Category Archives: cleaning

Imbolc is a time of renewal. It is the time when ewes are calving and they are producing milk. Snow blankets the earth yet the plants are stirring. Imbolc is also a time to celebrate the return of the sun’s growing light. This is the perfect time to do an inventory of your tools and a cleansing or renewed dedication to the God and Goddess.

I would like to add that this can be a great time to evaluate where you buy your metaphysical provisions. I admit openly to buying some online, but I also visit the local farmers’ markets in my area for provisions too. I bought a few beeswax candles this weekend for Imbolc from a lady who sells the best organic honey in town. She draws crowds to her booth who are always enthralled by her beautiful beeswax candles. They are affordable and organic. This benefits the environment, helps support the local farmers, and makes me feel good to be supporting her and helping the environment. The candles are always exquisitely crafted. I own an owl candle, and I burned a beautiful white beeswax candle for my solitary Imbolc ritual. So I encourage you to attend and support your local farmers markets. You never know where you might find that perfect treasure. The lady who does the honey and candles also oversees 1,000 beehives where she lives. She took over the hives from other beekeepers. Her honey also tastes delicious. Bees are endangered, which means we will be endangered, another good reason to help the local economy.

We love our spiritual tools but over time, sometimes the tools gather dust and then lose their lustre. We may be busy and then neglect this very important chore. Gather all your cleaning supplies. Sweep the floors and wash them with a mixture of warm water, soap, and the appropriate herbs such as lavender or rosemary in the soapy water. Dust everything, vacuum your floors, and wash your spiritual tools with a mugwort infusion.

The best utensils and tools are those that are made from natural elements. They do not contain the harsh chemicals, thereby protecting our health and lending more energy to our magical workings. In time, our tools absorb and sustain energies we put into them. Every living thing has energy. The tools grow stronger because they absorb our energy and our intent.

Tools collect ashes, dust, and wax markings over time. In the spring, use mugwort, tea tree oil, lemon or lavender for cleaning tools. Mugwort is ideal to clean altar tools and crystals. Research the moon phase and sun phase to find the perfect time for the cleansing. Try New moon or the waning moon for the cleansing.

Candles leave stains on fabric and on our spiritual tools, no matter how careful we try to be. However, the markings are easy to remove. Dig out your ironing board and iron and a brown paper bag. For example, I will tell you how to remove a candle wax stain from your ritual robe or altar cloth. Lay the fabric down on the ironing board and place the brown paper bag beneath the fabric. Heat your iron to a low to medium temperature. Place the iron on the brown paper bag. This lifts the stain from the fabric onto the brown paper bag. Do not use steam when you do this. Do not scorch the material. You can avoid that by moving the iron over the material constantly. The wax softens then adheres to the brown paper bag.

Another cleaning trick I have learned is using bleach with a q-tip for removing stains. Be sure to select a colour safe bleach. Now, if you have a stain and have caught it early before it becomes permanent, here is what you do. Pour a small amount of bleach into a small glass bowl. Lay the garment down on the counter. Dip the q-tip into the bleach and gently blot- not rub back and forth, with the q-tip onto the stain. Blotting ‘lifts’ the stain out and rubbing sets the stain in deeper, except that is what so many people do without being aware of what they are doing. Then, launder the garment. The stain will be completely gone. You will have a beautiful ritual robe or altar cloth again.

I hope this inspires you to clean and to care for your spiritual tools. If you care for them properly, they will last you a long time. Now that everything is clean, you are prepared for the return of spring. Doesn’t it feel good?

Blessed Be,
Lady Spiderwitch )O(