What crystals can go in water and salt?

Crystals possess the wonderful ability to clean our energy field from negative vibrations.

This exact characteristic reveals an important aspect which is the capacity of crystals to retain negative energies that obligate regular cleansing in order to achieve effective healing results.

There are numerous practical ways to clean your crystals and reset their healing properties to an optimum level, saltwater is one of them.

To achieve a pure energy cleansing, a saltwater bath for your crystals is just fantastic.

Saltwater has an adequate ability that draws away negative energies stored by stones, nevertheless, you have to be aware that this method is not applicable for all crystals. 

Crystals that have a low hardness score of 5 or below on the Mohs hardness scale, stones that contain metal, or those that their names end with an “ite” cannot be cleansed in salt water. These crystals can dissolve, rust, crack, lose their shine, or release toxins if they are in contact with saltwater. 

Find in this post, important and clear guidelines that help you distinguish crystals that should not be in contact with saltwater.

Plus, you will also discover other effective alternative ways to clean your crystals efficiently and to avoid any possible damages, and profit from their fresh healing powers in the most beneficial way. 

1.Crystals with a score of 5 or below on the Mohs Hardness Scale

Knowing the hardness score of your crystals is a big indicator to guide you on whether or not you should avoid cleansing your stones with saltwater.

Mohs hardness scale is an important test that identifies the hardness and scratch-resistance of various minerals, it is a 1 to 10 scale with 1 being the softest and 10 being the hardest. 

The hardness of the minerals is measured by scratching the chosen mineral against another specimen of known hardness on the Mohs hardness scale. 

To give you a visual idea the softest mineral on the scale (scoring 1) is Talc and the hardest one (scoring 10) is diamond. 

Find below a simple table illustrating a chart of Mohs hardness scale ranging from 1-10, initiating from the softest minerals, ascending to the hardest ones. 

Based on this table, here is a simple list that combines frequently used stones that score 5 or below on the Mohs hardness scale and that should not be cleansed in saltwater. 

• Selenite
• Amber
• Chrysocolla
• Coral
• Pearl
• Lepidolite
• Celestite
• Malachite
• Aragonite
• Azurite
• Fluorite
• Rhodochrosite
• Apatite
• Turquoise
• Lapis Lazuli
• Calcite (all types of Calcites stones)

Important note: Mohs scale of hardness is not the one and only key indicator of the crystals that should be kept away from saltwater, they are indeed other crucial factors that you should consider before cleansing your stones in saltwater. 

For example, there are some crystals that score higher than 5 (like Hematite or Orange Quartz) but still cannot be cleansed in saltwater, we will discover why in the following tip. 

2.Crystals that contain an iron ore

Crystals that include an iron component should absolutely be kept away from any water source including saltwater. 

When you expose your crystals that have iron ore in their composition to saltwater, your crystals will begin to show signs of rust, they will lose their shine, and they will end up looking dull and corroded.

Here is a list of crystals that has iron ore, so if you have these stones in your crystals collection or you want to expand your gem collection, always remember to avoid using saltwater as a cleansing method with these stones.

• Pyrite 
• Magnetite
• Boji Stones
• Marcasite
• Hematite 
• Goethite
• Limonite
• Hematoid Quartz
• Tangerine or Orange Quartz
• Red Jasper
• Brecciated Jasper 

Based on this list, you can notice that some crystals even though they are considered hard crystals can still be damaged when exposed to saltwater which is due to their iron composition. 

For example, Tangerine Quartz is hard crystals that scores a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale but it can be significantly damaged when it is immersed for long periods in saltwater because this type of crystals is covered with a Hematite coating. 

The same thing for Hematoid Quartz, this crystal contains Hematite, Goethite, and Limonite inclusions that represent important Iron ores. 

Japer is also considered a hard stone (6.5-7), still, it can be damaged by saltwater, particularly Red Jasper and Brecciated Jasper due to Iron inclusions.

3.Crystals that end with an “ite”

This tip can be so practical for you because it connects various crystals that end with “ite”, which makes it easier for you to quickly recall different crystals that cannot be cleansed in saltwater. 

As a role of thumb, to avoid running your stones from damages, rust, or from being broken or dissolved, it is considered that the names of crystals that generally end with an “ite” cannot be cleansed with salt water.

So, here is a list of multiple crystals that end with “ite” and cannot be cleansed in salt water.

• Calcite.
• Azurite.
• Angelite.
• Kyanite.
• Kunzite.
• Selenite.
• Pyrite.
• Hematite.
• Goethite.
• Magnetite.
• Malachite
• Apophyllite.
• Fluorite.
• Celestite.
• Labradorite.
• Rhodochrosite.

Related post: How to cleanse Kyanite? 3 safe ways.

