Helping to guide you on your healing journey, wherever it may take you.

• Crystal Cleansing: What, Why & How Often
• 8 ways to Cleanse Crystals
• Conclusion
• Other FAQs

Cleansing is a way to remove any negative or unwanted energy from a crystal or stone. In other words, it is a way to “reset” your crystal. This allows you to then program it to help you achieve your desired intentions.

Each crystal absorbs energy during its journey to you. You should cleanse your crystal to remove any negative or unwanted energy that it may hold.

Crystals should be cleansed when you first receive them, and then at least once per month after that. You should also cleanse your crystal if it feels heavy in your hand, seems to have lost its power, or if you plan to change your intentions for the stone.

Place your crystal on a piece of selenite and allow it to rest there for at least 6 hours. That's it! Selenite is a soft but powerful mineral. It has the ability to cleanse other stones by absorbing their bad energy.

When to Use this Method: This method is great for beginners because it is easy and effective. In fact, this is still my go-to method after 20+ years working with crystals!

Addional Tips:

• Keep selenite bowls, plates, or towers in areas where you spend a lot of your time. This way, you always have selenite nearby when you feel that your crystals need to be cleansed.

  • Examples: Nightstand, Work Desk, Dining Room Table, Kitchen.

• Selenite needs to be cleansed to rid it of all of the energy it has absorbed while cleansing other stones. Cleanse your selenite once a month with Moonlight, Sound, or Smoke Cleansing.

• Do not cleanse your Selenite using these methods:

  • Water will cause your Selenite to break down and crumble.

  • Soil can also cause your Selenite to break down and crumble if it is moist.

  • Sunlight has UV rays which can cause selenite to become brittle and break.

  • Salt: Selenite can absorb the saltwater if there is any moisture in the salt or the air.

Salt is a great cleanser and is the first method I learned at the start of my crystal journey! Follow these steps to cleanse your crystals with salt:

• Fill a glass or crystal bowl about halfway full with salt.

• Run your crystals under water for a few seconds.

• Dry your crystal with a towel

• Place it in the bowl of salt for 24 hours

• Dispose of the salt after cleansing your crystal (The salt can hold onto the energy).

Addional Tips:

• You should not use salt to cleanse soft or porous stones. A good rule guideline is to use salt only for crystals at a 4 or higher on Mohs scale of hardness.

You can cleanse a crystal by holding it in moving water for at least 1 minute. You can say a mantra such as “please remove and release any negative energy”. Waters cleansing properties will rinse away negative energy and purify your crystal.

The best options to use are as follows (most to least effective):

• Natural salt water such as an ocean, sea, or inlet

• Natural fresh water such as a stream, river, or lake

• Fresh water from a faucet

When to Use this Method: We recommend this method if you have easy access to a natural body of water. It is also great if you need to cleanse your crystal quickly.

Addional Tips:

• Some crystals and minerals can be damaged or destroyed by water or salt. Please check our list before using water to cleanse (this list is not comprehensive. We are adding to it all the time!).

• Water should be in motion for cleansing.

Bury your crystal outside in the soil or in a household planter for at least 6 hours. The purifying energy of the earth will cleanse your crystal by absorbing any unwanted energy.

When to Use this Method: We recommend this method if you prefer to use the elements to cleanse your crystals for personal or spiritual reasons. Crystals come from the earth, after all, so this method can be more meaningful.

Addional Tips:

• Be sure to mark where you bury the crystal so you can find it again! We have received messages from customers stating that they buried their crystals and then could not find them!

• The moisture in soil can be harmful for crystals that are affected by water.

• Be sure to check the weather to make sure it is not going to rain and damage your stone.

• Soil may sink into the stone and cause discoloration if you are using this method with a raw stone or a stone with pits, cracks, or crevices.

Set your crystal outside or on a window sill for 8-10 hours during daylight. The powerful rays of the sun will cleanse your crystal’s energy. Even if it is cloudy, the sun’s energy is still doing its work behind the scenes.

When to Use this Method: This method is great for convenience and also for brighter, high energy stones with meanings tied to positivity and joy.

Unsure about the meaning of your stones? Check out our guide to 250+ Crystal Meanings & Properties.

Addional Tips:

• Do not place your crystals outside if your area gets a lot of traffic. We have received messages from customers who left their crystals on their front porch, and they "disappeared". It is very sad!

• The sun can cause some crystals’ natural colors to fade. Please see our list of crystals that will fade in sunlight.

• The sun can cause some crystals’ to become brittle. Check our list to see if your crystal can be subjected to Sunlight without risk of fading or damage.

• Be sure to check the weather to make sure it is not going to rain and damage your stone.

• Sunlight can make your crystals very hot to the touch! Please be careful when removing the crystals from the sunlight so you do not burn yourself.

