There are so many ways in which folks cleanse their crystals. Information is passed on from one website to a book, to another website or You Tube videos and so on. I’ve come to realize that it is truly a personal preference how one wishes to rid them themselves, their space, or even crystals, of unwanted energies. I don’t feel there is a right way or wrong way, although some ways can physically damage your beautiful crystal friends.
Cleansing and re-tuning crystals is an important part of working with crystals but it doesn't have to be a huge ordeal. Crystals are much more stable than we are and in my belief, need much less fussing over than we may think. I am often asked when and how often do I cleanse my crystals? My feeling is that it's a personal choice! You really have to trust yourself. But it is a good practice to give your sparklies a cleanse or re-tune when you bring them home. Other times may include when a sparkly is dropped or breaks, after highly emotional episodes, extreme meditations, or is used on other people besides yourself. Sometimes you just feel you should do it.
Some common ways include: sound, sunlight (caution: some crystals will fade in sunlight), moonlight, salt (not a great idea for most crystals), burying the crystal, water, and of course sage or smudging. Others love the moon. It's a preference thing. To delve into this topic further, please scroll down for all the juicy information.
Sound
My number one favorite method for cleansing crystals is sound. I originally learned this from Hibiscus Moon of the Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy. She refers to cleansing as “re-tuning”. It’s like re-tuning a guitar or piano that has been played a lot and got knocked out of balance or out of tune. This makes total sense to me! Please watch her video to learn more.
It is my experience that I can literally feel the sound clearing or charging the crystal. It can be very intense at times but I just know it's working! Crystal singing bowls and tuning forks are spectacular tools that can be used to re-tune, cleanse, or charge your crystals. I do sometimes use tingshas but I'm not fully convinced that they have as much of an impact. In terms of which crystal bowls or tuning forks you should use, I will confess that I am not an expert. It is my feeling, however that you can use any kind of bowl (size or note) or any kind of tuning fork, to re-tune crystals. Point being, they are expensive so don't overly fixate on having one of each note, unless you are really feeling inclined to do so. I have one tibetan bowl, one frosted throat chakra crystal singing bowl, one set of tingshas and one tuning fork. I don't feel I need anything more. Check out these great videos on retuning crystals with sound. Doesn't it "sound" amazing?
Smudging
Simply stated, smudging is a ceremonial method of burning various herbs and resins to clear away unwanted energies. Many use sage, sweetgrass, lavender, palo santo wood, frankincense, myrrh, copal, or cedar (to name a few). Intention is very important and it is recommended that you open a window to let the "negative" go OUT. You can direct the negative or unwanted energies to go out the window or with your mind’s eye, create a black hole and direct the “negative” energy to go there.
I like to smudge crystals while I’m playing my crystal singing bowl, or right before. My Kimtuition tells me that I am covering various energetic bases. I have no science to back this up or proof, but I just like combining smudging and sound. I can't always light sage or herbs so I enjoy diffusing sage or palo santo essential oils. I feel like this method physically and energetically cleanses and re-tunes my sparklies.
Here's how I smudge a group of crystals at one time!
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smudging products.
Salt Soak
Some crystals do fine soaking in water with sea salt while others can disintegrate or rust. You do not want to soak any mineral or crystal that has a MOHs hardness of under 5, or any that have lead or other metals. When in doubt, go without! Sometimes I will simply pour some sea salt over the crystals without using water but I rarely soak my crystals in salt water these days. Sometimes I feel an urge to soak some of of my small clear Quartz points in salt water but I can't even recall the last time I did that. A dip in the salty ocean water is another way to do the salt soak, but again, you really have to know which crystals will survive the dunk.
Sun and Moon
A very popular method of cleansing crystals is moonlight, while some prefer the sun. I personally do not place my crystals out with the moonlight. I truly don't feel called to do so. But many enjoy this practice. You can bring them outside to capture the energies or place on a window sill. A little trick is to open your window, place on windowsill, and close the inside window. This is great for those who can't or don't want to place crystals outside. Be careful of rain and cold temperatures though.
In terms of the sun, I am a sun gal myself. I don't feel crystals are necessarily cleansed by the sun. I feel it's more of a charge or boost of energy. I love putting my Clear Quartz in the sun and many other crystals I'll place in the in-direct sunlight. It's important to note that some crystals may fade in direct sunlight and also Quartz near windows with direct sun, could be a potential fire hazard.
Other Methods
As I stated above, there are many methods to cleanse and re-tune crystals. I have noted some of the most popular above. Other methods can include: burying in the ground, running water, using other crystals to cleanse (mainly Selenite/Satin Spar), placing in a bowl of rice or flowers, and so on. I often remove my crystal bracelets and lay them on top of my Selenite lamps for a little refreshing. I have also brought a few sparklies to a stream to dip in the water for releasing and letting go exercises.
My number one favorite method for cleansing crystals is sound. I originally learned this from Hibiscus Moon of the Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy. She refers to cleansing as “re-tuning”. It’s like re-tuning a guitar or piano that has been played a lot and got knocked out of balance or out of tune. This makes total sense to me! Please watch 
Simply stated, smudging is a ceremonial method of burning various herbs and resins to clear away unwanted energies. Many use sage, sweetgrass, lavender, palo santo wood, frankincense, myrrh, copal, or cedar (to name a few). Intention is very important and it is recommended that you open a window to let the "negative" go OUT. You can direct the negative or unwanted energies to go out the window or with your mind’s eye, create a black hole and direct the “negative” energy to go there. 
