Which Crystals Cannot be Cleansed in Water?

Healing crystals, as they absorb a lot of energy, tend to become energetically ineffective over time, or can even compromise the energy of the person handling them. For these reasons, it’s extremely important to cleanse your crystals often. Yet, as important as it is, it’s even more important to understand the proper cleansing methods as certain crystals require special attention. The most common way to cleanse crystals is by utilizing natural bodies of water such as rivers, waterfalls, oceans, and even rain – but water is not safe for all crystals, as some may disintegrate or create harmful reactions. Let’s look at some crystal that cannot be cleansed in water as well as alternative methods for cleansing that you can practice instead. 

Fluorite will dissolve in water (especially salt water) and should NEVER be used to infuse drinking water. 

Selenite will revert back to gypsum and eventually dissolve if soaked in water. 

Apophyllite will fall apart when exposed to water. 

Tangerine Quartz is made of iron oxide which, when exposed to water, will dissolve and cause the crystal to fade in color.  

Gypsum will dissolve completely when exposed to water. 

Opal is typically safe in water, unless it is porous, in which case it may crack. 

Lepidolite may become damaged or color may fade if submerged in water. 

Azurite may become brittle or lose its lustre if it comes in contact with water. 

Apatite can be washed briefly, but will become damaged if left in water for long periods of time. 

Halite (much like salt) is extremely soluble and will dissolve in water.  

Malachite, as a copper mineral, should NOT be used to infuse water as it becomes poisonous.  

Turquoise, because of its porosity, will absorb water and crack over time. 

Ulexite becomes dissolved in hot water.  

Labradorite may be rinsed, but its luminosity will be affected if submerged for long periods of time.  

Celestite may be washed, but will lose some of its color if left in water for too long.  

Pyrite, because of its iron content, will rust and fade if it comes in contact with water.  

Hematite will rust or become brittle if it comes in contact with water.  

Alternative Cleansing Methods

Smudge Smoke is a great alternative to water cleansing as it provides the same benefits of removing negative energy. The most popular smudge stick to use would be Sage, but you can also use Palo Santo, Rosemary, Bay Leaves, or Basil, all of which have the same cleansing benefits, but with an added bonus of loving and lucky energy. Light the smudge stick as you would normally and waft the smoke all around your crystals, as if “bathing” them in smoke until you’re satisfied with the way the energy feels. Simple, effective, and safe. 

Sound Cleansing is a recently popular method, but has been around for centuries in many different cultures. Bells and singing bowls are effective tools for cleansing crystals that are not water-safe. As the tones reverberate throughout a space, the vibrations clear negativity and banish malicious entities. In this cleansing method, you would find a bell or singing bowl that has a tone you resonate with to balance your energetic frequencies. Ring the bell gently a few times or play the singing bowl until you can feel the energy in your space become light and less chaotic. Sound cleansing can be done as often as you’d like. 

Moonlight is a powerful cosmic cleanser that has quite positive effects on us as well as our crystals. Each moon phase brings different energies, but the full moon is best known for its ability to release and relinquish anything you no longer want to hold on to. In the same way you would charge your moonwater, set your crystals out on a windowsill or any surface where the moonlight can touch it, leaving it out overnight or for a few days. This will remove any stagnant or negative energy built up in your crystal. 

Selenite, as mentioned above, is a water-sensitive crystal, but it’s also a cleansing crystal. It is one of the only two crystals that has the ability to cleanse and charge other crystals as well as itself. Keeping your crystals on a selenite plate ensures that they are constantly cleansed of any negative energy, but you can simply touch a crystal with a piece of selenite to purify its energy. Selenite doesn’t require much cleansing, but when it does, you can use any of the mentioned non-water cleansing methods.