Crystal Photos

Great question! I am often asked how to physical remove dust, dirt and such off of crystals to keep them at their best. Crystals definitely do need to be cleaned on occasion. No one wants to accumulate dust and other floating particulates, right? There are several ways to accomplish this. Please read carefully.

First, you will need to be aware of what may damage the crystal. For instance, some crystals can disentegrate or break apart if placed in water or under the faucet. Others are very soft and would not want to be cleaned with a hard brush. Crystals in a soft matrix will need special care as well.

My favorite cleaning method for quartz crystals (not in matrix) is a dab of very gentle dish soap and a soft bristled toothbrush. Run the toothbrush under tepid water (not hot and not cold) put a dab of dish soap on the brush and gentle move the brush over the quartz crystal. Quartz (as well as quite a few other crystals) can be scratched, so take care not to put too much pressure on the toothbrush. Rinse in tepid water and lay out to air dry.

Many rough crystals can take this type of cleaning as well. I have an extensive collection of raw Labradorite pieces. This method works nicely. Softer crystals like Celestite, Halite, Calcite, and Selenite will scratch and/or break apart, so take care not to use the above method.

Air in a can (like the type sold to clean out the dust from your computer) is a great help many times. Again, not recommended for softer crystals. Simply use short bursts of air to remove the dust from your crystals. You may want to follow up with a soft make up brush to remove any excess dust/dirt from the cracks and crevices. If you have a very large quartz cluster that is hard to move in order to clean, this may work well for you.

Speaking of make up brushes:) These can be purchased with very soft bristles and are a really good way to brush off dirt and dust.

Have adhesive residue on your crystal? Many times price tags or identification tags are removed leaving a sticky residue behind. Using the dish soap method can also help to remove any glue or areas where price/identification tags used to be. It is safe and will not remove the finish of the crystal. Other sticky tag residue can be removed by WD-40, Goo Gone, or yes, even peanut butter!

Peanut butter has been used for decades to remove gum from the hair, so it makes sense that it will do the same to remove adhesives. Again, make sure your crystal does not have any type of finish, as these methods may remove it.

Finish? yes, many crystals, like Lapis, in their raw state are absorbant. Once polished or shaped/polished, a waxy finish may be applied to keep the crystal shiny and protected. I have had Labradorite and other pieces that appear to have been sprayed with a clear laquer. You may want to try one of the above cleaning methods on the underside of the polished piece to make sure it will not remove any of the finish.

There are several pieces that are, in their natural state, very soft. However, once polished and "coated" they may take an alternate cleaning method. For instance, Jet, in its natural state is very soft (1.5-2). If it is polished and a protective polish/wax is applied, you could apply a small dab of mild dish soap and rub around with your fingers, then rinse.

Don't want to take the chance? Then you can purchase a jewelry cloth or soft cloth and simply wipe the dust off. Other soft stones include Sulfur, Seraphinite, Fuchsite, Lepidolite, and Covellite.

One other bit of information you may want to be aware of. Many times, when softer stones are polished or tumbled, very fine mineral dust may get packed into cracks and crevices. Chrysocolla is a very good example of this. Since it is a softer material, it may have a polishing compound applied during finishing. The compound may not fill the deeper, minute crevices. When you run Chrysocolla under water, the water may turn blue or blue/green. This does not mean the piece is dyed, not at all! What this does mean is that the water has dislodged some of this fine dust which turns the water.

If you have any favorite cleaning methods or have questions on a specific crystal and how to clean it, feel free to email.

with love and crystal blessings,

Kristi

Hi, my name is Katerinne. I have a collection of rocks and crystals. I was wodering how do you clean them on a full moon?

Hello Katerinne. Thank you for your question! To clean your crystals in a full moon is an easy process. You simply lay them in the direct path of the full moon's light. The light from the full moon will remove all dense energies and recharge the crystals. If it is too cold, you can place the crystals on a windowsill inside the home where the full moon light can come through the window and embrace your crystals.

