Can you wash your crystals in water? This common question is one of the most frequently asked by crystal healers.
While many people might advise against it, there are some instances where washing a crystal in water can be done without any negative consequences.
Crystals that have a Mohs hardness of 6 or more can be exposed to water either during everyday activities or dedicated cleaning and cleansing. This exposure to water should be limited to a number of minutes or hours depending on the type of crystal.
In this article, I will discuss when and why you should or shouldn’t wash your crystals in water.
What are crystals and why do people use them?
The crystals you can use as healing tools come from many different colors and shapes. These crystals help increase creativity by enhancing dreams and thought patterns, balance life by restoring energy flow through chakras, positively influencing actions of others through alignment of one’s aura with that person or group desired. (see how crystals can help with making your friendships better).
In addition, they can protect against environmental stresses that suppress your immune system such as unstable geomagnetic fields (the auric layers of the Earth interact with an electromagnetic field like our own magnetic field) free radicals (harmful substances produced at a cellular level), surrounding pollution, etc.
As for crystals used for spiritual protection they can be programmed to emit positive frequencies associated with love and light.
The crystals we use as healing tools are natural crystals, which means they come from the earth and not a lab or man-made factory. These crystals can be used as therapeutic focuses for such issues as insomnia, depression, anxiety, excessive worry and so much more!
It’s important to cleanse your crystal at least once a year. So, how do you cleanse crystals?
For gemstone jewelry, soak the piece in lukewarm soapy water and scrub off any build-up with a toothbrush or use an ultrasonic cleaner. This will get the dirt and grime off of it. However, in order to ensure the crystal keeps doing its healing and positive work, you may need to use water in another way.
Are crystals too fragile to be submerged in water?
Crystals are not fragile and can be washed with water safely. You might notice that initially they look foggy and lose their normal luster and brilliance – but after a period of time, they will probably regain their original beauty. If you find your crystals have lost significant shine or if it has been a little while since the last time you cleansed them, we recommend doing so.
It goes without saying, avoid using Windex or other harsh chemicals as those can deteriorate the surface quality of your crystals which is detrimental to how well they work, as well as what you end up seeing through them.
Knowing your crystals will help you decide whether you should use water on them or not. As a general rule of thumb, you should only submerge quite hard crystals or gemstones in water of any type. Hardness is measured with the Mohs scale, and anything with a rating of 6 or higher is safe dunked in water. (see the table below for more information).
It’s true that some people may choose not to wash theirs because it preserves the life force those who believe in crystal healing call “energy”. But for most people, it’s better to cleanse them regularly.
However, if they are very pure and of good quality, some crystal healers might say you don’t need to – I’ve seen this estimated as somewhere between 5-20 years depending on the stone by different websites.
We (my family) choose to wash ours because we use them for medicine making, which means they are coming into contact with many different ingredients – it’s better to use a mild soap or even just water to make sure the stones are clean.
Lastly, remember that crystals are not people- they don’t have an opinion on whether you should cleanse them or not. They are simple tools for us to use to amplify our intentions so they don’t have feelings to hurt or get offended if you decide to wash them. Just be gentle when doing so, that’ll help protect their surface qualities.
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Mohs hardness scale guide
| Crystal / gemstone | Mohs hardness | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Actinolite Cat’s Eye | 5 – 6 | Improves Awareness |
| Agate | 6.5 – 7 | Balance and Protection |
| Amazonite | 6 – 6.5 | Soothes Stress |
| Amber | 2 – 2.5 | cleansing and renewing |
| Amethyst | 7.0 | Calming and Soothing |
| Apatite | 5.0 | Focus and Concentration |
| Aquamarine | 7.5 – 8 | Tranquility and Harmony |
| Aquamarine | 7.5 – 8 | purity, relaxation, and feeling of calm that the sea brings |
| Aventurine | 6.5 – 7 | Good Luck |
| Bloodstone | 6.5 – 7 | Courage and Wisdom |
| Chalcedony | 6.5 – 7 | Emotional Balance |
| Chrome Diopside | 5 – 6 | Heals Trauma |
| Chrysoberyl | 8.5 | discipline and self-control |
| Citrine | 7.0 | Optimism and Abundance |
| Coral | 3 – 4 | modesty, wisdom, happiness, and immortality |
| Diamond | 10.0 | Strength and Energy |
| Emerald | 7.5 – 8 | Fertility and New Beginnings |
| Fluorite | 4.0 | Focus and Concentration |
| Garnet | 6.5 -7.5 | Passionate Devotion |
| Iolite | 7 – 7.5 | Inner Vision |
| Jade | 6 – 7 | Good Luck and Prosperity |
| Jasper | 6.5 – 7 | Nurture and Compassion |
| Kyanite | 4.5 – 7 | Calms Anger and Frustration |
| Lapis Lazuli | 5 – 6 | Friendship and Truth |
| Malachite | 3.5 – 4 | Protection from Negativity |
| Moonstone | 6 – 6.5 | Clear Thinking |
| Morganite | 7.5 – 8 | healing energy, compassion, joy, confidence, inner strength, and unconditional love |
| Onyx | 6.5 – 7 | protection and fortune |
| Opal | 5.5 – 6.5 | Love and Passion |
| Pearl | 2.5 – 4.5 | faith, charity, and innocence |
| Peridot | 6.5 – 7 | Alleviates Depression |
| Prehnite | 6 – 6.5 | Dreams and Meditation |
| Quartz | 7.0 | unconditional love and the crystal to heal the healer |
| Rose Quartz | 7.0 | Unconditional Love |
| Ruby | 9.0 | Love and Passion |
| Rutile Quartz | 7.0 | Energy and Motivation |
| Sapphire | 9.0 | Hope and Faith |
| Smoky Quartz | 7.0 | Endurance and Positivity |
| Spinel | 8.0 | hope, revitalization, and feeling the joy |
| Tanzanite | 6.5 – 7 | New Life |
| Tiger’s Eye | 6.5 – 7 | Self-Confidence |
| Topaz | 8.0 | nobility, love, passion, and purpose |
| Tourmaline | 7 – 7.5 | Improves Clarity and Focus |
| Tourmaline | 7 – 7.5 | Inspiration and Understanding |
| Turquoise | 5 – 6 | Friendship and Success |
| Zircon | 6.5 – 7.5 | Spiritual Growth |
Why might you expose your crystals to water?
