How to Cleanse Your Tarot Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

It’s always a thrill to hold a new tarot or oracle deck in our mitts. Whether you’ve a brand new, straight out of its wrapper deck, or perhaps a serendipitous find in a thrift store has you clutching a tarot treasure, a cleansing and dedication ritual is a great way to connect with your new cards. Your deck is a conduit between you and Spirit, and just like you wouldn’t prepare a meal with grimy utensils, neither should you use a sullied deck to work with your source energy, so for me personally, cleansing and dedicating is the first vital step in forming a solid relationship with a new deck.

But with every reading, your tarot deck accumulates more and more debris (physical and emotional), so you'll want to be sure to cleanse it occasionally. Here, tarot experts explain how to do it.

Do decks have a personality? The jury’s out on this one, after all, it is just 78 pieces of card, yet, without a shred of doubt, each one of my decks gives a different type of reading. My Tarot Illuminati deck is a sassy motherforker. It pulls no punches with readings, and can sometimes be a little harsh. In contrast, my Shadowscapes deck has a comfort blanket vibe; it gives a much gentler, softly-softly approach to readings. If I want the straight-up attitude of my best friend, along with her sarcastic sense of humour, I turn to my Golden Art Nouveau deck. Whether these characteristics are nothing more than my over-active imagination or not, the point is that I’ve connected with each of these decks on an individual level, and that connection began with making the deck my own through ritual.

First things first: Do you actually need to cleanse your tarot deck? According to tarot reader and founder of Witchy Wellness Leah Vanderveldt, yes! She explains that doing so can lead to clearer and more accurate readings.

"If you think of the tarot as a tool or channel for your intuition and spirit team to communicate to you, it makes sense that sometimes it might need a little refresh," she notes, adding that a cleanse acts as a reset for both the deck and its reader. And as tarot reader and author of The Big Book of Tarot Readings Sam Magdaleno tells mbg, a good cleanse can also help clear previous energy and intention.

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Even if you're only doing readings for yourself, your energy is constantly changing. When you do a reading with a cleansed deck, she says it will better reflect your current circumstances. This is similar to why you'd want to cleanse your crystals after working with them.

To begin, you need to cleanse your deck. Whether your deck is brand new or second hand, it’s always a good idea to cleanse it of residual energy-both good and bad. For an older deck, consider its journey to the point when it came to you; all the hands it may have passed through, where it may have been stored, and the kind of atmosphere and energy it may have soaked up. For a new deck, the manufacturing process, transport, being stocked in a store where dozens of curious customers have handled it, all adds to its energy. Much like we come home at the end of the day and shower off the day’s funk, so too will your deck need a cleanse once you get it home.

There are many different ways to cleanse a deck. No one is better than the other, and as with all things ritualistic, remember that the power lies in your intent, not in the tools used in the process. Crystals, candles, herbs, incense; they’re all fun and empowering to employ in ritual, but the true magic lies in you. Don’t be swayed by the witch aesthetic portrayed online. Those fancy, shiny, and often ridiculously expensive tools aren’t the key to wondrous manifestation-you are.

To begin, if your deck is not brand new and straight out of its box, you might like to put it in order. Start with the Major Arcana, from The Fool to The World, then the four suits. Use whichever order feels right to you within the suit; Aces to Kings, or Kings to Aces, and for the suits themselves. I like to order the suits according to their seasonal correspondences, so I go with Wands (Spring) Cups (Summer) Pentacles (Autumn) and Swords (Winter). Choose your own preference. Remember; it’s your deck you’re connecting with, so let your intuition guide you. Once your deck is in order, you can begin by placing it on a solid surface and rapping on it three times to ‘knock out’ lingering energy.

Read also: Heartbreak and the Three of Swords

If your deck is second hand and feels grimy or sticky to the touch, you can carefully clean each card with a damp cloth. Depending on the card stock, you’ll need to decide yourself whether this could help or harm the deck. Next you can employ one, or a combination of the following methods. Pick what’s practical to your own specific situation, and as always, go with what feels right to you.