During the spring and summer, I follow a ritual of sorts. I lay all of my crystals outside on a table (my yard is enclosed, so no one will walk off with my crystals) right before sunset. I leave them out all night. In the morning, I wash them with a mist of water and then allow them to sit in the sun to dry. All in all, about 12 hours. Do what you are led to do. You will find that you will be guided to the best spot :)

with love and crystal blessings,

Kristi

I usually don't order crystals through the mail, but the store I get them at doesn't sell all crystals nor do they have a great selection. My question is that I thought that when you purchase a crystal, you are supposed to feel them out and let that particular crystal chose you. What's your take on this? Excellent question! (Thank you for asking)

While it is true that the optimum way to choose a crystal is through visual and physical contact, as you have pointed out, that is not always possible. Many folks do not have crystal shops in their area, or like you, may have a crystal shop with a very limited selection. With the explosion of Internet stores, there are literally hundreds of "Crystal Shops" that sell crystals online.

There are ways to "let the crystal choose you" using the Internet and your intuition. When not holding the stone, you will need specific information to make an informed choice. Here are my suggestions:

Photos--many times, you can energetically choose a crystal by the photograph. That internal response you get when you see the crystal picture is a type of intuition.

1) The photos on the site should be neat and clean. It is always best if they have the stone or specimen measured with a ruler so you can see the actual size. The specimen should be placed at the 0" mark to show actual size, not just sitting on a ruler indescriminantly.

2) The online store should also have actual description information. Actual size, Location, weight. The color on the crystal should be as close to the actual color as possible.

3) The online store should state whether the picture you see is the actual piece you will be receiving, or whether it is "similar to" the picture you are viewing.

Crystal Information--The actual descriptive information also carries an energy signature of its own. Pay close attention to any physical reaction when reading the information provided.

4) If man made or lab enhanced, the store should state this clearly within the product information. There are so many fakes and forgeries out there, it is really good to do a little research yourself, or find someone who is familiar with crystals to research a bit for you. (This is one of the things I do as a personal crystal care giver.)

5) Information that includes how the stone can assist is not necessary, but can be helpful.

6) Pricing- take the time to compare prices with a few different crystal sites. Some stores are outrageous, marking up their goods 400 to 500%.

7) Grading- I feel that all crystal sites should include the grade of stone so that you can truly understand what it is that you are receiving. AA Grade is very high grade material, A Grade is high grade material (also called "Extra"), B grade may have more inclusions, mists, veils, milky appearance, less actual mineral content, etc.

8) Beware of the overuse of the word "Rare!" and extremely high pricing. Many times, sellers will use the word RARE to pull the buyer in to thinking it is a rare piece when in actuality, it is not.

Energy --It is not always necessary to hold the crystal to feel its energy. Your intuition guides you in other ways when shopping online. When relying on pictures, it can be something as simple as "Ohh, pretty!" or you feel a reaction physically. I think this is the best indication of feeling energy when the crystal itself is not present. Personally, I have been known to put my hand on the picture to see what I "feel".

If you are not totally sure, email the store. If they are a good store, they will take the time to tell you how the energy feels to them or answer any questions you have.

For me, the trick is to find a store with integrity, good value, and quality crystals. Sometimes, that means trial and error. Other times, you find an amazing shop online right away. Ask your friends for recommendations on what shops they frequent. Read the customer comments on various online crystal store websites. Compare prices and quality. I think the most important thing when utilizing "Non physical" shopping is to pay attention to what you feel. You will find that the energy still comes through loud and clear.

I hope this has been helpful!

with love and crystal blessings,

Kristi

I purchased a Hematite Ring recently and was dismayed when it broke shortly after. Someone told me that I must have lots of energy to make the ring break like that! What do you think?

Everyone, at one time or another, has purchased an inexpensive (OK cheap at $1.00 to $1.99 a pop) Hematite Ring. It is a perfect grounding stone that you can wear on your finger or a necklace. It touches your skin, directly applying the energy of the Hematite to your energy field. Perfect! Right?

