Caring for your crystals

First things first – do you have a general understanding of the mineral compositions of your crystals?

Friedrich Mohs created the Mohs Hardness Scale in 1812. He used ten stones that were readily available and began with the softest known mineral, talc and ended with the hardest, diamond, to test the hardness of all other stones.

Generally, this scale tells us how careful we need to be with our crystals, particularly when they come into contact with one another, or another hard surface. It is also crucial to know whether your crystals are sensitive to water.

Here’s the scale for reference:

Gypsums are on the very soft end of the scale and include crystals like selenite. Be careful to keep these stones dry and out of contact with other stones as they may scratch easily and can disintegrate. Smooth soft stones should be polished with a soft dry cloth.

The other end of the scale includes crystals such as quartz which is around 7 on the scale. Be especially careful with quartz as it can scratch your other stones if they are kept together.

Many of the common crystals we collect are between 4 and 6 on the scale and cannot be scratched easily – except by another crystal. This is why velvet pouches are so useful when travelling or carrying crystals with you. It’s best to treat all your crystals with extreme care.

How to cleanse and charge your crystals

Cleansing your crystals is very important, particularly when using them for healing. They can hold on to negative energy which builds up and can have an impact on their power.

Natural Water

Hard stones can be cleansed by using salt water – if you live by the sea and can do this on the shore even better! Natural water is just as good, collected rainwater or even tap water if you live in a dryer climate. Always ensure that your crystals can withstand water before cleansing