4.Efficient cleansing alternatives to saltwater

Luckily there are many other effective and simple ways to clean crystals that are sensible towards saltwater. Cleansing methods like sage, using large quartz clusters, moonlight, sunlight, and Earth energy are great purifying techniques that will help you achieve fantastic cleansing outcomes.  

Sage

Using sage as a cleansing method is an effective way to clear the negative and undesired energies stored by your crystals. 

To begin your cleansing ritual, first, start by opening the windows to let go of the smoke generated by the sage.

Then, ignite the tip of the sage and begin to direct the smoke towards your crystals, envision that the negative energies stored by your gems are evaporating with the smoke as it arises and dissolves into the air. 

Let the smoke surround your crystals for about 30 seconds.

Big crystal clusters

Larger crystals radiate potent healing and purifying energies that can liberate smaller crystals from negative and discordant vibrations. 

Big crystal clusters such as Quartz Geode, Amethyst geode, Selenite geode, or Calcite geode are an efficient tool to purify smaller crystals from the accumulated negative energies. 

You can place small crystals inside these clusters and leave them there for a 24 hours period.

So, we can absolutely use larger crystals as an alternative cleansing tool as they have the unique ability to radiate potent healing and purifying energies that liberate smaller crystals from negative and inharmonious vibrations. 

Moonlight/Starlight

Moonlight or Starlight are wonderful cleansing natural gifts that can bring back to the crystals their original and potent healing properties.

You can place your crystals before nightfall on your windowsill (make sure to place them in a safe place to avoid any breakage or damage) and let them soak the natural light of the stars or the moon for the entire night. 

Sunlight

The natural beaming sun rays can also be a useful cleansing technique that brings new life to your crystals. 

So, to purify your crystals with sunlight, you can put them on your windowsill or directly guided towards the sunlight for few hours. 

Important note: 

This method is not suitable for stones that show vibrant colors, because long exposure to the sun can make the stone look faded and less vibrant. 

Examples of crystals that should not be exposed to the sun: Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Citrine, Smoky Quartz, Aventurine, Apatite, Calcite, and Celestite. 

Soft and easily scratchable should also be kept away from direct and long Sun exposure, for example, Selenite, Halite, and Celestite stones.

Earth

Placing your crystals directly on the Earth is such a deep cleansing method that absorbs all the attached negative vibrations.

You can put your crystals direct on earth, in your garden, or in your plants’ pot and leave it there the entire night or for 10 to 12 hours., after that, remove gently any stuck dirt or debris with a dry cloth.

Other important and frequently asked questions

Can Rose Quartz go in saltwater?

Rose Quartz is a hard crystal that scores 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, so it can be regularly cleaned in saltwater. You can leave your Rose Quartz crystal in a bowl of salt water overnight to remove the negative energies stored by the crystal. 

Can Amethyst go in saltwater?

You can use salt water as a cleansing method to purify your Amethyst crystal. Putting Amethyst overnight in saltwater works efficiently in eliminating negative vibrations from the crystal, just make sure when you lift the crystal from saltwater to pat it dry to remove any salt residue. 

Clear Quartz is a hard crystal that scores 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, so you can safely put Clear Quartz in saltwater to free your crystal from any negative and unwanted accumulated energies. 

Can Citrine go in saltwater?

The composition (no Iron component) and the hardness (7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale) make Citrine crystal a suitable stone to be cleansed in saltwater, so you can place your Citrine stone safely in salt water to cleanse it from any negative energies. 

Can Red Jasper go in saltwater?

Preferably no. Although Red Jasper is a hard stone and can be cleansed in saltwater, it is best to not use this method frequently. Saltwater may alter the outer protective layer of this stone that can leave it exposed to the saltwater mineral which can result in lowering the overall strength of the stone by stripping away its natural color and getting into its crevices.

Can Carnelian go in saltwater?

Yes, Carnelian can go in saltwater. This stone is water safe so you can cleanse it via saltwater. However keep in mind to not use this technique very frequently as it can lessen the natural shine of your Carnelian stone. You can use it once in a while if you feel that your crystal requires a deep purification.

Final thoughts

Crystal cleansing is a crucial and highly necessary method to energetically eliminate all the negative vibrations stored by your crystals.

Cleaning your stones regularly helps you receive continually and abundantly all their healing powers in the most effective and purest way possible. 

Still, not all cleansing techniques are suitable for all crystals.

Saltwater remains such a potent purifying way to eliminate the absorbed negative from crystals, however, it is not fitting for all the broad range of stones. 

When it is time to cleanse your crystals, be aware to not expose your crystals to saltwater if:

• They have a score of 5 or below on the Mohs Hardness Score.
• They contain Iron ore.
• Their appellation end with “ite” (it is considered a strong indicator of crystals that should not be cleansing with saltwater). 

Further reading

• What does it mean when my crystals get hot?

What crystals cannot go in Saltwater?