Crystal Care

How to take care of your crystals

Sure, you've heard about crystal cleansing, but what does that actually mean? The idea is that our crystals absorb the energy and intentions of their owners and the environment around them. Now, while we would like to try to think good and positive thoughts all of the time, we know that realistically, that is far from the case. So, in the interest of keeping our crystals working efficiently towards helping us manifest our goals, it is good practice to cleanse them regularly to keep them from getting bogged down with negativity. This is especially important for some crystals, like Epidote, which can amplify negativity, something nobody ever wants! You also want to make sure your protection crystals get regularly cleansed. After all, these little babies are responsible for absorbing, shielding, and deflecting that negative energy away from us, so you definitely don't want it building up.

How do you cleanse? Well, there are a few different ways to cleanse your crystals. Some work better than others for certain crystals. For example, Selenite crystals dissolve in water, so you will not want to choose a cleansing ritual where they will get wet. As a general rule, we like to keep crystals that are under a certain hardness out of the water. Also, any crystals that contain inclusions like iron. The last thing you want is a rusty crystal, am I right? We have created a handy table below that will show you which crystals should avoid water cleansing, and you can read on for the alternative cleansing rituals you might like to try.

Smudging:

Smudging is the process of cleansing an item or the surrounding environment by using the smoke from a lit sage stick or a stick of Palo Santo wood. Usually, white sage is preferred, and it will come dried and bound in a stick or torch-shaped bundle, but Palo Santo has become more and more popular. The practice of smudging has a long historical significance and has been used by many indigenous and ancient cultures. To cleanse your crystals using this method, simply set yourself up in a safe space (remember that this method uses a burning stick of flammable material, so fire safety is paramount), and arrange your crystals so that they are easily accessible to you with one hand. Light your sage or wood stick and when it is producing a nice consistent stream of smoke, wave your crystals through the smoke. It is a good idea to have a dish underneath to catch the ash that your smudge stick will produce. We like to take a moment before smudging to ask the Universe for protection and positive energy while we smudge, and some like to re-set their crystal with positive intent at this time. Be mindful to avoid getting your crystal too close to the hot end of the smudge stick to prevent heat damage. It is the smoke you will work with, not the heat.

For more information on how smudging works, see our sage & smudge guide

Sunlight/Moonlight Cleansing:

This cleansing method is probably the easiest in that it carries no inherent risk of fire or water. The technique is simple. Place your crystals in a place where they will receive full sunlight or moonlight for at least a few hours. That's about it. But there are a few caveats. Sunlight is suitable for a crystal that needs to be charged with strong masculine energy. However, some crystals will not like the strength of full sunlight and may even suffer by way of colour change or fade, so make sure you check if your intended crystal has any light sensitivity first. Moonlight is great for charging your crystal with strong feminine energy, and the extra piece of good news is that it is safe for any crystal, so if there are any stones you are not sure about, this is your best choice for cleansing. You don't need to leave your precious crystals unattended outside either. Inside on the window sill is just as effective and will ensure no naughty neighbourhood critters make off with your crystal.

Water Cleansing:

Cleansing Crystals in water is easy, as long as you pay attention to which ones you should avoid, as mentioned above and below in our cleansing table. Saltwater is an excellent way to cleanse crystals. If you have access to running saltwater, like the ocean, great! If not, don't despair. You can easily make your own by adding rock salt to freshwater. You don't need to spend lots of time in the water, but you may like to use your time to set your intentions for your crystal, say a few positive affirmations, and thank the Universe for its infinite love and wisdom. If you can spare the time, your crystals will be pretty happy to take an extended dip for a few hours.

What about crystals that don't need to be cleansed? Some say that there are a few crystals that never need to be cleansed. Citrine, Selenite, and Kyanite come to mind. We say it might not be essential, but it can't hurt. It's always good to re-focus with your crystals and re-set your intention, so don't forget to pay some attention to these guys from time to time. They might not technically need it, but we're sure they will benefit from it as you will too.

 

Avoid Water	Avoid Strong Sunlight
Selenite	Ametrine
Halite	Amethyst
Lepidolite	Rose Quartz
Calcite	Citrine
Fluorite	Aventurine
Magnetite	Aquamarine
Jade	Kunzite
Azurite	Opal
Angelite	Fluorite
Rhodocrosite	Apatite
Hematite	Smoky Quartz
Pyrite	Clear Quartz
Malachite	Apophyllite
Celestite	Chrysoprase
Ammolite	Turquoise
Lapis
Gypsum
Desert Rose

 

Storing your crystals is also worth mentioning. All of your crystals will be different in their hardness. Harder crystals will easily scratch and damage softer crystals. If you intend to display your crystal, be mindful of the strength or duration of sunlight exposure. If you will put your crystal away until you plan to work with it, keep it in a soft pouch or well away from other stones that will scratch it should they get jumbled around together.