Tips on how to Safely Clean your Crystals

I might be biased but crystals make the most stunning home decor...polished, raw, big or small, they always look their happiest styled up in any room of your home and not to mention all that good energy that they bring! But what do you do when that layer of dust starts to settle and your once sparkly babes start looking a little bit sad and dull? 

"What can I clean it with?", "What cloth should I use?", "Do I need/can you use any detergent?" and "What about all those little cracks and crevices on raw pieces?!"  these are just some of the questions I get asked frequently around crystal cleaning and for good reason too, some crystals you cannot get wet and some are just so delicate that taking a cloth to them is nerve wracking to say the least! 

I have been cleaning crystals for years and I like to think I have made all the mistakes under the sun so you don't have too! which is why I decided to write this post with all of my favourite tips and tricks to keep your beautiful pieces sparkling year round without any casualties.

Let’s be honest it can be a painful task having to gather all your crystals up from around the house just to clean them but a home always feel so good afterwards.. the energy feels brighter, lighter and happier once it is done. For me it's become a once a month ritual and I love to time it with the new moon so once I have cleaned them, I can place each one on my windowsill to bask under the moon overnight, that way they are always clean and charged ready for the month ahead. 

So let’s get into it...

First up you need to know which crystals can be placed in water and which cannot, for example some of the common crystals that you do not want to get wet are Selenite, Malachite, Fluorite and Kyanite as these crystals will either dissolve or could release toxic chemicals (eg Malachite!) after contact with water, you may also notice that a majority of the time their name will end in "ite". My best advice is to be absolutely on the safe side and do some research first. The best way to tell if a crystal can be placed in water is to search the Mohs hardness scale of your crystal (you can find the Moh's hardness scale through our Crystal Healing Library here), scientists advise that any crystal with a Moh's hardness rating below 5.0 should not be placed in water.

Because of this I have two cleaning options below for you depending on if your crystal is water safe or not. Now its time to get into bringing all that beautiful sparkle back... 

Water Safe Crystals

1. First up I grab my fluffy towel (or blanket), the washing basket and walk around the house placing each crystal in the basket ensuring I use bits of the blanket to separate them (to avoid them banging against each other and causing damage). Once the basket is full I will take them to the sink and place them gently on the bench, then I repeat this step until all my crystals are collected organising them into easy to clean first and the more difficult/delicate pieces last. 

2. Now the most important step - place a hand towel in the bottom of your sink, (trust me on this one..its a painful memory but from a devastating experience I can confirm that dropping a wet crystal can damage both your crystal and sink) Then I will place another towel to the other side of the sink where you will place your crystals once cleaned to air dry.

3. Turn the tap on to lukewarm (where possible try to use filtered water) and gently  hold your crystal under running water for a minute or two, if your crystal is polished and sturdy then you can gently use a cloth (anything extra soft works well) if your crystal is particularly fragile then I do not recommend using a cloth and you will just want to ensure the flow of water is at its absolute minimum. This step should be enough to clean away any built up dust. Repeat with each crystal until done.

4. Once cleaned place on your towel to air dry.

I have seen advice that you can use a mild detergent however I would recommend against the use of any detergents or chemicals as they could cause damage. Even if it is minimal to begin with over time it could shorten your crystals life.

Dry Cleaning - Non Water Safe Crystals

This is something I try to keep on top of weekly for all of my crystals whether they are water safe or not. For water safe crystals this method will mean that when you do give them a proper clean it will be much easier. 

Brush

This method is imperative if you want your non-water safe crystals to continue looking their best, and to make life easier look no further than the simple makeup brush!

A makeup brush is the perfect way to repurpose any old brushes you might have lying around and it is the perfect tool for getting into those cracks and crevices within clusters and geodes.

1. To dust, simply use a large or small (depending on your crystal size), clean make up brush. I recommend using a firmer foundation brush for your more sturdy crystals and a super soft, delicate eye brush for more fragile pieces.

2. Simply dust each crystal gently until all dust is removed. 

Cloth

If your crystals are looking dull and lacking their usual sparkle and shine even after a brush dusting, then you can use a good quality glasses cleaning cloth or laptop screen cloth (I would absolutely avoid a microfibre cloth). 

I would only recommend this method for sturdier crystals, for example larger geodes, clusters or polished pieces. Also remember to be careful with the points on the outside of a raw cluster as these can become loose if handled or pressed too hard.

1. First ensure the cloth is free of any chemicals and is completely dry. 

2. Carefully use the cloth to buff the surface of your crystals until you see the shine return. 

Air

Another option is to use compressed air for larger crystals (the kind that is used to clean keyboards and other office equipment) but please use extreme caution in doing so as you do not have as much control over it and it could cause damage to the crystal, however I did want to mention this option as it is a good way to remove dust from large robust Geodes and/or Caves that are hard to get into with a brush. You can find compressed air for sale in cans at any local computer or hardware store.

The longer dust is allowed to build up the harder it becomes to remove, so keeping on top of dusting regularly will certainly minimise any damage to your crystals and time spent cleaning in the long run.

Crystal collections are an absolute investment in yourself and your home environment, keeping them sparkling helps to keep the good vibes flowing! I really do hope this post has helped you find some tips the next time you spring clean your collection.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or I would love to know your tips or tricks for cleaning crystals!