The question “Are my crystals safe in water or salt” comes up often. In this post, I’ll explain what I’ve learned from a combination of sources about this topic.
How Do I Make Sure I Don’t Cleanse My Crystals the Wrong Way?
First of all, there is no right or wrong way to cleanse your crystals. Crystals have vibrational energy. They will tell you when they need cleansing. They’ll feel different. If you’ve been using a certain stone for healing pain or in a crystal grid, they may feel like they’ve lost their pizzazz. So this is the time to cleanse.
Some stones may never need cleansing! They’ll just keep on vibrating on high, replenishing their own energy over and over again.
There’s an old belief system from the Middle Ages that says there is a certain way to cleanse, charge, and program your crystals. And if the old belief system resonates with you, by all means, you should follow that system.
But it’s not necessary to go through rituals to cleanse your precious babies by soaking them in water, sea salt, or saltwater. There are so many safe ways to get these jobs done, and I’ve listed them at the end of this post.
Cleansing Crystals in Water to Remove Dirt
If you want to give your crystals a quick cleansing in water to remove dust or dirt, any tumbled stone will be fine. Crystals that have been tumbled, cut, polished, or shaped have already been in water for 4 to 6 weeks for the tumbling process.
Even satin spar and selenite are safe in water. I’ve read about people leaving the gypsum stone in water for months with no change. Francisco from Witchy Wisdom did a test video and submerged satin spar sticks in water for one hour, one day, and 7 days.
One stick had a little piece of fiber come off in the water after one hour. But that would happen even by holding it. None of the pieces dissolved or changed in appearance. Two of the pieces lost a couple grams of weight. That was all. There was no dissolving after a week in water.
So, if you want to cleanse your tumbled, polished, or cut stone in water for a quick rinsing or a little soaking, it’s most likely very safe.
Cleansing Crystals in Water to Charge Them Up
Now here is where you want to be careful. Certain stones don’t do well in water for a long period of time. If they’re porous or have a high metal content, they can crack, break, or rust. If you insist on soaking your crystals in water, make sure the water is at room temperature. Going from hot to cold can crack a stone.
It’s best to not use any stones directly in water to make an elixir. The indirect method is the best for this. Just put the crystal or crystals you want to use to charge the water for drinking in a separate glass container where they won’t touch the drinking water. Leave for a few hours or overnight, whatever feels right to you. You’ll still get the water charged using this safe method. Tumbled stones may contain chemicals from the polishing and other treatments, so you don’t want to take the chance and drink that water.
Crystals to NOT Soak in Water
- Angelite
- Apophyllite
- Aquamarine
- Aragonite
- Auralite
- Azurite
- Bloodstone
- Calcite
- Celestite
- Desert Rose
- Dolomite
- Emerald
- Fluorite
- Halite
- Hematite
- Howlite
- Jet
- Kyanite
- Labradorite
- Lapis
- Malachite
- Mica
- Moonstone
- Obsidian
- Prehnite
- Pyrite
- Serpentine
- Tiger Eye
- Turquoise
- Zeolite
If you have questions about any other crystals that are not good in the water, look up the hardness on the Mohs Hardness Scale, and if your crystal’s hardness is 5 or under, it shouldn’t soak in water for a long period of time.
Cleansing Crystals in Salt or Salt Water
Salt is a corrosive and abrasive mineral. Therefore, salt can react with the trace minerals in crystals and cause damage. Salt may scratch softer stones, and saltwater can dull the stone and be harsh on softer stones. A crystal with a Mohs Hardness under 7 should not go into saltwater.
So, if you feel that you really want to cleanse your crystals in salt, the indirect method should be used. Take a large glass bowl and fill it with sea salt, and then take a smaller glass bowl and fill it with your crystals. The bowl with crystals should be surrounded by sea salt. Leave for 24 hours with the crystals below the salt level. The sea salt absorbs negative energy, so the salt should be thrown out and not used afterward. Your crystals will be cleansed and re-energized.
You can also use the indirect method of using saltwater by using two glass bowls. One holds the saltwater, and the other the crystals so the crystals won’t be touching the water and risking any damage to them.
Crystals to NOT Soak in Salt Water (Include crystals listed above)
- Alabaster
- Amber
- Angelite
- Azurite
- Calcite
- Carnelian
- Hematite
- Jet
- Kunzite
- Kyanite
- Labradorite
- Lepidolite
- Moldavite
- Moonstone
- Opal
- Pyrite
- Red Coral
- Tiger Eye
- Topaz
- Turquoise
- Ulexite
The Safest Methods for Cleansing Crystals
There are many safe methods for cleansing your crystals, so why not use one of these instead of possibly damaging your lovely crystals. My favorite cleansing method is to use sound energy, and I’ve written a blog post about it in detail:
How to Cleanse Crystals with Sound Energy
A singing bowl is my go-to for cleansing the whole room of crystals at one time. You set your intention to cleanse the crystals in the room, and then play the singing bowl for a few minutes, sending the wonderful sound into each one.
Other ways to cleanse your crystals are:
- Bells
- Burying in the Earth
- Clapping
- Crystal Bowl
- Crystal Wand
- Drumming
- Incense
- Intention
- Palo Santo
- Reiki
- Sage
- Selenite
- Singing
- The Moon
- The Sun
- Tingsha Bells
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to cleanse your crystals! My suggestion is to stick with what’s safe for all your crystals and not have to worry about water or salt damage.
Focus your intention and mental energies on your crystals to be cleansed of all negative energies and re-energized for their maximum potential. Call on your guidance and Angels, God, or Source, or The Universe, or whomever you feel most comfortable working with. Then follow whatever method is your favorite from the suggestions above.
Afterward, thank those that helped you with the cleansing. This is the perfect time to sit back and meditate while your newly cleansed crystals and their loving energy surround you.
Ahhh, enjoy!