There are perhaps three main reasons that any crystal might get wet, from cleaning, from cleansing, or just due to you wearing it as jewelry.
Cleaning
If you are handling your crystal, be it rose quartz or Amethyst, you may need to give it a good clean to get rid of fingerprints or accumulated dirt. This type of cleaning won’t damage your crystal. You can even submerge it in a bowl of pure or saltwater for a couple of hours and it won’t affect them one bit. Of course, this is only if the crystal has a hardness rating of six or more on the Mohs scale.
Cleansing
If your goal is to remove the negative energy associated with a used crystal, then water is a useful tool again. Water is generally accepted as one way to rebalance a crystal and return it to a fairly balanced energy level.
Swiming and showering
Many of us like to keep those key crystals close to our bodies at all times and wear them as jewelry. Do we have to take them off when we go for a dip or bathe? Well, not in most cases. Just make sure that after these aquatic activities you give the crystal a good dry and perhaps consider reenergizing it before a major healing session.
What happens if you don’t clean crystals? Do they lose their power?
If a crystal is not properly cared for, it can accumulate a build-up of negative energy, which will affect the crystal’s ability to emit positive vibrations. This can result in a lack of clarity and emotional blockages.
If the crystal becomes too negatively charged, it may break down entirely and become extinct. In order to keep your crystals’ power intact, avoid water exposure and wear if possible. If it is not practical to wear the crystal, cleanse regularly by placing it in sunlight or moonlight for several hours.
You can also place it under a pyramid for an hour, which has been proven to have immense healing power. If your crystals are too dirty to clean with water, you can put them on top of a piece of aluminum foil and set fire to it. After the fire has gone out, let them sit until they are cool before cleaning with water.
You can also cleanse your crystals by placing them in a jar or glass of salt water for at least 15 minutes each day for a week. The water will absorb negative energy and help cleanse the crystal from toxins and other negative energy. It is important to note that you should never cleanse crystals in saltwater longer than one hour, as most are generally not meant to be submerged for too long.
This is beneficial because it can help your crystals achieve their highest potential and target any areas of concern so they can work toward balancing out all aspects of your life.
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Do I need to charge my crystal after cleaning it in water
No. It’s a personal preference, but many people enjoy feeling the energy in their crystal after they’ve had some time to sit with it and appreciate its presence.
In general, you do not have to charge your crystal after cleaning it in water or doing anything else to it. You can choose for yourself how often if ever, you want to charge your crystals after cleaning them.
It is typically done by holding the crystal in one hand and using either an intention or visualization of charging up all that you have just “programmed” into the part of yourself that matches what this stone represents for you.
How to properly store crystals so they don’t lose their power
Crystals will only work if you look after them properly, and this includes storing them when not in use or when not actively using them for meditation or healing.
Always keep them in a protective pouch or box.
Using a protective pouch or box not only helps keep the crystal or gemstone out of direct sunlight, which can be damaging, but it also helps maintain a healthy level of positive energy within the stone.
You can safely store or carry your crystals aways by following these guidelines:
– Place one large crystal on an altar so it’s near other stones which will then resonate with its energy and retain it before you put them away for storage.
– Seal the pouch shut using either a zipper, knotted string, or non-piercing elastic band.
– Store each crystal separately in an individual bag.
– Keep them close to your body so they will be warm and work better.
– Always wash your crystals before use and make sure they are dry when storing them.
Once charging is complete-you may give thanks for any benefit received from the experience.
Other articles you may be interested in:
- Should Crystals Be Exposed To Water? Mistakes To Avoid!
- Can Rose Quartz Go In Water?
- Can You Put Amethyst In Water & Keep It Energized?
- Can you put Tiger’s eye stones in water?
- Can Citrine Go In Water?
- Can Moonstone Get Wet?
- Can Carnelian Go In Water?
- Can aventurine crystals get wet?
- Is it safe to put Sodalite in water?
- 401 Precious Stones: Are they water safe?
Charlie Hawes has developed a fascination for the spiritual and metaphysical world around us. He enjoys researching and sharing ideas about how to better understand ourselves and the worlds we live in. Read more