Can Agate Go in Water? Let’s See!

Agates come in all sorts of colors as well as are mixed with many minerals.  There are many types, including moss, flower, tree, grape, blue lace, and botswana, to name a few.

Metaphysically, if you want your agate stone to work for you, it’s important to dispel any negative energies the agate stone may bring.  As this negative energy is thought to be adsorbed in the stone, cleansing it with water is a way to get rid of that negative energy.

However, can agate go in water?

Mostly, yes, but there are some safety precautions you should abide by.

In this guide, let’s talk about each popular type of agate as well as how it measures on the Mohs Hardness Scale.  The Mohs Hardness Scale measures the resistance to scratching, with the highest number being the toughest.  If the number is higher than five, then it means it can survive underwater.  Even though the number is higher than five, it doesn’t always mean you submerge your stone for life.  While limited times are okay, restrictions may be best to abide by.

Can agate go in water?

Yes!

All agate can go in the water, as it’s about a 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.  However, it doesn’t mean you should submerge your agate crystal forever, as this can cause rust, breakage and even allow it to lose its shine.  Ideally, it’s best to use water as a cleansing method and avoid keeping it in water for months.

The Mohs Scale is a scale of hardness, which lets you know how susceptible it is to surface damage.  Think scratching with another stone or a knife, for example.  The higher it is, the harder it will be to scratch the surface.  This Mohs Scale number resonates with water as well, as a higher number means it does much better with water.

For example, talc is a one on the Mohs Scale.  If you were to submerge talc in water, it will disappear 100%, however, a diamond, being a 10 on the scale, can last almost forever.  As a rule of thumb, and as mentioned, it’s best to have a stone that’s at least a 5+ if you want to put it in water.  With an agate well past this 5 number, you can be assured that putting your agate in water won’t do any damage over time.  Soaking it forever, however, can cause some damage, but it could take some time.  It’s not even to say it would cause damage.  It’s just a safety precaution to consider.

It’s highly advisable you only use purified or tap water.

Can agate go in salt water?

Salt water, of course, is much different than tap or purified water.

Agate can go in salt water, but there are more risks involved as you’re dealing with salt now.  The salt within the water can, oftentimes, cause your agate to crack if it’s left to soak.  It can even corrode the crystal over time.  This is because the salt water grains left behind, even after you take them out of the water, can speed up the process to make your agate become much more fragile.  This won’t happen overnight, but it’s inevitable sooner or later.

Keep in mind that raw agates are much more likely to become damaged than that of a polished agate slab, etc.  If it’s a jewelry piece, it’s highly advisable you avoid salt water altogether as this can cause a chain to tarnish and even change its color.

Lastly, if you see any cracks, scratches or chips, it’s best to avoid water and consider another way of cleansing.

If your agate were to come into contact with salt water, that’s okay; however, just make sure you rinse it off with fresh water and then dry it off immediately to prevent any salt from sitting on the surface.

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How to cleanse your agate

As we know by now, water is okay for your agate in small doses.

To cleanse your agate, here’s what you can try:

• fill a small bowl with tap/distilled water
• leave the bowl in the sun or under the moon with the stone inside (pick out energy – the sun is uplifting or moonlight is grounding)
• after 8-12 hours or so, you can take the stone out and dry it with a soft towel

If you don’t have the time to do so, a natural river/water source can work wonders as well.  Any sort of washing can get rid of the negative energies.

If you don’t have water, you can sage/palo santo smoke, a singing bowl or even set it on a selenite charging plate.