How to Cleanse Crystals to Restore Their Energy

Healing crystals are an amazing tool for your self-care and wellness practices. Crystals can help you manifest, remove blocks in energy, and add a little magic to your home.

But for crystals to work to their full potential, they must be cleansed first. And luckily, there are many ways to do just that. Here are 9 powerful ways to cleanse crystals to restore their energy to their fullest potential. You can choose whatever method or methods feel right to you intuitively.

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Why should you cleanse crystals?

Crystals need to be cleansed when you first obtain them, and also cleansed periodically,

Crystals absorb the energy around them. That includes old stagnant energy and negative energy. We don’t want stagnant or low energy hanging inside our crystals. Or onto their auras.

When you cleanse a crystal, you remove energy that does not belong to the crystal. Removing this energy from the crystal helps restore and refresh its natural magic.

Cleansing your healing crystals is easy. And doesn’t have to take long.

9 Ways to cleanse crystals

1. Intention

Arguably the most powerful way to cleanse crystals is with your intention.

Your intention is powerful. It is often all you need to connect to, charge, or cleanse your crystals.

Using your intention, you can simply declare your crystal cleansed. Yes, it is that easy when your intention comes from your heart.

Say to yourself or out loud “This crystal is now cleansed and cleared. I dedicate it to the highest good. I declare it be full of love and light.”

2. Visualization

Visualization is a powerful way to cleanse crystals. And it requires nothing more than creating a visual image in your mind. You can visualize your crystals bathing in sunlight, moonlight, or a cascading waterfall. Or picture your crystals bathing in white light.

Visualization to cleanse your healing crystals works hand-in-hand with intention. But visualization is also powerful on its own. And it need only take a few minutes.

3. Water

You can use either fresh or salt water to cleanse crystals and restore their energy. Water holds memory, emotion, and all the energy of the universe. Water never stops moving, shifting, and changing. It’s a powerful tool for cleansing crystals.

But a word of caution: some crystals should not be cleansed in water.

As a general rule, harder crystals can be cleansed in water while softer crystals cannot. Officially, the Mohs Hardness scale tests the hardness of crystals and other minerals on a 1-10 scale.

Here are some common healing crystals with a quick yes or no to water:

Do not use water to cleanse:

Selenite,
Celestine
Fluorite
Black Tourmaline
Turquoise
Pyrite
Flourite
Topaz
Moonstone
Opal

You can use water to cleanse:

Clear Quartz
Smoky Quartz
Amethyst
Rose Quartz
Citrine
Agate
Jasper
Tiger’s Eye

When in doubt, do not use water to cleanse.

4. Salt

There are many types of salt that can be used for cleansing crystals including pink Himalayan salt, Kosher salt, and sea salt.

As with using water, salt should be used with caution. Do not use it to cleanse softer crystals and stones.

Salt should not for:

Pyrite
Black tourmaline
Selenite
Opal
Moonstone
Turquoise
Amber
Topaz

Salt can be used for:

Clear Quartz
Amethyst
Smoky Quartz
Rose Quartz
Citrine
Tiger’s Eye

When in doubt, don’t use salt.

5. Light

Using sunlight, moonlight, or light from a flame is a powerful way to cleanse crystals. After all, light is pure energy. Here are some guidelines for using light to cleanse crystals:

Sunlight: 10-30 minutes
Moonlight: 1 hour- overnight
Candlelight: 10-30 minutes
Campfire: 20-45 minutes

Can you cleanse crystals by artificial light?

You cannot cleanse by artificial light, but you can charge crystals with it.

There are times when, with your intention set, this is fine. For example, charging crystal by blacklight the afternoon before you have a fun retro-themed party. Holding the intention for a fun party. Playing the song “Love Shack” while doing so. LOL.

Charging crystals with man-made lighting is temporary and needs to be positive and purpose-driven.

6. Smudging

Smudging is an ancient practice of burning cleansing herbs around anything needing purification. For smudging crystals you can use:

Sage
Palo santo
Yerba Santa
Incense
Cedar
Sweetgrass

Allow the smoke to circulate around your crystals briefly, for just a few moments. That is all it takes to cleanse them.

7. Sound

Sound can be used for cleansing crystals. You can use any sound you like and enjoy. Some ideas for using sound include:

Any lovely music
Bells
Rainfall
Singing

8. Use other crystals

You can use certain crystals to cleanse other crystals. Selenite is one of the more popular crystals known for its ability to cleanse and purify energy. Other cleansing crystals include:

Clear quartz
Rose quartz
Black tourmaline
Amethyst

9. Bury them in soil

If your crystals need a deep clean, burying them is a good way to do it. The energy of the earth will absorb stronger negative energy within the crystals. Put them in your garden, in the woods by your house, or another pretty place.

Burying crystals would be a good crystal cleansing method if your crystals hadn’t been cleaned in a very long time, or were from an energetically questionable place.

Keep in mind not to bury soft or porous crystals.

Ways to use freshly cleansed crystals

Once your crystals are freshly cleansed, you can use them for many purposes. You can program your crystals with a purpose, or not. (More on programming crystals in a minute.)

Use your crystals within meditation to relax, manifest, or pray with.

Decorate your home with crystals to beautify and energetically brighten your living space.

Carry your healing crystals in your pocket or purse for good luck and protection.

Put them in your kitchen for cooking. Or in your office for work.

Use crystals around your art or writing to increase creativity.

Programing your crystals

After cleansing your crystals, you can program your crystals. Program them for any specific use you like. For example, “I declare this crystal to be used for ___.” You can write the statement, say it out loud, or simply think it.

You can also create a crystal grid for manifestation, prayer, and magic.

Cleansing crystals faqs

How often should I cleanse crystals?

Cleanse your crystals every month or so. Do this to clear them of all the energy they absorbed over that time period. Most importantly, cleanse crystals after any negative event occurs in their environment. (Such as a dispute.)

Should I cleanse new crystals?

Yes. Always cleanse crystals when you first obtain them. Whether you buy them in a store, online, or receive them as a gift. The exception would be if you found your crystal or stone outside in nature and the discovery was full of joy.

When should I cleanse crystals?

Aside from cleansing new crystals or crystals that have been exposed to negative energy, there are other things to consider when cleansing healing crystals.

Many people like to cleanse crystals during a full moon, a new moon, or their favorite day of the week. But there is no hard and fast rule.

Cleanse your crystals on a day that feels right to you intuitively. Choose a time of day when you feel most refreshed, calm, and powerful. Some good ideas are:

After a relaxing bath
In the morning on a non-work day
Right before bed

How do I know when a crystal is cleansed?

You will know intuitively because the crystal will have a lighter energy. You will sense that it feels cleansed and restored. Trust your feelings.

Where to keep crystals after cleansing?

You can place them back in the same location, so long as you clean off the area of dust or dirt. You can set them in a new location. Take them to work, or carry them in your pocket.

Final thoughts

When it comes to using crystals, use your intuition. Do be careful how you cleanse your crystals if you are not sure. Be mindful that salt, water and soil can be damaging. But when it comes to what light, sound, or scent to cleanse with, go with your gut.

There are so many ways to use and enjoy healing crystals. What are your favorite ways to use crystals? Let me know in the comments!

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How to Cleanse Crystals to Restore Their Energy

Why should you cleanse crystals?