Care and Feeding of Quartz Crystals

Crystals are basically low-maintenance. They don't need to be fed or walked, and don't require trips to the vet. They do from time to time need to be cleaned and cleared though.

Note: Cleaning isn't the same as clearing. Whether or not your crystals often need to be cleared they will sometimes need to be cleaned just to rid them of normal dust and grime. I recommend that most times simply immersing them in water for a minute or so, then gently drying them with a soft non-abrasive towel.  If there is grease on them or a film buildup use a very mild detergent. Detergents, even organic ones, tend to leave a film on crystals. So rinse crystals well, dry them and let them sit in the sun a while if possible.

As you work with quartz crystals for healing, the crystals tend to absorb negative energy. Eventually, the crystals will become clogged with this energy and will be unable to do their job. So, to keep your crystals clear and operating at peak performance, you will need to clear them, regularly, of this built-up negativity.

How often crystals need to be cleared depends on how much you use them. If they're sitting on your desk, looking pretty (and you can get a great deal of value just from having them around) once every three months is probably sufficient, in which case they probably need to be cleaned as well to rid them of dust. Crystals you work with every day need to be cleared no less than once a month. If you do intense healing or emotional work with your crystals, then clear them after each session.  If a crystal looks cloudy or has a dull feeling it probably needs to be cleared.

The first, and most reliable, method of clearing your crystals is with natural sea salt used in dry form. (I buy a very inexpensive natural unprocessed sea salt at the local oriental grocery.) Take your crystals and place them in a jar or glass (do not use plastic or metal). If your crystals are large you may need to place them in separate glasses. Now, pour the sea salt into the glass until the dry salt surrounds the crystals; leave them like this over night. The sea-salt will pull the negativity out of the quartz crystals. In the morning, remove your crystals and discard the salt down the drain. Do not reuse the salt or use it for any kind of consumption. The salt is toxic, due to the negativity and because of its contact with quartz. This dry sea-salt method, for clearing crystals, is very effective in balancing and leaving your crystals virtually free from all negativity. This method is, probably, the single-most, general-purpose method for clearing quartz.  With quartz pendulums it is just necessary to bury the quartz part in salt, not the whole pendulum.

 The next method is similar to the method above but involves placing your crystals in a pail and filling that pail with saltwater. You should fill the crystal-filled pail with filtered or distilled water and then dissolve as much sea-salt into the water as you can. This method will require that you leave the crystals in the saltwater solution, for a couple of days, to remove all the negativity from your crystals. (The salt concentration is not as high as it is with the dry method, so the process takes longer.) As always, you should discard the water when the process is complete. The advantage to this method is that it uses the element water to assist in the clearing of the crystals. Clearing your crystals with a saltwater solution may take additional time but will leave your crystals in better shape to handle healing energy.  Note this is not a good method for clearing pendulums as it can be very corrosive to metal parts.

Some people who work with crystals feel that the salt water method is too harsh and so it may be for some minerals not near as hard as quartz.   These are the more gentle methods they recommend:

There are as many ways to clear crystals as there are days in the week. Some methods are more suited to actual intent, what the crystal is being used for.  We have covered what we consider to be effective but more generalized methods here.  Any one of these methods will function adequately for clearing your crystals. However, an even better way to keep your crystals clear might involve using a combination of methods.  We suggest you try all the methods, notice how each type of clearing makes your crystals feel and then decide for yourself which methods you want to use.