10 Ways to Cleanse Tarot Decks

Here are ten effective methods to cleanse your tarot decks, ensuring they are free from unwanted energies and ready for accurate readings:

1. Crystal Cleansing: Certain crystals can be great for cleansing decks. You can either set your deck on top of the crystal (if it's large and flat) or place a small crystal on top of your deck to charge it. Vanderveldt likes using selenite in particular, as she notes it's a cleansing crystal that's also great for connecting to spirit guides. Magdaleno is a fan of selenite and clear quartz as well and adds you can also choose a crystal that corresponds with the type of reading you're doing. If you're doing a relationship reading, for example, Magdaleno says you could reach for loving rose quartz.

2. Smoke Cleansing: Magdaleno and Vanderveldt both like to use smoke for cleansing also. Simply hold your deck near the smoke of herbal incense or a dried wand, allowing it to waft over and around and cleanse all of the cards. Vanderveldt's herbal preference is lavender, as it's ruled by Mercury, making it great for clear communication. Mugwort, Magdaleno adds, would also be a good choice, for it has cleansing and intuitive properties.

3. Salt Burial: "Salt is such a powerful and accessible tool for clearing," Vanderveldt tells mbg. As such, when one of her decks is in need of "a real reset," she'll put it in a bowl of sea salt overnight.

4. Air Cleansing: There's something refreshing about being out in the sunshine and getting some fresh air-and tarot cards feel it, too. Magdaleno says that taking your cards outside and fanning them in the fresh air can work wonders, "especially if you're feeling stuck or stagnant with your readings." It won't take long, which is a good thing, as you don't want to accidentally bleach your cards in the sun.

5. Moonlight Cleansing: Just like crystals can be charged under the light of the moon, so can your deck! Vanderveldt recommends placing yours right by a window on the evening of the next full moon and letting the sky do its thing overnight. Magdaleno adds you can also correspond your cleansing to the phase or sign that the moon is in to amplify your intention.

6. Shuffling: Shuffling is standard practice before a reading, and Vanderveldt explains that it can help you get acquainted with your cards. If you're getting to know a new deck or simply feeling disconnected from it, you can lay out the cards in order (starting with the Major Arcana and going through the suits) and then just mix the whole thing up in a chaotic way-like a kid playing in the mud. Or you can simply do an extra thorough regular shuffle for a quick reboot.

7. Knocking: Have you ever heard that you should knock on your deck three times before a reading? According to Magdaleno, it's a quick and easy way to physically knock old energy out. The first knock clears the energy of the previous reading, the second knock introduces you to the deck, and the third knock represents your intention for the reading.

8. Breath Cleansing: Your breath is a powerful tool, and incorporating it into your cleansing process will help you clear your deck and drop into a reading faster. As Magdaleno explains, simply blowing a deep breath over your deck essentially brushes any old energy off of it.

9. Visualization: If you're into visualizations, why not try one for cleansing your deck? Magdaleno recommends holding your deck between your hands, closing your eyes, and visualizing a white light-or whatever color feels cleansing to you-surrounding your deck and pulling old energy out of it.

10. Sound Cleansing: Last but not least, sound is another wonderful tool for cleansing your deck, according to Magdaleno. Place the deck near the source of sound. You can fan it out, or leave it stacked. Activate the sound, whether it be a singing bowl, bells, music, or even your own voice. You can clap too, and guess what? Clapping is free! Why not play calm and soothing music, or shake up your deck’s energy with a blast of rock. A little Guns n’ Roses might be just the ticket for your new deck.

When to Cleanse Your Tarot Deck

Here are a handful of times you'll definitely want to clean your deck. (Though for what it's worth, it's never a bad idea to cleanse your deck, especially before starting a reading.)