Perfect until it breaks. And for many folks, this is exactly what occurs. But why does it occur? Are the wearers supercharged with energy somehow ? Well, yes...and no...and maybe :)

Just like many of the stabilized stones I have written about in the past, Hematite Rings also fall into this category. The Hematite used for rings and some stabilized tumbles are usually fine-grained material off of more massive specimens. These powders are put into a stabilizing solution, heated up and cooled forming blocks of material perfect for slabs, tumbles and yes, you guessed it, Rings. Due to the stabilizing solution, these Rings are not 100% Hematite.

Our bodies generate heat and cold due to a variety of factors. Many folks "run hot". In other words, their body temperatures stay on the warm side. Other folks may find they have cold hands all the time. The temperature of our bodies will affect the ring itself. This thin band of Hematite will draw heat to it (or cold). This softens the material and eventually, it will break. The same for cold. If it is warm around you, but your hands are quite cold, the change in temperatures (heat expands, cold contracts) will make the material more brittle, and again, it will break. So there is a reasonable, logical and somewhat scientific explanation.

I know when I first purchased a Hematite ring many, many years ago. Just getting started in this new crystal endeavor I had undertaken. I purchased a ring at a gem show that morning. By the afternoon, it had broken in two pieces. I ran to the vendor to ask why. She told me that I must have some really powerful energy! Boy, I puffed up like a peacock! I mean, imagine, ME, having powerful energy!!! My fall from "powerful energy grace" was swift. I was offered another explanation by a gentle, kind soul. I simply ran hot. She went on to explain to me for the first time, what I have shared with you above.

Now, do not get upset just yet :) Because as I have grown in this field and have notched a few learning curves on my crystal belt, I have discovered that one explanation is not all that different than the other. We are all source energy, right? And energy produces heat. So......

For instance--When you do Reiki, or Crystal Healing, or some other form of energy work, does your body not heat up? I have heard time and time again how this has occurred. Do you tend to take on the energy of others without being conscious of it? Any excess energy (an infusion of energy from source, or others, that is in addition to your own, unique, energy vibration) will metaphysically "heat up" your body. So this too, could soften the material Hematite and cause it to break.

One thing is certain, no matter what explanation you are drawn to--Heat expands and in this case will soften a Hematite Ring causing it to break and cold will contract causing the material to become brittle and break. Either way, they are only a buck or two, so stock up :)

Great question! Hope this clears things up a little :)

with love and crystal blessings,

Kristi

I am brand new to the world of crystals. The books guide me in one direction, my friends tell me what they think I should have, the shop keep gives me her two cents worth. How do I know what is right for me??

Being new to anything can be lots of fun for sure! And I am sure all of your friends have advice to give because they are excited for you too :) Just take it at your own pace. Don't try to learn everything in one day and have fun with it!

When I first began working with crystals over a decade ago, I did what pretty much everyone does. I purchased the most highly recommended books, read each entry and wrote down all of the stones I thought would benefit me. The list was, of course, HUGE. Once I was able to understand my energy vibration and listen to my intuition, that is no longer necessary.

Each person resonates at their own unique energy frequency and are naturally drawn to certain stones based on where they are at that particular moment in time. For instance, while one may be strongly drawn to Kyanite, another may feel nothing. While both may want to use Kyanite to assist in meditation, reaching their highest guides, working on throat chakra issues, etc., it may not resonate for both. I truly believe that tuning in and really listening to ones intuition assists that person in making the absolute correct choice for him or herself at that time.

So what is tuning into your intuition? My suggestion would be to walk around your favorite crystal shop simply browsing, seeing what catches your eye. When you see a piece that you are drawn to or pulled towards, pick it up and hold it for a bit. Tune in to what you feel. THEN, if you need the validation, go to a book and check out the metaphysical properties. Chances are it will be exactly what you were looking for.

with love and crystal blessings,

Kristi