Place your crystal outside or on a window sill at night for 8 to 10 hours. The cleansing power of the moon will remove any negative energy. A full moon or an eclipse can be especially effective, but any phase of the moon will work.

When to Use this Method: We recommend this method if you have a special connection to the moon and its energy (we do!).

It is also perfect if you tend to forget to cleanse your crystals as often as you'd like. Moon phases are cyclical, so cleansing on each full moon is an easy way to keep a set schedule.

Addional Tips:

• Use the moon to cleanse your selenite if you are using it to cleanse your other crystals.

• Be sure to check the weather to make sure it is not going to rain and damage your stone.

• Do not place your crystals outside if your area gets a lot of traffic. We see messages often from customers who left their crystals on their front porch, and they "disappeared". It is very sad!

Set the crystal on a table or other flat surface. Then gently hit the tuning fork off of the stone. Allow the tuning fork to be entirely silent. Repeat this process a few times for a total of about 5 minutes.

You can also ring a bell by the crystal, or use a singing bowl. Once the sound has completely dispersed, move the bell to another side of the crystal, and then ring the bell again. Repeat this process on all sides of the stone.

When to Use this Method: We recommend this method if you prefer the the energy and vibration of sound. It is also useful if you have many crystals to cleanse at once.

Addional Tips:

• Do not use a tuning fork with fragile stones as some could break.

Smoke Cleansing is one of the most popular and effective methods of crystal cleansing. It can be done in 6 easy steps and should take about 3 minutes:

1. Light your cleansing stick (herb bundle, incense, or wood stick) until it catches fire.

2. Let it burn for about 20 seconds, and then gently blow out the flame. This will create the cleansing smoke.

3. Allow the smoke to surround your crystal.

4. Think or say a cleansing mantra. Something as simple as “please remove and release any negative energy” works well.

5. Do this for 30 to 60 seconds.

6. Once finished, place the stick, bundle, or incense in a fire-proof container.

When to Use this Method: We recommend this method if you are feeling especially overcome with negativity or unwanted energy. Smoke Cleansing not only cleanses your crystal, but can also be used to cleanse yourself and your space.

This makes it very powerful method since it requires special focus from you to reset your mind, your space, and your crystals.

Addional Tips:

• You can use smoke to Cleanse your home or space as well.

• Always practice safe smoke cleansing methods. Place any burning materials in a fire-safe bowl until the flame is out.

The following types of herbs and wood are known to have cleansing properties which can rid your crystals of negative and unwanted energy:

• Palo Santo

• Sage (Desert, Blue, Black, Red)

• Cedar

• Lavender

• Juniper

• Rosemary

• Pine

• Any combination of the above

You can use these herbs in any form, including Loose Herbs, Bundles or Sticks, or Incense Sticks. This is true as long as they have real herbs, and not artificial materials that mimic the scent.

Cleansing crystals is the first step in the process of working with healing crystals. It is the first thing you should do when you get your crystal, and something that you will repeat throughout your time with the crystal.

As you continue to work with different crystals and methods, you will likely find your favorite methods based on simplicity, convenience, and effectiveness.

Once you have cleansed your crystal, it’s time to move on to Charging your crystal!

If you still have questions, see the additional FAQs and Answers below, or feel free to contact us. We'd love to hear from you!

Depending on the cleansing method you use, you should plan to cleanse your crystals for a few minutes up to 24 hours. Here is a list from shortest to longest:

• Water: 1 minute to 3 minutes

• Smoke: 3 minutes

• Sound: 5 minutes

• Soil: 6 hours

• Selenite: 6 hours

• Sunlight: 8 hours to 10 hours

• Moonlight: 8 hours to 10 hours

• Salt: 24 hours

Once you are done cleansing your crystals, you should continue programming your crystal for use by completing the following steps: Charging, Activation, and Intention Setting.

You can repeate a personal mantra aloud or in your head when cleansing your crystals. The mantra should be one of positivity and purity. Keep it simple with something like "please remove and release any negative energy". You can also try "please release all energy that no longer serves me".

Selenite is the one mineral which is most believed to cleanse other crystals. Clear Quartz, Carnelian, Hematite, Amethyst, and Citrine are sometimes mentioned as options as well.

Selenite, moonlight, and sunlight can each be used to both cleanse and charge your crystals. Other methods are either used only for cleansing or only for charging crystals.

You can cleanse crystals using incense sticks by lighting the incense, surround the crystal with the smoke for about a minute, and ask for the negative energy to be released. Just be sure that your incense sticks are made from real herbs and not artificial scents.

This Guide was created by a close group of talented & passionate crystal enthusiasts, writers, web designers & more.

Thank you to everyone who contributed their ideas, time, and talents!

- Rachel & Christopher Glarner

Owners, New Moon Beginnings