• When you first get it. Magdaleno and Vanderveldt both recommend cleansing your deck when you first get it. "Your deck has likely touched many hands on its way to you, through packaging, being put on a shelf, handled by a cashier, etc.," Magdaleno notes, adding, "You want to make sure to cleanse your deck of all other energies who have handled it."
• When someone else uses it. If you have tarot-savvy (or even tarot-curious) friends, there's a fair chance they'll use your cards at some point. In this case, Magdaleno and Vanderveldt agree, it's a good idea to cleanse your deck afterward. Magdaleno says if you had friends over, this is also a good time to do a quick cleanse of your house, too. An energetic win-win!
• Each time you pick it up for a reading. That's right-to ensure the most accurate of readings, Magdaleno actually recommends cleansing your deck every time you do a reading. "Whether it's for someone else, or yourself," she says, "it's always best to start with a cleanse to clear the cards for your reading."
• If you’ve traveled with it. If you've gone on a trip and taken your deck with you, Vanderveldt says that's also a good reason to cleanse it. After all, who knows what kind of energy you could pick up in a foreign place? I always clear my cards after traveling by plane. I typically pack a tarot deck in my carry-on. If you do this, be prepared to take them out at security. There is something about the way they appear on camera that always ends up getting flagged. This is especially true if your cards have metallic edges. Think about all the energy and people that you’ll be coming into contact with. When you arrive at your destination, you’ll want to clear your cards.
• If the connection feels off. Last but not least, you can cleanse a deck anytime your connection to your cards feels a little off, Vanderveldt says, or you "just feel the need to."
• After Shadow Work or Intense Emotions: If you’re doing shadow work or feeling energetically low or overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to clear your cards. Of course, your health and well-being are the priority. So, if you don't feel like you have the energy to add another ritual, don’t feel guilty about this. After I’ve had a bout of insomnia or a series of intense migraines, I’ll typically do a clearing ritual for my cards and my space. Rituals are best when they feel supportive of you. It needn’t be something you add to an already full plate. You might benefit from something energizing after a difficult day or week.
• After Events or Gatherings: I find events and house parties equally parts energizing and draining. It feels invigorating to be in the energy of a group. At the same time, afterward, I need time to recover. I’ve worked at various events in churches, private homes, hotel rooms, and holistic centers. Most of the time, people are great to work with, but sometimes they are challenging, there’s alcohol consumption (against my advice), or emotions are running high. After an event, I know I’ve picked up a lot of energy, and holding space for a group requires strong, energetic boundaries. Think of your tarot cards in the same way.

Programming Your Deck with Intention

Once a deck is freshly cleansed and ready for a reading, it's time to program it with intention. Vanderveldt suggests taking a few minutes to light a candle or create an intentional space, and holding the deck in your hands, stating your intention for it out loud.

Magdaleno is also a fan of setting intentions with a verbal declaration. Before each reading, she says the intention of the reading-and what she'll be pulling cards for-out loud as she shuffles the deck.

Read also: The Meaning of Tarot Suits

For example, as I shuffle my deck I'll say out loud, 'I'm doing a career reading for myself and will be pulling three cards that represent my career past, present, and future," she explains.

You can even do a tarot spread to help you expand on your intention, Vanderveldt adds. She recommends asking your deck questions like, How am I meant to work with this deck in this season? How can I best support my intention for this deck? What approach would be helpful?

How to Care for Your Cards

Treating your deck with the utmost care will help it stay clear and cleansed for longer.

For this reason, Vanderveldt notes that it's nice to keep your deck in a specific place, be it on an altar or a well-maintained shelf. "You can wrap it in a piece of fabric, place it in a box, or put a crystal over it," she notes, adding, "I think putting it away intentionally after each use or at the end of the day is a nice way to care for it both energetically and physically." And if you have a collection of decks, "definitely designate a space to store them," she says, like a shelf, basket, or decorative box.

If you've had a particular deck for a while, be sure to take it out from time to time, Magdaleno suggests, noting that keeping your decks in dark corners of bookshelves or drawers can lead to stagnant energy.

Here are some additional tips for caring for your tarot cards:

1. Use a Tarot Reading Cloth: Tarot reading cloths can be beautiful, practical, and sacred. Especially if you read tarot in various places, a tarot cloth allows you to unwrap your deck and set it out on a clear, clean surface each time. There are no hard rules when it comes to how you choose to store your deck. I love the idea of a natural fabric or silk cloth. I used to keep my deck in a small canvas zipper pouch that was tie-died and had sacred symbols inked on it. To start with, it was similar to this one. I’ve since upgraded to a faux leather wrap that I picked up in Salem, Massachusetts.
2. Shuffle Properly: Shuffling your cards properly is part of caring for them. You want to avoid damaging your cards so they’ll last. Take care of them so they take care of you. I love working with a well-loved, worn-in deck. There’s no need to keep your cards looking new, except that you’ll want to avoid tearing them. Once this happens, you won’t have a uniform look from the back of the cards, and this could affect your readings if you can always recognize a card by the back tear.
3. Protect from Spills: This isn’t about energetic clearing. Sometimes spills happen. You want to take care to avoid this and treat your cards like you would your laptop or something else valuable that you wouldn't take any chances with. Once your cards get wet, it can affect the way they shuffle and slide together. I had to lay each card out to dry for two days turning them. It was a while before they recovered, but I was too attached to let them go. I recommend avoiding eating while you’re around your cards and, as I learned the hard way, not putting them in the same bag as a drink or bottle of water. If you do need to wipe off your cards, you could try furniture wipes. These are a good choice because they are not too wet.
4. Ethical Disposal: Sometimes you might find that a deck has run its course with you, no longer resonates, or is damaged beyond repair. You don't want to throw your tarot deck in the trash for ethical and emotional reasons. I recommend gifting a deck to a friend or giving it away via social media. You can also sell used decks on eBay.

