Crystal care: water and sunlight
Of the 45 stones in the Heptyx library, 13 are confirmed safe in water, 4 should be kept away from water and 9 can fade in sunlight. Heptyx never suggests sunlight or salt for any stone. Every fact below links to its source.
The short answer
- Safe in water (13)Amethyst, Bloodstone, Blue lace agate, Carnelian, Citrine, Clear quartz, Green aventurine, Moss agate, Onyx, Red jasper, Rose quartz, Smoky quartz, Tiger's eye
- Keep away from water (4)Angelite, Malachite, Pyrite, Selenite
- Water with care (6)Calcite, Celestite, Fluorite, Lapis lazuli, Rhodochrosite, Turquoise
- Can fade in sunlight (9)Amethyst, Celestite, Citrine, Fluorite, Howlite, Jade, Kunzite, Rose quartz, Smoky quartz
For the other stones, our sources do not confirm water safety, so Heptyx does not suggest water cleansing for them.
The rules Heptyx follows
- Moonlight and sound: offered for every stone, as tradition.
- Running water: only for stones whose water safety is confirmed by a source.
- Sunlight cleansing is not suggested for any stone: many fade, and a missing record does not mean a stone is sun-safe.
- Salt is not suggested: it can harm porous and soft stones.
All 45 stones
| Stone | What it is | Mohs | Water | Sunlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazonite | Microcline feldspar | 6–6.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Amethyst | Purple quartz | 7 | Safe | Fades |
| Angelite | Anhydrite, CaSO₄ (trade name) | 3–3.5 | Keep away | No fading record |
| Apatite | Calcium phosphate | 5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Aquamarine | Beryl | 7.5–8 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Black tourmaline | Schorl, tourmaline group | 7–7.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Bloodstone | Green chalcedony with hematite | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Blue lace agate | Banded chalcedony | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Calcite | CaCO₃ | 3 | With care | No fading record |
| Carnelian | Chalcedony | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Celestite | SrSO₄ | 3–3.5 | With care | Fades |
| Chrysocolla | Hydrous copper silicate | 2–4 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Citrine | Yellow quartz | 7 | Safe | Fades |
| Clear quartz | Quartz, SiO₂ | 7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Fluorite | CaF₂ | 4 | With care | Fades |
| Garnet | Mineral group | 6.5–7.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Green aventurine | Quartz with fuchsite | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Hematite | Fe₂O₃ | 5.5–6.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Howlite | Calcium borosilicate | 3–3.5 | Not sourced | Fades |
| Jade | Jadeite or nephrite | 6–7 | Not sourced | Fades |
| Kunzite | Spodumene | 6.5–7 | Not sourced | Fades |
| Kyanite | Al₂SiO₅ | 4.5–7 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Labradorite | Plagioclase feldspar | 6–6.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Lapis lazuli | Rock: lazurite, calcite, pyrite | 5–6 | With care | No fading record |
| Lepidolite | Lithium mica | 2.5–3 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Malachite | Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂ | 3.5–4 | Keep away | No fading record |
| Moonstone | Orthoclase feldspar | 6–6.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Moss agate | Chalcedony with inclusions | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Obsidian | Volcanic glass, not a mineral | 5–6 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Onyx | Chalcedony | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Peridot | Olivine | 6.5–7 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Prehnite | Calcium aluminium silicate | 6–6.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Pyrite | FeS₂ | 6–6.5 | Keep away | No fading record |
| Red jasper | Microcrystalline quartz with iron oxide | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Rhodochrosite | MnCO₃ | 3.5–4 | With care | No fading record |
| Rhodonite | Manganese silicate | 5.5–6.5 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Rose quartz | Pink quartz | 7 | Safe | Fades |
| Selenite | Gypsum, CaSO₄·2H₂O | 2 | Keep away | No fading record |
| Shungite | Carbon-rich rock | – | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Smoky quartz | Naturally irradiated quartz | 7 | Safe | Fades |
| Sodalite | Feldspathoid | 5.5–6 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Sunstone | Oligoclase-labradorite feldspar | 6–7.2 | Not sourced | No fading record |
| Tiger's eye | Quartz containing crocidolite (asbestos) | 6.5–7 | Safe | No fading record |
| Turquoise | Hydrous copper aluminium phosphate | 5–6 | With care | No fading record |
| Unakite | Rock: orthoclase, epidote, quartz | – | Not sourced | No fading record |
Questions
Which crystals should never go in water?
According to our sources, these of the 45 stones in Heptyx should be kept away from water: Angelite, Malachite, Pyrite, Selenite.
Which crystals fade in the sun?
These stones have a record of fading in light: Amethyst, Celestite, Citrine, Fluorite, Howlite, Jade, Kunzite, Rose quartz, Smoky quartz. Heptyx does not suggest sunlight for any stone.
Is salt a good way to cleanse crystals?
Salt is not suggested: it can harm porous and soft stones.