Outside Method:
Place in Sunlight (see Sunlight Chart below), Moonlight or Rain (see Water Method) for up to a day. Placing the stone on or near a plant often quickens the process.
Crystal Method:
If small, can place on a Quartz or Amethyst cluster
(This is a great way to clean necklaces! Cluster should be dedicated to this purpose with a clear intent. Clean cluster every month or two in rain or sunlight if possible.) An Amethyst Geode works great for this too!
Sage Tea Method:
hathor@primeline.com uses sage tea to cleanse hers. She has found this to be very effective with less possibility of damaging them. Since there are many crows and other such birds who love bright shiny objects where she lives she found out the hard way that setting them outside to wash in the rain and bask in the sun (or under moonlight) was not going to work for her.
Take some sage (fresh is always better but not mandatory) and brew a pot of light tea and allow it to cool. Place your crystals in a bowl (She uses glass) and pour the cooled tea over them. She leaves hers in the sage overnight. Then remove them and rinse with clean and pure water. Since there are chemicals in most water systems you may wish to buy a gallon of distilled water at the store for under $1.00.
If you can safely place them outside for nature to cleanse that is perfect, though you'll need to be able to distinguish which stones cleanse best by moonlight and which are more solar.
Smudge method:
pass stones through the smoke of a scented incense such as sweetgrass, frankincense, sage or Dragon's Blood or passing them through a candle flame.
place stones under alternating hot & cold running water for 5 minutes (or in the rain for many hours). I place stones in a plastic strainer and then alternate the hot and cold running water from the sink. It is good to have a water filter on your tap to filter out some of the chemicals if possible.
This is quick and easy but there are drawbacks: some stones loose their coatings when they get wet such as Lapis, Malachite and Sodalite. They often are stronger after this is done -- but they may get damaged faster. Cleaning these stones in the sun or moonlight works fine. [Stones really really like the rain. It cleans them much better than the sink method if the weather is cooperating.]
Homeopathic method:
Some homeopathic solutions seem to clean gemstones as well. I've successfully used NET (alcohol-free) homeopathics to clean stones. Other alcohol-free brands may work as well.
Sea salt method:
use about 1 cup of sea salt to 2 cups natural spring water. I place my stones in the salt, and let them soak for the better part of the day. If the day is sunny, I try to let them dry in the sunshine for a few hours, or if there are lunar stones, to lay in the moonlight on a windowsill through the night.
Sand method:
when all else fails... or you are having a hard time cleaning something,
bury it in moist sand (or soil). No wrappings. Beware, polish is often
removed doing this method. However, it will get something clean.
| Aventurine: | translucent types often loose color |
| Amethyst: | becomes paler |
| Apatite: | pink variety fades |
| Aquamarine: | becomes paler |
| Beryl: | brown or orange types may change to pale pink |
| Citrine: | may change color |
| Fluorite: | green and purple types change color |
| Rose Quartz: | becomes paler |
| Smokey Quartz: | becomes paler |
| Kunzite: | becomes pale or loses color |
| Sapphire: | is much happier in moonlight |
Irradiation:
This is the worst treatment used. Gemstones are dead once they are irradiated. It is *very* common to irradiate Aquamarine, Topaz, Emerald, and Diamond as well as other stones. This treatment brings out color and removes imperfections. Some dealers don't even know if they are selling irradiated stones. Honest ones will tell you. If you can feel energy from gemstones -- it will be either very scattered or dead when a gemstone is irradiated.
Dye:
This is the most common treatment used. On clear stones, one will often see the cracks being darker than the rest of the stone. On others, sometimes there is a residue that rubs off -- or white patches. Almost all Lapis and Rose Quartz are dyed. Amethyst and Citrine are often dyed. Dyed stones are much weaker with the following exception: Black Onyx is dyed in normal processing.
Coatings:
Jasper is often dipped in petroleum products to bring out color and to seal it. Unfortunately, this makes it weaker. Sometimes you can tell by smell. Energetically, it feels dampened.
Fake stones:
Some places will try passing off fake stones instead of natural ones.
There are fake stones for most gemstones on the market. Always ask what
stone something is if you are not certain. Honest dealers will tell you.
If a stone looks too perfect it may be fake, irradiated or dyed. I avoid
laboratory products (also known as synthetics).
is it good color, good clarity and desired shape?
Quality of cut:
are there chips, dents, and imperfections in the stone? For beads, Are stones the same size and shape?
Quality of drilling:
if buying beads, how big of hole is there?
Length of strand:
if buying unstrung beads, be certain your strand is a full 16 inches.
Going to Gem & Jewelry Shows exposes you to lots of gemstones. You can compare several and get educated by many dealers. To find the show nearest you, go to Gemstone and Jewelry Shows.
(For suggestions, questions or comments, please send them to lorraine@gems4friends.com)