Cleaning and Clearing

Taking time to cleanse your crystals is extremely important. Crystals used for magick, rituals or healing should be cleansed regularly. If they are not, the crystal power will begin to be overwhelmed by conflicting energies. Crystals are efficient absorbers and transmitters of energy. One of their functions is to cleanse and transmute negative energies. If you leave your crystals to do this without regular cleansing, most become saturated and unable to do their work, although a few crystals are self-cleaning.

Cleaning a stone is getting rid of unwanted dirt or other substances on the surface of the stone. Cleaning stones and clearing stones isn't the same thing. Clearing a stone is getting rid of any negative or unwanted energies the stone may have absorbed from its environment.

Some methods will do both at the same time, but it works best to think of them as two separate tasks until you're used to doing both. That way you can be sure to take care of both parts well.

Cleaning Stones and Crystals To clean a crystal or stone, the main thing to consider is the type of stone you’re cleaning.

For the most part, water is the best thing to clean stones or crystals of any kind with. A mild soap can be used sometimes, as can specialized cleaning solutions. Specialized cleaning solutions vary widely, and should be used only according to their instructions

Soft stones, may be very porous and may absorb a lot of soap, chemicals or detergents when you are cleaning them. These stones definitely should not be cleaned with anything harsher than just plain water for very brief periods.

Other stones, such as halite, which is a salt, will dissolve in water, so they should only be dusted lightly with a feather duster or something like that.

Quartz crystal and harder stones can be cleaned with heavier detergents or cleaners if needed. In fact, at many crystal mines, the crystals are cleaned with oxalic acid to remove iron stains before they are shipped out.

Harsh cleaners can damage the finish on polished stones or abrade the surfaces, and are considered by some to change the energy of the stones. I recommend using the mildest possible method of cleaning your crystals and stones, as this is least disruptive of their looks and energies. And from there you go on to clear the energies of your crystals and stones.

Clearing Stones and Crystals Most crystals and gemstones, on their own or in jewellery, will pick up negative or unwanted energies over time. They are a bit like sponges absorbing and reacting to the environment's energies. Some that don't absorb energies and thus never need clearing are citrine, kyanite, azeztulite.

Crystals and stones that are used for crystal healing or energy work should be cleared and cleansed of negative energy prior to any the work. You will also find that clearing stones makes them more cheerful and positive to have around.

There are a number of methods that are commonly used to clear crystals and stones to restore their bright, happy, vibrant energy. Some are more complex or take longer, others are extremely simple and quick. Use whichever suits you and your crystals best. Whichever method you choose, focus on using it with intention of clearing negative and unwanted energies from the crystal.

1. Salt Water:

* While this is a popular way to clear crystals, I recommend using salt water very carefully, if at all.

* You need to know about your crystals to be sure that they are not porous or soft, so they won't be damaged by water.

* Salt water can get into the structure of some crystals and stones and cause them to break.

* That breakage sometimes doesn't happen immediately, but the weakened structure may break later.

* Some stones that DON’T do well in salt water are calcite, carnelian, halite, hematite, labradorite/spectrolite, lepidolite, lodestone (magnetite), mica, moldavite, opal, turquoise, ulexite, clusters of most stones, and there are surely more.

* When you do use salt water, do so cautiously and don't leave your crystals in it longer than absolutely necessary.

2. Crystal Sea Salt:

* Crystals can be placed in dry, coarse sea salt for up to 24 hours to clear them.

* They can also be stored in sea salt to keep them from picking up energies from their surroundings.

* In humid areas, using sea salt can sometimes cause the same problems as salt water.

* It can also get stuck in the crevices of clusters and eventually combine with water in the air and split the cluster.

3. Sunlight or Moonlight:

* The rays of the sun and moon are energetically very clearing and energetically cleansing, as well as energizing.

* Placing your stones outside where they can soak up the sunlight or moonlight for a day/night to a week is very beneficial. Do be careful though, as some the colours of some stones may fade in the sun.

