How to Cleanse a Rose Quartz

Cleansing crystals before using them in rituals and healing activities is important to the integrity of the crystal and is necessary to remove negative energies from the stones. There are almost as many methods for cleansing stones as there are crystals to be cleansed, with different processes that are more suited to different stones. While some crystals may be too sensitive for salt water baths, others may not respond well to being buried in mud. For rose quartz, there are a variety of methods that will safely cleanse the crystal.

Choose a cleansing method. For any of the washing methods, determine if you will use running water from a river or stream, if you’ll collect rainwater or ocean water, if you will allow the crystal to sit outside in the rain, or if you will simply use water from the tap. You must also decide if you will use fresh water or salt water.

If bathing the crystal in a river or stream, you may want to use a small net or another device to be sure you don’t lose the crystal in the current. You can also press the crystal lightly into the mud of the riverbed, but be careful that it cannot be dislodged and washed away.

Use a bowl, jar or other vessel to collect rain water or to mix warm salt water to bathe the crystal. You can also rest the crystal on a tray or plate in your yard to let rain water wash over it. Use sea salt to make a saltwater solution to bathe the crystal, or simply use cold water.

Soak the crystal in the water of your choosing, avoiding metal vessels. If you soak the rose quartz in cold water you can leave it for up to three days. For salt water, only leave it overnight. With both methods, visualize the negative energies being soaked out of the crystal and into the water (this is why you should use fresh water with each crystal you cleanse). When soaking and cleansing a rose quartz or other crystal in running water, visualize the current whisking away the negative energies trapped within the stone.

Choose either a sage smudge or incense sticks to cleanse the crystal with smoke. If using sage, white sage is sometimes preferred but is not necessarily superior. Likewise, while sandalwood or cedar incense is sometimes preferred, it is not superior to another type of incense like patchouli or frankincense.

Gather the incense or sage smudge and the crystal or crystals you wish to clean. Find a quiet and meditative space, or use the space where you most often use your healing crystals.

Light the incense or sage smudge and allow the smoke to billow and curl around the crystal. Make sure the smoke is able to touch each side or face of the crystal. Healing-Arts.co.uk says "it will seem as though the smoke 'sticks' to the crystal and then passes freely around it - this is when you know it is clean."

Use sunlight or moonlight to cleanse your crystal. You can leave the rose quartz in direct sunlight for up to four hours, or rest it in moonlight (preferably when the moon is waning) overnight. If using moonlight, avoid windowsills that will then expose the quartz to morning light.

Wrap the crystal in a piece of clean cloth and bury it in mud, either in a garden or in a flower pot. You can leave the crystal in either location for up to several days, but be careful not to forget where you buried it. This method does not work as well if you have raccoons or other foraging creatures in your area.

Cleanse the crystal with your breath. Hold the rose quartz near your mouth, and exhale onto each side or face of the crystal. As you do so, imagine that you are blowing away negative energies.