how to clean agates

In the process of gathering rocks, cleaning agates can be a phase that is both entertaining and difficult at times.

By the time you’ve finished reading this article, you should have a working knowledge of at least three distinct methods for cleaning agates.

How To Clean Agates (EXPLAINED)

When you do a search on the internet, it seems like almost everyone has their own approach, so it might be difficult to decide which one you should attempt first.

The response is that there is not just one method for cleaning an agate; rather, there are several.

But rather than always doing things the same way, I think it would be better if you devised a plan for cleaning your valuable specimens rather than merely following the same procedure.

Because no two agates are the same in shape or composition, the “cleaning up” process will provide different results with each different rock that you examine.

When Cleaning an Unfamiliar Rock, Start Conservative: Identify First.

When some people bring their rock collection home, the first thing they do is empty the rocks into the utility sink, which has been filled with water and dish soap like Dawn.

After gaining some knowledge about malachite and a few other specimens that include copper and arsenic (which really need not to be touched with bare skin or placed in water), I believe the first step is to sort through the rocks you’ve collected in order to determine what you have.

Unfortunately, people use acid to dissolve interesting rocks like geodes because they did not take the time to discover out what was holding the crystals on the interior together.

In this manner, you will be able to conduct any study that may be necessary to determine what you should or should not do with the stone.

For instance, certain stones are not considered “acid safe.”

Now let’s say you’ve gone through all of your rocks and determined that you have a great pile of agates, which are completely safe to touch.

It’s possible that the specimens you took have a coating of dark rust-colored stains or a crusty white appearance.

After that, I would put the rocks in a container with a level bottom and pour water over them until they were completely submerged.

After allowing them to sit for a while, use a toothbrush or another brush that isn’t too abrasive and won’t leave deep scratches to scrub at them for a while.

If you prefer tumbled rocks, you could also place the agates in the tumbler to see if any or all of the stains would come off without having to resort to cleaning products or acids. This would be an option only if you like tumbling rocks.

The appearance of an agate that has been tumbled is not to everyone’s taste; some people favor the rougher and more natural appearance of agate that has been cut into jagged fragments.

After giving your agates a bath in soapy water and scrubbing them, set them out to air dry completely. After that, have a look at them.

Scrub the rocks with some Dawn dish soap and a scrub brush if they still have a grungy appearance or if they have any dark or white areas.

Once more, give the rocks a thorough washing and then wait until they are completely dry before moving on to the next step.

You still don’t look how you want to, do you? Let’s investigate the different possibilities.

Removing White Buildup of Calcium

After you have meticulously cleaned the rocks and the white accumulation has not been removed, you can try soaking the stone in CLR, which stands for calcium, lime, and rust remover, or in a product called The Works, which is a toilet bowl cleanser that is well-liked among rockhounds. Both of these solutions are known to be effective at removing the white buildup.

(This post contains affiliate connections to Amazon products throughout the text of the post. As an Amazon associate, if you make certain purchases that meet certain criteria, I may receive a commission on those transactions (at no additional cost to you).

After leaving the rocks at the location for one to two days, remove them, rinse them, clean them one more with Dawn dishsoap if necessary, then rinse them again and let them dry fully.

If you don’t notice any progress, you can give the area another soak in CLR. If there is still no improvement, you might want to think about attempting Iron Out (which is discussed further down).

Removing the Dark Rust Colored Stain (or Stubborn Calcium)

Does it appear like the lighter colored (white/yellow/quartz) parts of your agate are, in some spots, being covered by run off from the redder parts of your agate?

Does it appear rusty?

Do the cracks appear to be like lines of red?

Soaking the agate in a solution consisting of water and Iron Out is one of the solutions that can be utilized to rectify the discolouration.

To remove the iron from your agates, follow these steps:

• Put your agates in a container with a level bottom and make sure they are thoroughly clean and dry first. Try not to cram an excessive number of pebbles into the Iron Out bath; instead, leave some space for them in the container.
• Include sufficient water so that it completely covers the rocks.
• Include a couple (two to three teaspoons) of the Iron Out.
• Hold your ground, and keep a watchful eye. The process may be completed in one day or it may take up to two weeks. Simply see what happens to the rocks while the Iron Out solution does its work.
• When they appear to be finished, remove the rocks from the solution, give them a final rinsing in water, and then throw away the Iron Out. Some people like to flush it down the toilet, maybe thinking that it will help the pipes.

If you are not sure what you are doing and what you are attempting to achieve, one thing that we strongly advise you not to do is mix any of the different cleaning agents, whether you are doing it on purpose or by accident.

If you put a stone in one solution and then move it to another solution without thoroughly cleaning it beforehand, you run the risk of accidentally setting off a harmful chemical reaction.

Can You Use Vinegar To Clean Agates?

Certainly!

Soaking agates in a solution made of distilled water and white vinegar is another tried and tested way that people use to try and clean up their agates. If you don’t like the thought of attempting CLR, The Works, or Iron Out because they are extremely “chemical-ey,” another method that people use to try and clean up their agates is to soak them in a solution made of distilled water and white vinegar.

It seems like this would be hard on the environment.

After you have allowed the rocks to become saturated with water and are ready to remove them, you will need to use a base of some kind to neutralize the acid that is on the rocks.

The beverage could be made using a solution of water and baking soda, but some people would propose milk instead (we didn’t try milk).

Other Methods To Clean Agates

• Agates can be cleaned in a variety of ways, including but not limited to the following:
• Before being cleaned, the agates are boiled.
• A process that involves soaking the agates in bleach or a solution of bleach.
• The agates were treated by soaking them in a citric acid solution.
• Oaxalic acid being allowed to soak into the agates.
• To prepare the agates, soak them in muriatic acid.
• To reiterate, we are not looking down on any of the approaches that others are taking in the present day.