How to Cleanse Your Crystals

Incorporating healing crystals into your life can be a fun and incredibly worthwhile journey. You can use these powerful little stones to bring positivity to your mind, body, and soul, as well as absorb and purify negative energy in your life. It is believed that crystals act on an energetic level — that is, using natural vibrations. And while they can be incredibly powerful and beneficial, they also require some spiritual TLC, which is why it’s important to know how to cleanse your crystals.

Similarly to how humans can only exert so much energy before we become tired and overworked, so do crystals, in a way, when they are used. For that reason, cleansing your crystals is an essential part of the healing process. “Stones, when you work with them, they do a lot of work and they're almost like a vacuum,” says owner of Open Eye Crystals and the Ace of Cups club Madison Young. “And when they've done a lot of work, you want to empty that vacuum bag.”

Why You Should Cleanse Your Crystals

Cleansing your crystals is necessary as it helps revitalize their healing capabilities, as well as dispel any undesirable energy that might be left within them following a practice. “After a session with your stone, whether it be an act of healing, wisdom seeking, ritual, or manifestation, it is appropriate to cleanse and offer rest to your ally,” explains Susan Diamond, the owner of Moonstone Metaphysical and Serpent’s Kiss crystal shop and learning center. “This act of nurturing your stone also serves to strengthen your bond and ability to communicate.”

And before you go about doubting whether you really need to go about the process of cleansing crystals, just know that if you don’t, you might find your stones to be tired and not as powerful as before, according to Young. “You'll find that if you don't clear your crystals, they will feel a little more lackluster, a little dull,” she says. “Sometimes you'll find that you lose the stone or the stone will just break if it's just taking on too much energy.”

There are several different ways to go about cleansing your crystals, and it’s really up to you to decide which method suits you and your stones best, be it personal preference or just what resources you have at the ready. If you are new to the process of cleansing crystals or perhaps in search of a new method, below are some common ways for how to cleanse your crystals.

Plant Them In The Earth

Crystals love to be grounded, which is why burying them in the ground is a great method of cleansing. “One of the more meaningful ways to do this is by ‘planting’ them in the earth from which they came from,” says Diamond. “You can do this by burying your stone in a flower pot or other container inside your home or in a well marked area outside.”

One thing to be aware of, though, is the moisture in the earth you are using, as wet soil will damage water soluble stones.

Use Other Crystals

There are certain crystals that have natural cleansing and purifying properties, making them wonderful tools for clearing other stones. “My favorite way is to clear it with selenite, which is also a crystal,” says Young. “Selenite is like the sage in the mineral kingdom and is energetically 100% pure white light.” Along with selenite, you can also use clear quartz to cleanse your crystals, especially if you are working with smaller stones to clear. It is believed that these larger stone’s vibrations remove inharmonious energies in other stones.

Simply place the crystals you want to cleanse on selenite or quartz — such as in a bowl or on a slab — or surround them with the biggest clear quartz or selenite crystals you own. Then leave them to remove any excess negative energy for a few hours or overnight.

Soak Them In Water

Water is believed to have the ability to neutralize any negative energy within a stone. Ideally, a natural body of water or natural running water — such as a stream, waterfall, or the ocean — should be used to cleanse crystals, but you can also rinse your stone under a faucet at home. Regardless of the water source you end up using, make sure that your crystal is fully submerged, as well as secure if you are placing it in flowing water, and pat it dry when you’re done.

Some crystals, however, are not suitable for this method. “You should first inquire whether or not your crystal ally is water soluble,” says Diamond. “Some having salt bases or loose matrix material may dissolve.” Selenite and celestite, for example, shouldn’t be put in water.

Use Visualization

Visualization is a great way to cleanse your crystals, especially if you don’t have other methods at your disposal. “In a pinch, I will visualize white light, like it’s completely nuking stone,” says Young. The key is to be in tune with your own sense of self, so that you can redirect your energy to the stone you want to cleanse.

Begin by taking a few mindful breaths to ground and center your energy. Then hold your crystal in your hands and envision a bright white light surrounding the stone in radiance that is flushing out any impurities that have stuck around. Continue the visualization until you feel a shift in the stone’s energy toward a fresh, renewed purpose.

Program Self-Cleansing

An important part of utilizing healing stones, you can program your crystals with a specific intention, including self-cleansing, according to Young.

“For example at my store, not only are all of our crystals in Selenite bowls, so they're constantly being cleared, I also at the end of the day use chimes and frequencies, and I’ll say, ‘OK, crystals, everybody, all you crystals in here, self clear so that you're resonating at your highest frequency.’ And that does the trick!” says Young. “When you walk into the store, you can instantly feel a buzz.”

Use Sacred Smoke

You can also use sacred smoke, such as sage or palo santo, to cleanse your crystals, as smudging is known to clear inharmonious vibrations and restore natural energy.

However, be aware that smudging may not be the most conscientious method of cleansing. “Be mindful that it's a little bit more controversial, with sage being culturally appropriated and with palo santo being a sacred herb and also an endangered wood,” says Young.

Any of these methods will get the job of cleansing your crystals done, so choose one that feels right for you and the connection you have with your stones. As long as you treat your crystals kindly and with respect, they will likely reciprocate the same for you.