You'll often see crystal cleansing advice that says to put your stones in water, cover them with salt or leave them in the sun.
The trouble is that crystals aren't all made from the same materials.
Quartz is hard and fairly resistant to water. Selenite is soft and can be damaged by moisture. Pyrite reacts badly to damp conditions. Some crystals can also fade if they're left in strong sunlight for long periods.
So before you put a whole collection in a bowl of water or on a sunny windowsill, it's worth checking what each stone can handle.
This guide looks at the common cleansing methods, what they actually do to crystals and which stones are better kept away from them.
The quick answer
- Generally safe in water: clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, smoky quartz, agate, jasper, carnelian, aventurine, tiger's eye and obsidian.
- Keep out of water: selenite, halite, malachite, pyrite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, calcite, celestite and angelite.
- Keep out of strong sunlight: amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, smoky quartz, fluorite, celestite and kunzite.
- Be careful with salt: especially selenite, soft or porous stones, and anything set in metal.
- Safe options for all stones: smoke, sound, moonlight and a soft, dry brush.
If you're unsure about a particular stone, check our crystal meanings library before trying a new cleansing method.
Why crystals react differently
Two things are particularly important when you're cleaning crystals: hardness and composition.
Hardness is measured using the Mohs scale, which runs from 1 for talc to 10 for diamond. Quartz has a hardness of 7, while selenite is around 2. That means quartz can handle quite a bit more physical wear, while selenite scratches very easily.
The material itself matters too.
Selenite is a form of gypsum and can slowly dissolve in water. Pyrite is iron sulphide and doesn't do well with moisture. Some of the colour in amethyst can also be affected by ultraviolet light.
Once you know what a stone is made from, most of the care advice becomes fairly straightforward.
Water
Water is probably the first method people think of when they want to clean a crystal. For many quartz-based stones, a quick rinse is perfectly fine.
Crystals that are fine in water
Clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, citrine and smoky quartz can all be rinsed with water. Agate, jasper, carnelian, aventurine and tiger's eye are also generally fine.
Obsidian is volcanic glass, so it doesn't have a problem with a quick rinse either.
This is also why the stones used in our crystal water bottles are chosen carefully.
The Clear Quartz Obelisk Water Bottle (£28.79) has a faceted quartz obelisk inside, and the base unscrews so the stone can be removed and the bottle washed.
The Amethyst Obelisk Water Bottle (£28.79) and Tiger's Eye Chips Water Bottle (£21.59) use the same basic idea.
See all our crystal water bottles or read our crystal water bottles guide.
Crystals that should stay dry
Selenite is a form of gypsum and can be damaged by water. You may not see much change after one quick splash, but repeated exposure can make the surface dull and the edges softer.
Use a dry cloth or soft brush instead.
Halite
Halite is rock salt. Water dissolves it, so this one is particularly simple: keep it dry.
Malachite is a copper carbonate mineral. Water can affect its surface and polish over time. If a piece is damaged or producing dust, avoid handling it unnecessarily and keep it away from children and pets.
Pyrite is iron sulphide. Moisture can cause it to tarnish and deteriorate, so it's best kept dry.
Lapis lazuli and turquoise can be porous and are sometimes treated or stabilised. Water can affect the surface or any treatment that has been applied.
Calcite, celestite and angelite
These are relatively soft minerals and aren't good candidates for soaking.
Angelite is a form of anhydrite, which can slowly turn into gypsum when it absorbs water, while calcite and celestite can both be affected by water and rough handling.
Our Calcite Geodes (£9.25) are a good example. They're lined with calcite and selenite crystal, so keeping them dry is the safest option.
A soft brush is all you need to remove dust.
Salt
Salt gets recommended for crystal cleansing a lot, but it's not a method we'd use on an entire collection.
What salt can do to crystals
Dry salt is abrasive. Salt crystals are harder than some minerals, so rubbing or burying a soft stone in salt can scratch its surface.
Salt can also get into cracks and small openings in a stone.
Salt water creates another set of problems. It can affect metal settings, weaken adhesives and leave deposits behind as it dries.