* A few of the stones that will fade in the sun are amethyst, celestite, opal, and turquoise.

* If you have any doubts at all, be sure to use only moonlight cleansing.

4. Earth Burial:

* As creepy as it may sound to those of us who grew up watching horror movies, burying crystals and stones is very cleansing and healing for them.

* You can bury them in the Earth for 3 days to a week, either in your yard or in a flower pot.

* Be sure that if you bury your crystals in the yard that you mark the spot. You don't want to have to dig up half the yard to find your stones again.

5. Smudging:

* Smudging is a much quicker way to clear crystals than any of the above methods.

* To smudge them, pass you stone several times through the smoke of burning cedar, sage, sweetgrass, or incense.

* Commercial incenses with complex, perfumy smells may not clear as fully or as quickly as an herb like sage or a more basic incense like Frankincense.

6. Water:

* COOL Filtered or tap Water: For a quick clearing, you can also run your stones under cool water.

* Hot, very cold, or warm water is a no no because it can fracture some crystals and stones.

* Again, as with salt water, be sure that your crystals are not porous or soft, before putting them under the tap.

* Crystal clusters and geodes are two types of stones that do not do as well with water, as they may break apart and crumble.

* The stones mentioned as not doing well with salt water may also not do well with water.

7. Stone Clearing:

* Some stones will clear the negative or unwanted energies from other stones.

* Some stones that work well for this are quartz crystal clusters, amethyst clusters, carnelian, and selenite.

* Place the stone to be cleared on a "clearing" stone, and leave for 24-48 hours.

8. Flower Water:

* You can also clear crystals and stones in flower water.

* Soak the stone or crystal in water with the petals of rose, honey suckle, orange blossoms, jasmine or others for 24 hours.

* Again, the same cautions apply regarding stones that don't do well in water.

9. Ask the Divine or Pray:

* This a simple ritual, but it does work wonderfully. Simply ask the Divine (God/Goddess/Universe/etc.) to clear and energetically cleanse your crystal for you.

* You can also simply ask the crystal to clear itself.

* Form your request with specific intent and ask in a meditative or prayerful frame of mind.

* Something like "O Great Divine, please clear all unwanted energies from this crystal for the best and highest good of all concerned. Thank you. Amen." would be a good specific request.

* The details should be changed to fit your own beliefs and needs.

10. Third Eye Breathing:

* In a quiet, private place, ground yourself and start breathing slowly.

* Visualize yourself breathing white light in through your Third Eye chakra and back out.

* Hold the crystal in your hand at Third Eye level and breathe white light from your Third Eye to the crystal with the intention of clearing unwanted and negative energies.

* Repeat at least 3 times, more if the crystal does not feel cleared after the third time.

11. Sound:

* Use a melodic gong, Tibetan prayer bells, a bell, chanting OM to clear unwanted energies from your crystal.

* Hold the crystal and sound the gong, etc next to it, passing the crystal through the sound waves to clear it.

12. Candle Flame:

* While focusing your intention and verbally praying or asking for the clearing of your crystal, pass it quickly through the flame of a white candle.

* Be sure to move it quickly enough to prevent overheating or damage to the crystal.

* Repeat until the energy of the crystal feels clear.

13. Four Elements: * In a ritual, use symbols/representatives of the Four Elements and call on them to clear your crystal one at a time while passing the crystal over or through the symbolic representation of each element.

* For the Five Element system, do the same but with Five Elements.

Whichever method you choose, the exact length of time needed for clearing varies according to personal taste and the state of the crystal. Trust your intuition and higher self to lead you to the best methods and lengths of time for you and the stone and remember that some crystals should not be cleansed in salt water or sun, as this can change the crystal's appearance.


Note: This was information passed along in my Wicca Year and A Day study.  For me personally, it is too hard to remember what stones can and can not get wet.  For me,   I never let any stones get wet and would certainly never wash them with soap.  My favourite way to cleanse and charge is to place the stones on my window sill on the night of a full moon.  Remember to remove them before the sun rises, as the sun can do damage to some stones.