is best for your crystals, leave them outside for a full 24-hour cycle to expose your crystal to sunlight and moonlight.
- Leave the crystals outside up to three days; just make sure the weather is clear if you're cleansing crystals that dissolve or crumble when in contact with water.
Find the Best Method for Cleansing Crystals
Not all crystals are suitable for all types of cleansings. Cleansing crystals with salt is the most popular method, but it may not be appropriate for your type of crystal. Learning about other crystal cleaning options can help you choose the right one.
