Can Epidote Go In Water? (ANSWERED)

Epidote can go in water, so long as you are not soaking it for extended periods of time.

Let us explain, and you can learn more about the care of epidote.

Can Epidote Go In Water? (EXPLAINED)

We expect crystals to be clear.

But what if a little dust collects on them?

You might want to clean them.

People associate water with cleaning, but water should not be used to clean anything and everything.

Let’s say you have some epidote.

Generally, it is the color of moss but with a pearly sheen.

If it starts to lose that sheen, can you bring it back with a little water?

Can epidote go in water?

The answer is generally that it should be safe, depending on how much chlorite is in the stone.

The Mohs Hardness Scale

Anything softer than a five on the Mahs hardness scale needs to be kept out of water.

Even some hard crystals should not be fully submerged very long, particularly in water that is extremely hot or extremely cold.

Epidote tends to rate a six to seven on the Mohs Hardness Scale.

This mineral is typically made up of mostly feldspar and quartz.

It may have traces of the more malleable chlorite, which reacts quickly in water.

If your epidote has a greasy feel and isn’t as bright and shiny as it should be, there is probably an abundance of chlorite in the mineral’s make-up.

If it gets wet, it should be dried quickly and thoroughly.

How to Clean Your Epidote

If it is just mildly dusty, your epidote can be cleaned with a slight misting from a spray bottle and wiping dry with a soft cloth.

The water must be clean.

Use filtered water if you can.

Do this sparingly as too much rubbing can reduce the polish.

You can use a little soap, but remember to rinse it well.

Epidote is sensitive to heat so use water that is room temperature or cooler.

If your problem is caked mud and/or rust, you may have to put a little elbow grease in it.

A high pressure spray of water, say, from a dental pick, might help in getting heavy dirt off.

Keep in mind that while epidote is hard it also has poor basal cleavage and harsh chemicals should be avoided.

Ultrasonic cleaners and steamers are not at all recommended.

If you have a thick deposit of some other mineral on the stone, salt water might have enough grit to scrub through it.

If you are using chemicals to dissolve rust, you especially wat to be careful not to do anything to damage the stone.

Soaking is not recommended, especially with brittle specimens, as the water baths encourage cracks and fissures to form over time.

More About the Epidote

Epidote is a silicate material frequently found in metamorphic and igneous rocks, generally in veins that cut granite.

Basalt and diabase are good places to look for this stone.

When hydrothermal activity or metasomatism transforms ophiolites and basalt in sheeted dikes, that is how epidote is formed.

Hard as it is, epidote is brittle with an uneven fracture.

Epidote is very similar in structure to clinozoisite but with significantly less iron in the basic structure.

It should leave a white or colorless streak on porcelain.

It comes in various shades of green and may be transparent to nearly opaque.

The shade of green most prized by collectors is known as “pistachio”.

This variety is often known as pistacite.

Epidote is almost solely a collector’s rock.

It has no use in industry and is in low demand as a gemstone for jewelry.

Collectors may display them raw or tumbled or cut as a cabochon.

If an epidote has pink spots, it is called unakite.

The pink mottling is from pink orthoclase.

As unakite tends to be of a more solid material than epidote, unakite is used to make tiling and stair treads.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. has unakite involved in the construction of their front steps and tiles on the floor of the south entrance.

The name “epidote” comes from the Greek for “to increase”.

It is believed that this stone will do just that for its owner, double all things that comes to that person.

It is an attraction stone that many meditate over when they are looking for something, be it as physical as car keys or metaphysical like love.

Because not all energies are good and positive, believers recommend that this crystal should be used with caution.

If too much negativity is coming into your life, you may want to “switch off” your epidote for a little while.

While the epidote can indeed be used to attract positive energy and find lost things, do remember that in lithomancy the epidote represents sorrow.

Because pink crystals tend to attract love and positivity, you may prefer to share your energies with a unakite.

Geminis, Virgos and Libras may find they have the best luck with this stone.

Conclusion

If you have a rock collection, you may keep your specimens under glass specifically so that they don’t collect dust.

However, those who believe in the healing power of crystals find that exposing them to the elements helps their energies circulate.

The epidote is an attractive crystal that draws everything and everyone near.

Unfortunately, this can also mean nasty little things like dust!

You can clean your epidote with soap and water, if you are gentle about it and remember to rinse and dry thoroughly.

This stone is paradoxically very strong and solid but brittle at the same time.