How to Clean and Energize Crystals

Crystals absorb energy. Whether you’ve just bought your first one, or you have a crystal collecting dust at home, it will store energy since the last time it was cleaned. This energy will be conflicting - it has no preference for what it takes on. In order to elucidate the crystal, you must first purify it.

You should cleanse crystals immediately after buying them to release the energy of all the previous handlers. It’s also good to get into the habit of cleaning crystals monthly, especially if used often. This keeps them fresh and allows them to work at their prime. Energizing crystals on a regular basis prevents them from holding unwanted energies. We know you probably have enough cleaning to do in your spare time, but treat the crystal as an extension of yourself. Just as we need to wash, and gain nourishment, so does the crystal (thankfully not as often!).

Cleansing crystals isn’t quite as simple as just using soapy water and giving them a good scrub, but it doesn’t have to be complex either. We outline the 5 best and easiest ways to purify your crystals below.

How do you cleanse crystals?

1. Cleansing Crystals with Rice

   Fill a glass bowl with brown rice and bury your crystals inside. Try to make sure that the crystals are completely covered as you want the effects to be equal throughout all parts of the stone. Rice acts as a sponge that soaks up the energies inside the crystal. It’s similar to how it absorbs the vapor from water-damaged electronic devices such as mobile phones and SD cards. Cleansing crystals with rice works best when left buried overnight.

2. Cleaning Crystals through Nature

   If you’ve ever been out in a strong storm, you’ll have felt the energy of it: intense and enthralling, there’s something undoubtedly powerful at work. Crystals can sense this energy on a much stronger frequency and it can be used to clean crystals.

   Leave a crystal outside in the hard rain for five minutes and it will leak its previous energy. If in a storm, lightning can amplify this process tenfold. Either place it in a container, or leave it on the natural earth.

   Another way to cleanse a stone in nature is to bury it in the soil. This connects it to mother nature in a way that’s just not possible in your home. Leave overnight for the best effects.

   You can also purify your crystals with moonlight. Leave them outside at night to bask in the light of the moon. If you’re comfortable with it, incantations can strengthen and accelerate the purification process. This method works best when it’s a full moon and it’s good practice to do this every month.

   Sunlight can also be beneficial for rejuvenating crystals, however, some crystals (amethyst, fluorite, rose quartz, and others) fade in the sunlight. For this reason, it may be best to leave them out for sunset and bring them in shortly after sunrise.

   If you have a tree or large plant in your garden, you can also tie them around a branch and leave them to dangle through the night. This is great for cleaning crystals as they’re rooted to nature and left to sway in the breeze. It can also be done from a houseplant inside, if outside isn’t an option for you.
   
   

   

1. Purify Crystals with Salt

   It’s widely acknowledged that salt can assist in cleansing crystals, however, you must be careful as salt can also corrode and damage the stones. This is also true of water, beit salt water or not. We suggest you research your specific crystal online to see whether it will be damaged by salt and/or water, as it would be impossible for us to provide a comprehensive list here.

   To use the first salt method, fill a glass bowl with dry salt. Submerge your crystal in the salt and leave it overnight. As with the rice, salt absorbs the crystal’s energy. Do not use the salt again after it’s been used to clean your crystals - you don’t want to put that discarded energy inside your body.

   Another way to use salt is by mixing it with water. Half-fill a glass bowl with salt water and submerge your crystal for several hours. This will extract the energy, leaving the stone as an empty vessel, ready to be recharged.

   If you’d like to use salt, but not have direct contact with either the salt or the water, then we have another technique. Fill a glass bowl with dry salt and place a narrow glass in the middle. Just plop your crystal into the glass to keep it apart from the salt. This is the safest salt-cleansing route and should be used for any crystals that can’t be in water or salt. It takes longer, however, so leave in for 24 hours to be sure.

   With all salt methods, you should rinse thoroughly under cool running water after they have been cleaned. This is to remove excess salt that could harm the crystal, or return the stored energies.
   
   

   

   Some crystals that should never be used with salt include: Lapis Lazuli, Opal, and Hematite. There are others, so as stated above, research your specific crystal before using any salt or water method.

2. Cleansing crystals with fire and smoke

   Incense sticks can be used to purify your crystals, doubling up as a fragrant air freshener for your home. Fire burns the energy out of the crystal so we can safely say that this method is the fastest.

   Without harming the crystal itself, the best thing to do is light an incense or smudging stick and place the crystal around 10 inches above the source. This will ‘smoke out’ the energy. Lavender and jasmine are great incenses for purifying crystals. Alternatively, sage or cedar work well as herbs that you can burn.
   
   
   

   
3. Purifying crystals through sound

   Using vibrations to cleanse crystals has been a common practise for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Gongs, chimes, and Tibetan Singing Bowls are all beautiful ways to send vibrational energy directly to your stones. Intense vibrations may have an adverse effect on some crystals, so use lighter sounds and, preferably, smooth crystals.
   
   
   

   

How do you energize crystals?

So you’ve purified your crystals, now what? Now the fun begins! You can charge crystals with your intentions. Imagine it as a contract for what you will complete together. Keep in mind that you must be specific. Set precise goals and focus on them. Enter a meditative state as you hold the freshly cleansed crystal in front of you. Breathe in deeply and feel the immense gravity of the power within your hands. Visualise it through your closed eyes and imagine the exact future you wish to manifest. Concentrate on transmitting this future to the crystal. Feel your energies mingle and show the stone, in clear and concise terms, exactly what you want.

When you feel that your thoughts have transferred successfully and without confusion to the crystal, then you can consider it activated. Never let others handle your crystals after you energize them. This will introduce new energy to the stone which can haze the intentions you’ve set. Once charged, wear the jewelry or carry the crystal on your person for at least 2 weeks. This is to increase the bond between you and the stone. Relationships don’t form overnight. They need constant affection, and crystals are no different. They need to become attuned to your aura and with time, your manifestations will become easier.

Reaffirm your intentions regularly. Be patient and remember that the magic lies within you. The crystal helps you realise your potential and clear your path of obstructions, but you are the essential puzzle piece in manifesting your desires. Don’t give up.