As with any of your possessions that you either wear or place on show somewhere in your house, your collection of crystals will accumulate dust and surface debris. However, unlike the surface of your table or TV, crystals also accumulate and absorb the vibrations of the things, thoughts, people and appliances or devices around them. Some crystals, such as Kyanite and Citrine never need to be charged and they in turn can be used to absorb and dissipate the negative vibrations of the crystals placed near to them. Other crystals, such as Green Aventurine as so efficient at “mopping up” the negative emanations of electronic devices in the atmosphere that you will need to cleanse them energetically at least once every two days. There are a variety of methods you can use to cleanse and charge and crystals, as you will see below.
Cleansing
It is important to know exactly which crystals are in your collection, and to familiarize yourself with their level of hardness, as measured on the Mohs scale. Generally speaking, the harder the crystal the more robust it will be. Hard stones, such as Diamond, Clear Quartz and Tiger’s Eye, can be safely washed in salt water. They will not sustain damage if you use a soft soap to really bring out their sparkle. Other stones, like Selenite, are more porous and delicate and they can become scratched if not handled carefully when washing or cleansing them.
Very delicate crystals should be cleansed of their surface dust and debris using only a soft cloth or brush.
Here's a quick guide for cleansing
Charging
The act of charging or programming your crystals is best described as an “energetic” cleansing. Once the stone is clean you can perform the necessary operations to clear your crystal of any negative vibrations or energies it has absorbed. This will keep your crystals at their best and they will work more efficiently for you.
Again, the method you use to charge, or replenish the energy of, your crystals will depend on their level of hardness. Some stones benefit from being left in the moonlight to recharge their vibrational frequencies. Rose Quartz, Moonstone and Opal respond well to this method.
Some crystals, especially those associated with the natural landscape, and with the growth of plants, trees and other vegetation can be buried in the earth overnight in order to recharge them. Picture Jasper, Aventurine and Tiger’s Eye can be left in the ground for several hours so that they can connect with the healing, cleansing energies of the planet.
Amethyst geodes, large clusters of Clear Quartz and Selenite slabs of towers are useful for clearing the negative vibrations from smaller stones.
Other methods of cleansing and clearing crystals include immersion in a bowl of brown rice overnight.
Remember, if you take good care of your crystals, they will be in the best possible condition to take care of you.