That's why we'd be particularly careful with jewellery. Putting a crystal pendant or ring into a bowl of salt isn't worth the risk.
When salt is suitable
Tough, polished, tumbled quartz is a different matter.
A bowl of dry salt won't usually cause a problem for something like our Red Jasper Tumble Stones (£6.96 for a pack of six), provided the stones are solid and not particularly fragile. There are more in our tumble stones collection.
If you want to use salt as part of a cleansing ritual but don't want it touching the crystal, put the salt in a glass bowl and place the crystal beside it or on a separate dish.
That gives you the ritual without putting the stone through unnecessary wear.
Sunlight
Sunlight is another popular method, but it's one to be careful with.
Some crystals can sit in a bright room quite happily. Others can gradually lose their colour if they're exposed to strong direct sunlight for long periods.
Why crystals can fade
Amethyst is a good example.
Its purple colour is linked to trace amounts of iron and changes within the crystal structure. Ultraviolet light can gradually affect those colour centres.
You won't normally see anything happen after a few minutes, but repeated exposure to strong sunlight can eventually make the colour paler. Once a stone has faded, the colour won't simply return when you move it back into the shade.
Rose quartz, citrine, smoky quartz, fluorite, celestite and kunzite can also be affected by strong light.
So there's nothing wrong with keeping an amethyst in a bright room. Just don't put your best deep-purple piece on a south-facing windowsill and leave it there all summer.
Our High Grade Amethyst Standing Cluster and Amethyst Rough Points are better kept somewhere away from direct sunlight.
Our article on why amethyst is so cheap also explains more about amethyst's colour and history.
Crystals that are generally fine in sunlight
Clear quartz, obsidian, jasper, agate, tiger's eye and carnelian are generally fine with normal sunlight.
There is one practical warning with clear quartz.
A polished sphere can concentrate sunlight. So a 50mm Clear Quartz Sphere (£18) shouldn't be left where direct sunlight can pass through it onto curtains, paper or other flammable materials.
It's an easy thing to overlook. You'll find more in our crystal spheres.
Moonlight
If you like charging crystals under the moon, it's a much gentler option than putting them in direct sun.
Many people leave their crystals outside or on a windowsill during a full moon. There's no problem with the moonlight itself.
The only thing we'd watch is the weather.
Don't leave water-sensitive stones such as selenite outside where rain or heavy dew can reach them. If you're using a windowsill, bring the stones back in before direct morning sunlight reaches them.
Our moon calendar can help you keep track of the full moons.
Selenite plates and bowls
Selenite charging plates and bowls are widely used for keeping crystals on overnight.
They're safe for the crystals placed on them, but remember that selenite itself is soft.
If you drop a quartz point onto a selenite plate, the quartz is likely to be fine while the plate gets marked.
The Flat Bar Selenite Charging Plate (£6.90) is 15cm long and made from Moroccan selenite. It's a simple flat surface for crystals and jewellery.
The Lotus Mandala Selenite Charging Plate (£15.49) is a 10cm round plate of natural Moroccan selenite, with a lotus mandala engraved from the centre outwards and its petals opening towards the rim.
If you'd like something that can also be used for display, the Selenite Heart Bowl (£15.60) is carved from a single piece of selenite.
The Selenite Moon Bowl (£34.99) is a 15cm crescent moon shape.
Keep the selenite dry and dust it with a soft brush.
See our guide to selenite bowls and charging plates or browse selenite bowls and selenite wands and towers.
Smoke
Smoke cleansing is one of the easiest methods if you have a mixed collection.
Pass the crystal through the smoke for a few seconds and set it back down.
You don't need to heat the stone or put anything directly onto it.
The only thing to remember is that repeated exposure to heavy smoke can leave a little residue on porous stones. An occasional wipe with a suitable dry cloth will deal with that.
The Dragon’s Blood Sage Smudge Stick (£16.75) is a 22.5 cm bundle with a warm, resinous scent.
For something simpler, Californian White Sage sticks (£2.49) are an everyday option.
Browse our smudge sticks or read our smudge sticks guide.
If you're using palo santo, our article on whether palo santo is endangered is also worth a read.
