Stone Cleansing Chart: Water, Sunlight, Salt, Smoke and Moonlight

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A chart for 30 common stones: what each material can withstand (water, sunlight, salt) and the cleansing methods that are safe for it.

Key points

Contents	30 common stones, with hardness, water, sunlight and salt
Methods always safe for the material	Smoke at a distance, sound, moonlight, soft dry brush
Methods to use with care	Water, prolonged sunlight, salt, soaking
Very tolerant stones	Clear quartz, garnet, black tourmaline, jasper
Stones to keep dry	Selenite, angelite, pyrite, howlite, turquoise
Status of cleansing	A symbolic practice, with no demonstrated effect on the stone

What is this chart for?

In modern lithotherapy, cleansing a stone is a symbolic gesture: you “reset” an object before using it, much as you air a room or tidy a desk. No experiment has shown that a stone “charges” or “discharges”. On the other hand, the damage to the material is very real: selenite left in water dulls, turquoise left in the sun changes tone, wet pyrite deteriorates.

This chart therefore does not tell you what tradition demands, but what the material can withstand. If a method matters to you, choose one that poses no risk to your stone. For the ritual itself, see our guide to cleansing and recharging your stones.

How to read the chart

Hardness: Mohs scale from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond). Below 7, the stone is scratched by the quartz dust present in air and sand: see the Mohs scale explained.
Water: “Yes” = rinsing in lukewarm water is possible; “Quick rinse” = a few seconds, dried at once; “Wipe only” = a cloth that is barely damp; “No” = no water at all.
Sunlight: prolonged direct light. “Moderate” = a few dozen minutes in soft morning or evening light; “Avoid” = risk of fading.
Salt: dry salt or salt water. Even for stones that tolerate it, rinse and dry, as salt crystals creep into cracks.

Hardness values vary from one source to another, and many “stones” sold commercially are rocks or treated materials. If you are unsure about yours, apply the rule for the most fragile stone it could be.

The chart

Stone	Hardness	Water	Sunlight	Salt	Good to know
Clear quartz	7	Yes	Yes	Rinse after	Quartz: the most tolerant. Only avoid thermal shocks.
Amethyst	7	Yes, brief	Avoid	Rinse after	The colour can fade in strong light.
Rose quartz	7	Yes, brief	Avoid	Rinse after	Best kept in the shade.
Citrine	7	Yes	Moderate	Rinse after	Many citrines are heated amethyst.
Smoky quartz	7	Yes	Moderate	Rinse after	Strong heat can lighten the colour.
Agate	6.5 to 7	Yes	Moderate	If untinted	A dyed agate may fade or bleed.
Carnelian	6.5 to 7	Yes	Moderate	Rinse after	Often heated or dyed: keep it in the shade.
Tiger’s eye	7	Yes	Moderate	Rinse after	Intense heat can turn the colour red.
Garnet	6.5 to 7.5	Yes	Yes	Rinse after	Robust; watch for knocks on the edges.
Black tourmaline	7 to 7.5	Yes	Yes	Rinse after	Very tolerant. A sharp knock can split it.
Black obsidian	5 to 5.5	Quick rinse	Moderate	No	It is a glass: brittle, scratches and chips easily.
Labradorite	6 to 6.5	Quick rinse	Avoid heat	No	Cleavage: vulnerable to knocks and strong heat.
Moonstone	6 to 6.5	Quick rinse	Avoid	No	Perfect cleavage; very fragile to knocks.
Amazonite	6 to 6.5	Quick rinse	Avoid	No	The colour can fade with prolonged light.
Sodalite	5.5 to 6	Quick rinse	Caution	No	White calcite veins: no acid.
Lapis lazuli	5 to 5.5	Wipe only	Avoid	No	A porous rock, often waxed; pyrite within it deteriorates.
Turquoise	5 to 6	Wipe only	No	No	Porous: sweat, creams and perfumes leave their mark.
Malachite	3.5 to 4	Wipe only	Caution	No	Copper carbonate: no acid, no dust.
Selenite	2	No	Gentle light	No	Soluble: scratched by a fingernail, dulled by water.
Angelite	3.5	No	Avoid	No	Anhydrite slowly turns into gypsum on contact with water.
Pyrite	6 to 6.5	No	Yes	No	Oxidises in damp conditions; keep it dry.
Hematite	5.5 to 6.5	Quick rinse, dry carefully	Yes	No	“Hematite” beads are sometimes a magnetic reconstituted material.
Howlite	3.5	No (or barely)	Avoid	No	Porous: the blue dye can run.
Fluorite	4	Quick rinse	No	No	Cleavage; the colours can fade in light.
Opal	5.5 to 6.5	No soaking	No	No	Contains water: heat and dryness make it crack.
Amber	2 to 2.5	Wipe only	No	No	No solvents or perfume; hot water dulls it.
Pearl	2.5 to 4.5	Wipe only	No	No	Cosmetics and sweat leave their mark; the thread wears out.
Lava stone	varies	Quick rinse	Yes	No	Porous: it holds oils and salts.
Aqua aura	7 (quartz)	Gentle rinse	Avoid	No	The surface deposit wears away; no rubbing or heat.

Methods that suit (almost) all stones

A few gestures do not touch the material at all:

Smoke from a plant or incense, held at a good distance, with a sturdy ashtray and the safety rules in the incense guide. See also cleansing a stone with smoke.
Sound of a singing bowl or a small bell, without contact: singing bowls guide.
Moonlight: a night on a windowsill or in the garden, sheltered from rain and animals. See cleansing in moonlight.
A simple gesture: a light, dry brush stroke, a clean cloth, a few breaths while holding the stone.

Water, sunlight and salt, on the other hand, are “material risk” methods. The pages on water, salt and sunlight explain how to use them with care.

Three rules to avoid mistakes

Identify first. An “amethyst” may be glass, a “turquoise” may be dyed howlite. The page real or fake stone helps you spot dyes and reconstituted materials.
Think of the whole piece. Elastic thread, glue, cotton cord, a setting in silver, brass or plate: water and salt often damage the setting before the stone. See cleaning a stone jewellery piece.
When in doubt, stay dry. Smoke, sound and moonlight cost the stone nothing.

For stones that matter a great deal to you, one gentle method, repeated, is worth more than five methods tried out of curiosity.

Frequently asked questions

Should a new stone be cleansed?

It is only a symbolic gesture, so it is up to you. A gentle wipe is enough to remove the dust from transport; then choose a method that suits the stone (see the chart).

Which method suits all stones?

Smoke held at a distance, sound and moonlight carry no risk to the material. Just follow the fire safety rules.

How often should stones be cleansed?

There is no scientific rule. Writers often suggest “once a month” or “whenever you feel the need”: it is a matter of personal ritual, not material necessity.

Can all stones be placed in salt water?

No. Salt is best suited to quartz and hard, untinted stones, followed by a rinse; it damages soft and porous stones, carbonates, sulphides and metal settings.

What should I do with a stone whose nature I do not know?

Stick to dry methods (smoke, sound, moonlight) and avoid water, salt and prolonged sunlight until you are certain.

Also read

GuideCleansing and recharging your stonesthe complete ritual of cleansing and recharging CareStones that fear waterthe detailed list of stones sensitive to water CareStones that fear the sunthose that fade in the light CareStones that fear salt and productssalt, acids and household products CareThe Mohs scale explainedunderstanding stone hardness GuideCare and safety for stonesall the care pages

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Care and safety for stones.

Photo: Yinan Chen, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

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