Dyed quartz geodes

SilverCloudedWolf

I was wondering if anyone could help me with removing dye from some quartz geodes.

Basically I found these 4 geodes (actually they're two entire geodes) one pair was dyed orange, the other black. The dye is only on the surface - I guess it was the previous owners doing - and, luckily, is water soluble so most of it has come off with the use of washing-up liquid and an old toothbrush.

However particularly on the black dyed ones there is a lot of dye stuck in all those cracks and crevices between the individual crystals and also where the toothbrush can't reach, so does anyone know of any way to remove more of the dye please? It has been suggested to me to try a chlorine-based fizzy mug cleaner thing, but I have doubts about that! So any ideas would be happily received!!

thanks,
Silver
 

crystalwoman

You can try the fizzy chlorine bleach, it ought to work. Another alternative is hydrogen peroxide. And there's baking soda and water. I usually just use Palmolive automatic dishwasher gel in very hot water - the detergent has bleach in it - about one teaspoon of gel to one cup of hot water - and I let it soak like that overnight. Raw, freshly mined quartz is routinely cleaned with muriatic acid to remove calcium and lime deposits, so that's another alternative. And one other treatment you could try is to put it in a sonic jewellery cleaner.
 

SilverCloudedWolf

Thank you crystalwoman!

I can get baking soda tomorrow so I'll try that first and then the chlorine tablets if that doesn't work. I'm not sure where I can get hold of the other stuff so I'll try those two first. Thanks for your help, much appreciated. I'll let you know how they turn out.

Silver
 

AJ

Have you tried running it thru the diswasher? I have a huge crystal geode set which eventually fills with dust and whatever, just like windows. Rather than take a chance of knocking off crystals with a brush I just turn them upside down and run them thru the dishwasher :) I've had them about 20 years and it sure hasn't harmed them.
 

SilverCloudedWolf

If I had a dishwasher I would try it but sadly I don't :-( and I'm not likely to get one anytime soon (lack of space)

Thanks though!

Silver
 

SilverCloudedWolf

Just an update: I couldn't get baking soda so I tried bicarbonate of soda but it didn't have much, if any effect so I tried the chlorine tablets and they did work and also didn't damage the crystal. So now I'm gonna try the other 3 geodes...

Thanks,
Silver