Investing in gemstones and crystals can be expensive, and good ones are worth that expense when they look great and meet your spiritual needs. But without proper cleansing and care, they might be unable to do either.
Do Gemstones and crystals need cleansing? If so, why or why not?
Yes, in many cases, gemstones and crystals need cleansing. There are a few exceptions to this, such as malachite and selenite, which clean themselves, although, should you spill something sticky on them, you might still wipe them down with a dry cloth.
Otherwise, anytime you hold or wear a crystal or gemstone, you expose it to pollution in the air, moisture, and oils on your skin. These natural elements can build up over time, and if you don't clean your gemstones or crystals, they can tarnish the outside, cause damage and discoloration, and deplete the spiritual properties your gemstones and crystals might have.
Thankfully, there are several ways you can cleanse gemstones and crystals to get rid of dirt and oil or to cleanse them for spiritual and energy purposes.
What is the best way to cleanse Gemstones and crystals to get rid of dirt and oil build-up?
The best way to cleanse gemstones and crystals to get rid of dirt and oil buildup is with water. In almost all cases, warm water and a soft, gentle cloth can clean the oil and grime that build up, especially between a piece of metal setting and a gemstone or between beads in a gemstone bracelet.
If, for example, you wear a beaded gemstone bracelet to a party and it gets sticky, you can use a gentle jewelry cleaner with water and a cloth to keep it free from build-up. Doing this regularly can help keep your jewelry, gemstones, and crystals looking their best.
What is the best way to cleanse them for energy and spiritual purposes?
You can clean and care for your gemstones and crystals in several ways, keeping them functioning at optimum capacity and looking great.
Water cleansing
The type of water you use can vary depending on how you choose to cleanse and care for your gemstones and crystals. Water can be cleansing and healing when performed in a ritualistic way. Natural running water at a nearby river, waterfall, or lake can be a great source for cleansing crystals and gemstones in such a way as to encourage the right energy and remove any negative energy.
Note: Avoid this method of cleansing for azurite, selenite, pyrite, malachite, or other crystals that cannot be cleaned with water.
Salt water
Saltwater is another beautiful way of clearing the energy from your crystals and gemstones. Saltwater has been used throughout history by fully submerging your stones in the ocean or even in a bowl of warm salt water you mix at home.
Selenite
Crystals can clear negative energy from other crystals. Selenite is a moon energy crystal that keeps itself free from outside energy and can clear out any accumulation in other gemstones or crystals that you own.
To use this method, lay the stones you want to cleanse next to a selenite gemstone or a selenite plate and leave them overnight to be recharged.
Sage
Burning sage can also clear crystals. The best herbal bundle is white sage; you can move the smoke around and over all your crystals and gemstones.
Tip: If you do this, be safe and do it outside or over a fireproof bowl so that as the sage burns and the ashes fall, they collect outside or in the bowl and don't burn your furniture.
Moonlight
You can always use the moon itself if you don't have selenite crystals. When there is a full moon, you can place all of your crystals outside so that the moon can clear them of any negative energy they have accumulated. Just remember to grab them in the morning.
Are there some crystals that can’t get wet when cleansing?
Yes, there are many crystals that shouldn't be washed with water for several reasons, including being too soft, containing iron or copper that could have a negative reaction or rust, or being potentially toxic.
Pyrite
Pyrite is a wonderful gemstone that is used to help you keep your mindset focused on abundance and achievement, encouraging confidence. It's a great stone for any introvert but contains a lot of iron. If you wash it with water, it can discolor or rust, which will reduce the effectiveness of its energetic vibrations.
Hematite
Hematite is similar to pyrite in that it contains a lot of iron. It's a wonderful stone for grounding, protecting yourself, and connecting deeply to the root chakra, but that calming energy will dissipate if you wash it with water.
Malachite
Unpolished malachite is excellent for people who need guidance to remain on the right path and need to focus on that direction through the lens of love. It's a great crystal for working through big changes in life, but if it gets wet, it will release toxic fumes, so it's important to avoid using water when cleansing.
Selenite
Selenite is known for clearing any negative energy from the space around the user. It's one of the most powerful cleansing crystals and gemstones, but if you leave it in water for too long, it will dissolve.
