How to Cleanse Tarot Cards of Other People’s Energy

When people “cleanse” a deck

after buying a secondhand deck or if someone else has used it;
after heavy, emotional readings;
if your readings have “stopped working”: you get confused and can’t concentrate;
periodically, for example once a month, as part of caring for the deck.

The last point is more honestly explained by fatigue from practice than by “energy”: a break and some tidying up really do help you read the cards with fresh eyes again.

The simplest method: put the deck back in order

Arrange the deck in its original order: the Major Arcana from The Fool (0) to The World (21), then each suit from Ace to King. This takes 10–15 minutes and gives you two results: you check that all 78 cards are there (how a deck is structured), and you take a fresh look at each card. After that, shuffle the deck, and it is “as good as new”.

Ritual methods

Salt. Place the deck, in its box or a bag, in a bowl of dry salt overnight. Only dry salt and only in packaging: salt absorbs moisture, and the cards may warp.
Smoke. Pass the deck through the smoke of incense, herbs or a candle, a symbolic “smudging”. Keep the cards away from the flame.
Crystal. Place a quartz, amethyst or other stone on the deck overnight, for those who connect with this symbolism.
Knocking. Knock on the deck with your knuckles a few times: a quick way to “shake off” the previous reading.
Moonlight. Leave the deck on a windowsill on the night of a full moon. Put it away during the day: the colors fade in the sun.

All of these methods are symbolic. Choose the one that helps you get in the right frame of mind, and avoid the ones that damage cardstock.

What damages the cards

water, wet salt, herbal infusions and sprays: the cardstock swells and warps;
open flame;
long exposure to sunlight;
storing the deck without a box: the edges get bent.

Cleansing, charging and activation

In the tradition, these are done in order: a new deck is activated, then periodically cleansed and charged. If rituals don’t speak to you, two things are enough: careful storage and regular practice, such as the Card of the Day.

Frequently asked questions

How do you cleanse tarot cards of someone else’s energy?

Traditionally, with salt (dry, in packaging), incense smoke or a crystal. The most practical method is to put the deck back in order and shuffle it.

Do you need to cleanse tarot cards after every reading?

No. Shuffling the deck is enough. Cleansing is optional: after heavy readings or if other people have used the deck.

Can you clean tarot cards with water?

No: the cardstock will swell and warp. You can remove dust with a soft, dry cloth.

How this article was prepared

This text was written with the help of AI, based on the sources listed below and on the questions people actually search for. Every factual statement — about the history of decks, what a deck contains, what authors wrote — has a footnote. The text was then checked by a separate AI instance that took no part in writing it: it compared the facts with the footnotes, and errors were corrected. The English version is a translation of the original Russian article.

We describe reading practices — how to shuffle, charge or “cleanse” a deck — as traditions and habits of tarot readers, not as proven methods: there is no scientific evidence for divination. Read more on our editorial policy page. Found a mistake? Let us know via the contact form.