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How to Clean Amethyst Geodes

Amethyst is a brilliant purple quartz crystal, valued for its vivid color and beauty. Amethyst geodes, which are usually broken into two halves to display the purple crystals within, typically have many small crevices where dirt may get trapped. If the amethyst geode has been left on a dusty shelf, or is open out in the elements, the dirt and debris will often hide the sparkle of these crystals. Cleaning amethyst geodes requires getting the dirt out of the crevices, as well as cleaning the surfaces of the individual crystals within the geode.

Things You'll Need

Towel or rubber mat
Dish soap
Toothbrush
Distilled water

Instructions

- 1
  Place a towel or rubber mat down in your sink to protect the geode (and your sink). Place a teaspoon of dish detergent directly into the geode.
- 2
  Fill the sink with water until the geode is completely covered. Let it soak for 15 minutes to loosen dirt.
- 3
  Gently scrub the geode, inside and out, with a small bottle brush or toothbrush (soft-bristled). The brush is necessary to remove dirt from crevices, but use a gentle touch so you don̵7;t dislodge small amethyst crystals.
- 4
  Rinse the geode with distilled water--using distilled water prevents mineral deposit residue on the amethyst. Inspect the amethyst crystals for remaining dirt. Brush the geode again with detergent if any grime remains.
- 5
  Place the geode on a towel, in a well-ventilated area to dry.

Rocks & Minerals