Last Updated on December 29, 2023
If you’re new to the crystal, gem, stone, and mineral collecting world, you may very well find yourself wondering if citrine—the beautiful piece of yellow quartz in your collection—can go in water?
To answer your question: Yes, citrine can go in water.
Personally, I have several pieces of citrine in my collection, and I do put them in water. I don’t put them in water every day, but often enough to recharge them when I can sense that they’re full of negative energy.
Be aware, though, that if you do choose to put your citrine in water—like me—the water could potentially damage it depending upon factors like how pure the quartz is and what type of water you use. So, if you’re interested in digging into the details of putting citrine in water, this article is for you!
Can Citrine Go in Water?
Yes, citrine can go in water.
Due to the fact that citrine is a member of the quartz family and it sits at about a 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale—a scale used to rank minerals from softest to hardest—it is relatively safe to put it in water.
Generally speaking, citrine does not dissolve in water, it’s non-reactive, it’s stable, and putting it in water is unlikely to produce any toxic fumes or gases.
However, there are a few factors that you might want to take into consideration when putting citrine in water including the composition of the citrine, the length of time the citrine goes in water, and how often the citrine goes in water.
What Does the Composition of Citrine Look Like?
Citrine has a fairly simple composition: It’s composed of oxygen and silicon.
Neither of these components have negative reactions with water but—as with many crystals, stones, gems, and minerals—there’s always the chance that your particular piece of citrine contains impurities.
And if the impurities have negative reactions with water—iron is an example since it rusts in water—then this is where you might encounter issues when putting citrine in water.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you cannot put citrine in water. With iron impurities in particular, it just means you need to dry the citrine off completely using a towel after it goes in water.
How Long Can Citrine Go in Water?
If you are going to put your citrine in water, it is highly recommended that you only rinse it for a moment or two using either tap or filtered water rather than leaving it sit in a water bath for an extended period of time.
When citrine sits in water for too long, it eventually starts to develop visible cracks and gaps that could ultimately lead to the quartz physically falling apart.
Additionally, because it is highly likely that your citrine has a polish or oil on its exterior—natural citrine is actually quite rare so most citrine is purchased from local shops that use finishes on their stones, gems, crystals, and minerals—it may start to lose its shine and color over time if it sits in water baths.
How Often Can Citrine Go in Water?
Because water does leave some wear-and-tear on citrine over time, it is best to put your citrine in water as little as possible. Perhaps even as little as once or twice a month.
If you are concerned about your citrine’s cleanliness and energy levels, then I’d recommend combining the occasional water cleanse with other cleansing methods such as a meditative practice or placing your citrine next to a stone known for its cleansing properties such as selenite.
Can Citrine Go in Saltwater?
Putting stones, gems, crystals, and minerals in salt baths seems to be the trendy thing to do.
Yet salt baths are actually one of the most damaging things you can do to your citrine. The truth is most minerals, crystals, stones, and gems already have cracks and gaps in them before you even purchase them. You may not be able to see them, but they do exist.
And when you put your citrine in saltwater, there’s a chance that salt molecules might get lodged in those preexisting cracks and gaps and corrode the quartz. Again, it may take a bit of time for this to occur, but there’s a high chance that it will eventually happen.
So, if you are going to use water to clean your citrine, it is best to avoid saltwater altogether.