Sound
Sound is useful when you have several crystals to cleanse at once because you don't need to handle every stone individually.
Ring a bell, strike a singing bowl or use tingsha bells and let the sound fade.
The Dragon Design Tingsha Cymbals (£20.99) are a pair of brass bells that produce a clear tone.
The Mini Singing Bowl Gift Set (£29.49) comes with a cushion and wooden stick.
See our range of singing bowls and tingsha bells, or our guide to choosing a singing bowl.
Burying crystals in the earth
Some people like to bury crystals in soil or leave them in a plant pot overnight.
If you want to do this, stick to hard, durable stones that aren't affected by moisture.
Soil contains grit and holds moisture, so it's not a good idea for selenite, pyrite, malachite or softer stones.
For anything that can go in water, give it a gentle rinse afterwards and dry it properly.
The simplest way to keep crystals clean
A lot of crystal collections don't actually need complicated cleansing. They need dusting.
Crystals sitting on shelves collect dust, particularly clusters with lots of small points. Dust can make even a good-quality specimen look dull.
A soft, dry brush is usually enough.
A clean make-up brush works well for getting into the gaps of a cluster. You can do the whole collection in a few minutes once a month.
For water-safe stones, a quick rinse followed by a soft cloth is also useful.
For everything else, keep it dry and use the brush.
A routine that's safe for a mixed collection
If you've got a collection containing lots of different minerals and don't want to check the care instructions for every one, keep it simple:
- Dust the stones with a soft, dry brush.
- Use smoke or sound if that's part of your practice.
- Leave them on a selenite plate overnight if you like using one.
- Use moonlight if that's something you enjoy.
You don't need water, salt or direct sunlight.
That removes most of the risk of accidentally damaging a softer or more sensitive stone.
Crystal care cheat sheet
| Method | Generally safe for | Avoid for |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Quartz family, agate, jasper, carnelian, aventurine, tiger's eye, obsidian | Selenite, halite, malachite, pyrite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, calcite, celestite, angelite |
| Salt | Tough, tumbled quartz | Selenite, soft stones, porous stones, jewellery and metal settings |
| Sunlight | Clear quartz, obsidian, jasper, agate, tiger's eye, carnelian | Amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, smoky quartz, fluorite, celestite, kunzite |
| Moonlight | All stones | Keep water-sensitive stones away from rain and dew |
| Smoke | All stones | Wipe porous stones occasionally if residue builds up |
| Sound | All stones | Nothing specific |
| Soft brush | All stones | Nothing |
A simple cleansing kit
Safe for a mixed collection (£44.64)
The Flat Bar Selenite Charging Plate (£6.90), Dragon’s Blood Sage Smudge Stick (£16.75) and Dragon Design Tingsha Cymbals (£20.99).
That gives you three simple options: resting, smoke and sound. None of them require you to put the crystals in water, salt or direct sunlight.
If you're building a collection, our guide to the five crystals worth owning first is a useful starting point. You can also read how to tell what you're actually buying if you're concerned about dyed or treated stones.
Crystal cleansing FAQs
Which crystals can go in water?
Clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, smoky quartz, agate, jasper, carnelian, aventurine, tiger's eye and obsidian are generally fine with a quick rinse.
Which crystals should not go in water?
Keep selenite, halite, malachite, pyrite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, calcite, celestite and angelite dry. Some can dissolve, some can deteriorate and others can have their surface or treatment affected.
Which crystals can fade in sunlight?
Amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, smoky quartz, fluorite, celestite and kunzite can fade with prolonged exposure to strong sunlight.
Can I cleanse crystals with salt?
It's best to limit salt to tough, polished stones such as tumbled quartz. Don't use it with soft, porous or fragile stones, and don't bury jewellery in salt.
Can selenite get wet?
It's best kept completely dry. Selenite is a form of gypsum and can slowly dissolve or become damaged by water.
What is the safest way to cleanse crystals?
For a mixed collection, smoke, sound, moonlight and a dry selenite plate are simple options that don't involve exposing the stones to water, salt or strong sunlight.
For physical cleaning, a soft, dry brush is the safest choice for virtually any crystal.