A Simple Elemental Blessing

I work with the elements for my tarot deck blessings. I’m listing the tools I use, but including suggestions for inspiration. As it’s an elemental blessing, you’ll need an object representing Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit.

• Air: Yellow, East. I use sage.
• Fire: Red, South. I use a tea-light.
• Water: Blue, West. I use a shell filled with moon water.
• Earth: Green, North. I use a quartz geode.
• Spirit: White or Purple. (I always place Spirit in the centre) I use a stone painted with a pentagram.

A very simple elemental set can be made by gathering five stones from your garden or local green space. You can paint the stones in their corresponding colours, or mark them in some way to indicate the element they represent. Many easy to find items can also be used to represent the elements; feathers, pine cones, shells, crystals, tea-lights, salt, earth, etc. Use your intuition. If you find an object that you intuitively feel represents an element, don’t worry about whether it’s ‘right or wrong’. Just go with it!

Along with your five elemental representations, place a tea-light/candle north of Earth. According to your spiritual practice, prepare you and your space for the ritual. This may mean drawing a circle, grounding and centring, reciting a prayer, or cleansing with sage. Once you and your space are ready, light the candle north of Earth, and if you’re using a candle to represent Fire, and incense for Air, light them too.

Greet the elements, thanking them for their presence, protection, and blessings. Tell them you’re consecrating your tarot deck, and humbly ask for their energies to imbue the deck with positive energy. Begin with Air. Hold the deck over the elemental representation and say: Element of Air. Bless this deck with your gifts of clear communication and illumination. Imbue it with the power of knowing and understanding. (Feel free to craft your own blessings for each element!)

Fire: Hold the deck over the elemental representation and say: Element of Fire. Bless this deck with your gifts of passion, strength, and courage to promote the power of transformation.

Water: Hold the deck over the elemental representation and say: Element of Water: Bless this deck with your gifts of empathy, intuition, and healing. (I sprinkle the deck with the water.)

Earth: Hold the deck over the elemental representation and say: Element of Earth, bless this deck with the abundance of wisdom, practicality, and grounding energy. (I place the deck on my quartz geode. You could sprinkle your deck with salt, earth, dried herbs, etc.)

Spirit: Hold the deck over the elemental representation and say: Spirits, Angels and guides, bless this deck with your gifts of protection and guidance. Grant me wisdom, insight and truth so I may serve for the Highest Good of All. Blessed Be. (I place the deck in the centre of the circle and set my Spirit stone on top. I also add the crystals I want to keep with the deck.)

To finish, thank the elements for their presence and blessings, and wish them safe departure. If you have a candle representing Fire, snuff it out. If it’s safe to do so, I leave the second candle burning. If not, I snuff it out. (Try to avoid blowing out a candle during ritual. It’s better to snuff or pinch out the flame.) I then leave the deck to bathe in the space for as long as I feel necessary with the crystals on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cleanse and recharge a tarot deck?

You can cleanse and recharge your tarot deck with smoke, crystals, sound, sunlight, moonlight, knocking on the deck, visualization, and/or your own breath.

How do you cleanse tarot cards before reading?

You can use any of your preferred cleansing methods before a reading, but knocking three times (once to clear the energy of the past reading, once to introduce yourself, and once to set your intention for the reading) is one quick and simple option.

Should you smudge tarot cards?

Yes, smudging is a popular method of cleansing and charging tarot decks.

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