Working with Water and Crystals

We know cleansing your crystals in a natural body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean, is a beautiful way to expel negative energies that may have been absorbed by them. 

Don’t have a body of water in nature nearby? A bit of running water or Epsom salt in a bowl of water will do the trick! 24-48 hours gently nestled in the bowl of saltwater will leave your crystals with fresh, pure, clean energy and ready for use in 2022.

But there’s something many of us don’t know about using water as our cleansing method of choice when it comes to our favorite gemstones.

Water and crystals aren’t always a good idea! Certain crystals can break down, crack, and be destroyed when exposed to water, even with the best of intentions. 

How do you know which crystals can go in saltwater and which ones can’t? By using what’s called the Moh’s scale. This is a scale of 1-10 (with one being the softest and ten being the hardest) that measures a crystal’s density, composition, hardness, and porousness. 

A general rule of thumb is this: you should only water cleanse crystals and stones that fall at a six or above on the Moh’s scale. 

The good news is: the internet is brimming with information that can help you make the right decisions when it comes to cleansing your stones! A quick search will reveal a stone’s Moh’s rating and give you a good idea as to whether it can be cleansed in water.

We’re also going to give you a full rundown so you don’t have to worry about damaging any of your favorite stones, plus we’ll offer an alternative for those crystals you want to cleanse that can’t get wet!

Water Safe Crystals

The easiest mineral family to remember that falls into the water safe category is the quartz family. Quartz crystals can be easily cleansed in pure water (lakes, rivers, or under a faucet) or in saltwater without becoming damaged due to their hardness level and low level of porousness.

This includes Clear Quartz, Rose Quartz, Smokey Quartz, and the less popular Rutilated Quartz. 

Some additional popular, water safe crystals include Amethyst and Citrine, two of the crystal community’s most beloved. Known for bringing us peace and joy, these crystals work hard at absorbing negative energy and transforming it into positive energy and should be cleansed often. 

Agate, Moonstone, Jasper, Tiger’s Eye, and Aventurine are a few more gemstones that are safe to cleanse in pure water or saltwater, especially in their polished or tumbled form. These crystals each have unique properties and promote different energies, but they all have one thing in common: the more often they’re cleansed, the better they can surround you with their powerful energy. 

Stunning Carnelian is safe to cleanse of negative energy using pure forms of water, such as in a river or lake, running the stone under a faucet, or even placing it in a bath with you (with no Epsom salt!). Carnelian is one crystal that is not safe for saltwater and cleansing in this way should be avoided for the health of the stone. Remember, only pure water for this guy!

Black Obsidian, another extremely popular crystal, acts as a powerful sword against negative energies. This crystal also needs to be cleansed regularly to rid itself of the negative energy it absorbs while doing its job on a daily basis, but avoid excessively hot or cold temperatures of water – as these can crack and break this crystal.

Water Unsafe Crystals

An easy rule to remember with water unsafe crystals is to be wary of using crystals that end in “ite” in water. These crystals are created from minerals with a softer density that can (and will!) dissolve in water, especially saltwater.

The following crystals are included in the water unsafe list (you’ll see why the rule of “ite” can be helpful!):

• Labradorite
• Fluorite
• Ulexite
• Selenite
• Lepidolite
• Apatite
• Apophyllite
• Halite
• Malachite
• Azurite
• Hematite
• Pyrite
• Celestite
• Kyanite
• Angelite

A few more crystals that shouldn’t get wet include Gypsum, Opal, Fire Opal, and Turquoise. Pay close attention to if you have any pieces of jewelry with these stones in the design!

It’s important to remember, these stones being unsafe when it comes to water doesn’t just mean you shouldn’t cleanse them in a water bath. It also means you should remove any jewelry pieces you wear with these stones embedded before showering, bathing, or going for a dip in a pool or at the beach.

Alternative Options

If you can’t cleanse some of your favorite crystals with saltwater, how are you supposed to cleanse them of the negative energies they absorb? We’re glad you asked! 

You’ll love this list of ways to cleanse your crystals – complete with water options and several non-water approaches that’ll get your favorite stones purified and cleansed and ready to take on the new year with you.

Don’t forget to share your favorite method for crystal cleansing with us on Instagram at @SmudgeWellness! We have a few of our own favorites, and love learning about yours, too!