Stones · 3 min · 17 October 2026
How to Care for Your Stones: Dust, Water, Light and the Old Customs
To clean most stones, wipe them with a soft dry cloth. Quartz stones like amethyst, aventurine and clear quartz can also be rinsed in lukewarm water. Selenite and calcite cannot: they are soft and water damages them.
To clean most stones, wipe them with a soft dry cloth. Quartz stones like amethyst, aventurine and clear quartz can also be rinsed in lukewarm water. Selenite and calcite cannot: they are soft and water damages them. Here is how to care for each kind, and what the old customs around stones are.
Why stones need different care
Stones are not equally hard. Mineralogists measure hardness on the Mohs scale from 1 to 10. Quartz is 7: it shrugs off water and most knocks. Selenite is a form of gypsum and only 2: you can scratch it with a fingernail, and water slowly dissolves it. Calcite is 3 and easily etched. Knowing which stone you have is the whole secret.
Everyday care
- Dust with a soft dry cloth or a clean make-up brush.
- Rinse quartz stones (amethyst, aventurine, rose quartz, clear quartz, smoky quartz) in lukewarm water if they get grubby.
- Dry them at once with a cloth. Do not leave them soaking.
- No soap, salt or cleaning sprays. They leave a film or etch the surface.
Stones that do not like water
- Selenite: dust only. Water dissolves it and turns the silky surface dull.
- Calcite: a dry cloth. Water and anything acidic etch it.
- Pyrite: keep dry. Moisture lets it rust and crumble over time.
- Raw and porous stones: keep dry, they soak up water and dirt.
Stones that do not like the sun
Some stones fade in strong light: amethyst, rose quartz, fluorite and kunzite. Keep them out of a sunny window. A shelf in the shade or a box keeps their colour for years.
Storing your stones
Keep stones apart. A hard quartz will scratch a soft selenite if they rub together in a pouch. Small boxes, a cloth pouch for each or a dish with space between them all work. Selenite wands and plates are best kept flat, so they do not snap.
The old customs, as customs
People have always done more than dust their stones, and many still do:
- A night on the windowsill: many give their stones a moonlit night, often at the full moon. Moonlight does not fade colours, so even amethyst can stay out until morning.
- Through the smoke: some pass a stone through incense or resin smoke before they use it in a ritual.
- On a selenite plate: many keep their small stones on a selenite plate between rituals.
These are rituals, a way of giving your stones attention. We do not promise they do anything to the stone. Practically, they only ask one thing: that you look at your stones again.
Safety
- Never put selenite, calcite or pyrite in water.
- Keep small stones away from small children, they can be swallowed.
- If you pass stones through smoke, use a heat-proof dish and keep a window open.
Frequently asked questions
How do you clean crystals with water?
Only quartz stones like amethyst, aventurine and clear quartz. Rinse them in lukewarm water and dry them straight away. Never selenite, calcite or pyrite.
Can amethyst go in the sun?
Better not. Amethyst and rose quartz can fade in strong sunlight. Moonlight does them no harm.
Why is my selenite going dull?
It has met water or damp. Selenite is soft gypsum. Keep it dry and dust it with a soft brush.
How often should I clean my stones?
Whenever they look dusty, and many people do it with the new or full moon as a small ritual.
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