How to Cleanse Crystals and Charge Them: Six Methods, and Which Ones Will Ruin Your Stone

Crystal cleansing advice online is repeated far more often than it is checked, and some of the most commonly shared methods will permanently damage the stones they are applied to.

This guide covers six methods that work, which stones each one is safe for, how often cleansing is actually needed, and what the selenite plate that arrives with your bracelet is for.

What Cleansing Means

Traditional practice holds that crystals take on the energy around them, and that periodic clearing returns them to a neutral state.

Two terms get used loosely and mean different things. Cleansing is clearing what has accumulated. Charging is setting an intention or restoring the stone’s own quality afterwards. Most methods below do both, which is why the words are used interchangeably.

Whether or not you hold to the energetic framing, there is a practical layer worth noting: a bracelet worn daily accumulates sweat, soap residue and oil, and periodic care extends its life regardless of what you believe about it.

The Six Methods

1. Selenite

The simplest method and the one we recommend by default.

Selenite is traditionally described as the one stone that does not require cleansing itself, which is why it can clear others without becoming saturated. Rest your bracelet or stones on a selenite plate overnight and they are ready by morning.

Safe for: everything. There is no stone selenite will damage.

Why we include one. Every bracelet we ship comes with a free raw selenite plate, precisely so you do not need to buy anything extra or rely on a full moon. Keep it on a shelf or bedside and rest the bracelet on it when you take it off.

One caution about selenite itself: it is a soft gypsum mineral and dissolves in water. Never wash it. Wipe it with a dry cloth.

2. Moonlight

The traditional method and a good one.

Leave stones on a windowsill or outdoors overnight where the moonlight reaches them. A full moon is considered strongest, and Sharad Purnima the strongest of the year.

Safe for: everything. Moonlight damages nothing.

Practical note: bring them in before the sun rises, since the stones that moonlight suits are often the ones sunlight fades.

3. Incense or Dhoop Smoke

Pass the stone through the smoke of sandalwood, loban, guggul or your usual dhoop several times.

Safe for: everything.

Advantage: quick, requires nothing you do not already have, and fits naturally into a daily puja if you keep one.

4. Sound

A bell, a singing bowl, or chanting. Hold the stone near the source and let the sound continue for a minute or two.

Safe for: everything.

Advantage: the fastest method, and useful for cleansing many pieces at once.

5. Rice or Salt

Bury the stone in a bowl of dry uncooked rice overnight, then discard the rice rather than cooking it.

Safe for: most stones, with dry rice preferred over salt.

Caution: dry salt scratches softer stones and damp salt corrodes metal fittings and porous material. Rice is the safer choice, and if you use salt, keep it dry and keep it away from anything with a clasp.

6. Earth

Bury the piece in soil or in a plant pot for twenty-four hours.

Safe for: hard, non-porous stones only.

Caution: soil holds moisture, so this is unsuitable for porous stones and for anything strung on elastic, which degrades.

The Two Methods That Cause Damage

These appear constantly in cleansing advice and both need qualifying.

Water

Water damages a substantial list of stones, either dissolving them or degrading their surface.

Never put in water: selenite, which dissolves; malachite, which releases copper; halite; and any stone strung on elastic, since prolonged wetting degrades the cord and is the most common reason bracelets snap.

Avoid prolonged soaking: howlite, turquoise, lapis lazuli, moonstone, pyrite and any porous or soft material.

Generally fine with brief rinsing: the quartz family, including clear quartz, rose quartz, amethyst and citrine, along with agate and jasper.

Even for the safe ones, a brief rinse and immediate drying is the sensible approach rather than soaking.

Sunlight

Sunlight fades coloured stones permanently, and the damage is not reversible.

Fades in sunlight: amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, fluorite, aquamarine, celestite and smoky quartz.

Tolerates sunlight: clear quartz, tiger eye, carnelian, jasper and agate, though there is no real advantage to using it.

Because so many of the popular stones are in the first list, the practical advice is simply to avoid sunlight as a cleansing method and to keep coloured stones off sunny windowsills generally.

How Often

Monthly is a reasonable default for a piece worn daily.

Cleanse sooner after illness in the household, after a difficult period, after heavy travel, after anyone else has handled the piece for a while, and always before first wearing something new.

Black tourmaline and black obsidian specifically benefit from more frequent cleansing, because the tradition describes them as absorbing rather than deflecting. Our black tourmaline guide covers this.

Traditional practice also holds that a stone which cracks or breaks has taken as much as it can, and should be retired respectfully rather than discarded, usually returned to soil.

Charging After Cleansing

Once cleared, many practitioners set an intention: hold the stone, be specific about what you are working on, and put it on.

Charging methods overlap with cleansing ones. Moonlight, selenite and sound all serve both. Some traditions recommend charging on the weekday associated with the stone’s ruling planet, Monday for moonstone, Friday for rose quartz, Saturday for black tourmaline.

None of this requires equipment. The intention is the substance of it.

Everyday Care

Beyond cleansing, ordinary care extends the life of a piece considerably.

Remove bracelets for bathing, swimming and sleeping, since soap and water are what degrade elastic. Store pieces separately rather than loose together, as softer stones scratch against harder ones. Put jewellery on after perfume and lotion rather than before. And do not stretch a bracelet over your hand by pulling on the cord; roll it on instead, which is what breaks most of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should crystals be cleansed?

Monthly is a reasonable default for a piece worn daily, and sooner after illness in the household, a difficult period, heavy travel, or if someone else has handled it. Always cleanse a new piece before wearing it. Black tourmaline and black obsidian benefit from more frequent cleansing.

What is the selenite plate for?

Selenite is traditionally described as the one stone that does not require cleansing itself, which allows it to clear others. Rest your bracelet or stones on the plate overnight and they are ready by morning. It is safe for every stone and requires no full moon.

Can crystals be cleansed in water?

Only some. Selenite dissolves, malachite releases copper, and any stone strung on elastic will have its cord degraded, which is the most common reason bracelets snap. Howlite, turquoise, lapis, moonstone and pyrite should not be soaked. The quartz family tolerates a brief rinse, but drying immediately is important.

Which crystals fade in sunlight?

Amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, fluorite, aquamarine, celestite and smoky quartz all fade permanently in prolonged sunlight. Because so many popular stones are affected, sunlight is best avoided as a cleansing method entirely.

Can salt be used to cleanse crystals?

Dry rice is safer. Dry salt scratches softer stones and damp salt corrodes metal fittings and porous material. If you use salt, keep it dry and keep it away from anything with a clasp.

What should I do if my crystal bracelet breaks?

Traditional practice holds that a stone which cracks or breaks has taken as much as it can and should be retired respectfully, usually returned to soil rather than discarded. A snapped elastic cord is a different matter and simply needs restringing.

The Plate in the Box

If you have bought a bracelet from us, the small rough white stone that came with it is raw selenite, and it is the entire cleansing routine. Rest the bracelet on it overnight once a month. That is all that is required.

Our crystal bracelet collection includes one with every piece, and our crystal identification guide covers how to check what you are buying in the first place.

Spiritual practices described here are based on traditional beliefs and vary by tradition. Care guidance regarding water, sunlight and handling reflects the physical properties of the stones concerned.