Azurite
Azurite is a very soft crystal with a deep blue color. It helps the user get rid of anxiety, move Beyond any negative thought patterns that might be holding them back, and focus their attention and energy on the present. This stone is often used by people who carry a lot of guilt or other burdens, but it contains copper. As such, you want to avoid cleaning it by submerging it in water or scrubbing it with a water mixture.
How to clean without water
If you are trying to clean any of these stones, you might not be able to use natural water cleansing or saltwater cleansing, but you can still use the same methods listed above for energy and spiritual cleansing, including:
- Selenite
- Sage cleaning
- Moonlight cleaning
In some cases, like with malachite and azurite, you can polish them cleanly with a soft polishing cloth to get rid of things like dust or dirt without using water.
Are there Gemstones that cleanse themself?
Out of the several types of gemstones that are most popular today, many are considered “self-cleaning,” like:
- Kyanite
- Quartz
- Citrine
- Selenite
Self-cleaning stones usually repel dirt or negative energy, oppose negative energy, and clear the space, and transform negative energy into positive energy. Scientists can't agree on a single reason why these gemstones clean themselves, but what matters most is that you don't have to take extra steps to find the full moon on your calendar or head to a local river if you happen to have any of these gemstones.
Are there any benefits to cleansing Gemstones and crystals?
There are several benefits to cleansing gemstones.
- Jewelry needs to be cleaned to maintain its value and its beauty. Regularly cleaning any gemstones or crystals you wear can help prevent discoloration or tarnish.
- Regular cleansing of gemstones and crystals helps extend their lifespan by preventing damage that might result in faster wear and tear. Gemstones can, over time, become chipped or cracked, especially if they are not stored correctly, and these small things can be circumvented with regular cleaning.
- Cleansing gemstones and crystals can remove grime or oils that accumulate on the stones or in between the stones. You might not be able to see it with the naked eye, but these oils and other accumulation can cause friction when you wear your jewelry, and that pressure can loosen the settings of your jewelry. But removing it regularly can ensure that everything stays secure where it should be.
- The more often you touch or wear gemstones and crystals, the more oils from your skin, moisture in the air, and pollution in the air it gets exposed to. And over time, this can build up and tarnish because of a chemical reaction. Discoloration can damage the color and spiritual properties of a piece of jewelry or gemstone.
- The buildup of oils, dirt, and grime can decrease the shine of your jewelry and degrade any energy or spiritual effectiveness it might have, but regular cleansing can fix this.
How often should you cleanse your gemstones?
How often you cleanse your gemstones and crystals is based on how you use them and how often you use them.
Fashion purposes
If you have gemstones or crystals in the form of any jewelry you wear regularly, they will get dirty with time. This is especially true if you're wearing bracelets or rings because your hands come into contact with so many things, even something as simple as:
- Shaking hands at a party,
- Picking up drinks,
- Grabbing things off shelves.
The more you wear any piece of jewelry, the more you should consider cleaning it, whether by water or other methods. Simply wiping them down with a gentle polishing cloth can keep your gemstones looking vibrant and remove the buildup of natural oils or other debris.
How often should you cleanse gemstones and crystals for fashion purposes?
If you have gemstones and crystals in the form of jewelry simply for fashion reasons, you don't have to necessarily worry as much about cleansing for energy and spiritual purposes, so you can clean them whenever they get dirty or simply after wearing them a few times in a row. This will help them stay polished, feel lighter, and look better.
Spiritual and energy purposes
But if you have gemstones and crystals you use for energy and spiritual purposes, you should purify them as part of your regular care routine. Crystals pull energy out the way an air purifier pulls harmful elements from a given space. And just like the filter on an air purifier, you need to be able to flush external energy from your crystals or gemstones, especially if the energy is negative. This ensures that your gemstones remain potent and can fulfill their purpose.
How often should you cleanse gemstones and crystals for energy and spiritual purposes?
Gemstones and crystals hold onto the energy of all the things with which they have any contact, so there's no set rule on how often you should clear your gemstones or crystals. It all depends on how often you use it and how it feels. Trust yourself. Know that the more often you use a crystal or gemstone for spiritual purposes, the more often you'll need to cleanse it.
Knowing how to cleanse and care for your gemstones and crystals can increase their lifespan and protect your investment. If you use them for spiritual purposes, you can ensure they remain in peak condition and function as they should. Trust your instincts about how often things should be cleaned based on how often you wear, touch, or use them, and make sure you use the right type of cleaning method for your stone.
