13 Smoke-Free Ways to Cleanse Your Space and Objects

When it comes to cleansing space, the go-to in the witchy world is almost always white sage, followed by palo santo. Both of these methods, while effective, use smoke to cleanse a space or object of stagnant energy, unwanted negativity, and unwelcome spirits which is not always an option for witches, whether it be because of pets, health issues, or housing restrictions. Thankfully, there are a number of other ways that you can cleanse your space and items that do not require smoke or flame.

1. Herbal Cleansing Spray

This form of cleansing has become increasingly popular as of late. Herbal sprays often contain essential oils from cleansing herbs in an alcohol base, but they can also be made from herbal infusions. There are a host of amazing herbal cleansing sprays on the market, or you can make your own at home using about 2 ounces of 91% isopropyl alcohol or vodka with 30 drops combined of essential oil from plants such as rosemary, sage, cedar, lavender, cinnamon, or patchouli. (Please be aware that many essential oils are toxic to cats and dogs so use them with caution.) To cleanse an object or space using an herbal cleansing spray, simply spray the area with the spray. Feel free to turn this process into a ritual or combine it with visualization. (Looking for a great recipe? Solstice Sisters have an excellent High Vibration Cleansing Spray recipe on their blog!)

2. Asperging (asperges)

This is one of my favorite ways to cleanse a space that does not require smoke or candles. Asperging is the practice of cleansing a space or object using sanctified water. In the Catholic tradition, this is usually holy water, but many witches use water that has been blessed with salt. The water is then sprinkled around the space to cleanse the area, usually using a tool of some sort. You can use your fingers or an herb bundle to sprinkle the water. I prefer the use of rosemary, but cedar, sage, or lavender will also do the trick.

3. Sound

There are a variety of sounds you can use to clear space and cleanse objects. Clapping, singing, chanting, singing bowls, bells, banging pots and pans while screaming GTFO all work. I personally prefer the last one, especially if it involves spirits of the physical kind. But in all seriousness, sound creates vibrations that stir up energy, making it easier to remove. Negativity also doesn't like positivity, so sounds that bring you happiness and joy will force the negative energy out of the space. Walk counterclockwise around your space while using your preferred sound method to cleanse the space.

4. Blowing

This is my favorite method for cleansing objects, especially crystals. When you blow, you are physically removing dust and debris from the object or space, much like you use a leafblower to remove yard waste from your lawn or driveway. However, when you use your breath to cleanse an object, you also fill the object with your energy and intent. This is why I love this method so much for crystals. Whenever I buy a new one, I hold it in my hand until it is warm then close my eyes and blow lightly, removing any lingering energy from before it came to me and infusing it with my energy, thus attuning it to my craft. 

5. Sweeping

Sweeping with a broom is also a super common way to cleanse a space, and probably one of the most useful because not only does it remove stale and negative energy, it also physically cleans the space as well. I encourage you to sweep the area using a mundane broom first to physically cleanse the space, then ritually sweep to remove energy. Be sure to do so counterclockwise (banishing) and sweep the energy out your front door. Combine this with a chant or visualization and some salt, and you got yourself a powerful cleansing ritual.

6. Sunlight

Sunlight is the ultimate cleanser, especially for objects. UV radiation kills bacteria and viruses, as well as removes unwanted energy by raising a space or object's vibration. If you are looking to cleanse a space, open windows, and use mirrors to reflect more sunlight into the space. If you are cleansing an object, place it in direct sunlight, or someplace else, it will receive indirect light. Not all objects fair well in sunlight, so use them with caution. Moonlight is also powerful, it's reflected sunlight after all, and is best for crystals such as citrine and amethyst that fade in sunlight. Let them bathe in sunlight or moonlight for at least an hour, if not all day/night.

7. Crystal Grid

Crystal grids can be used for a variety of purposes, including cleansing a space. Simply create a crystal grid using cleansing crystals such as lodestone, black tourmaline, smoky quartz, and selenite. Create a pattern that speaks to you, or use sacred geometry to create your grid. Charge each of the crystals with your intent and place the grid in the space you wish to be cleansed. Allow to sit for 24 to 72 hours. You can leave the crystal grid permanently in a space, but be sure to cleanse and charge the crystals often to ensure it continues to work.

8. Salt Bowl

Salt is a natural purifier, hence its use to preserve meats and other food long-term. It is naturally antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-negativity making it a potent cleanser. Cover an object in salt or place salt bowls around the space you wish to please. Allow to sit for 24 to 72 hours. Be careful about which objects you place in salt. Crystals with fine cracks or high moisture such as turquoise, malachite, calcite, amber, moonstone, and selenite, should not come into contact with salt. 

9. Onions

Onions, like salt, are also natural purifiers. Simply cut an onion in half and place the halves around the space you wish to cleanse. I personally wouldn't use onions to clean an object, but that's mostly because I don't want all my belongings smelling like onions...

10. Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

This is a ritual commonly used in high magic to cleanse a space, object, or person. Traditionally a dagger or athame is used, but your finger is also just as good at directing your energy. You can find a complete guide to performing the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Petagram here. For those of you looking for a more involved ritual for cleansing, this may be right up your alley.

11. Tornado Jar

Tornado jars use storm magic to cleanse and purify a space, just as tornados tear through an area allowing new life to flourish. To create a tornado jar, combine stormwater and cleansing essential oils such as lemongrass, patchouli, and tea tree with obsidian, black tourmaline, and clear quartz with a pinch of salt into a clear glass jar. Swirl the jar to create a tornado while chanting "By the power of the elements all negativity this jar shall ensnare. This house will be rid of all ill intent and evil beware. With crash of thunder and howling winds, this house is protected and those within. No more hurt or ill will remains. Happiness and love are all that may be gained. By my will, the spell is done. Until I will it, it shan't be undone." Place the jar in a prominent place in your home or on your altar. Give it a swirl every once in a while to gather up any stagnant or negative energy that has settled.

12. Vinegar Steam

Vinegar is a potent preserver and remover of negativity and stagnant energy. Steam combines both Fire and Air, using the combination of these elements to cleanse a space. According to Chinese tradition, rice vinegar is boiled and the pan is carried around the house, allowing the steam to cleanse the area. This is traditionally part of a weekly cleaning regimen but can be used any time you feel the need. Furthermore, any type of vinegar will work depending on your tastes.

13. Floorwash

Floor washes, like sweeping, remove both energy and physical debris. You will want to physically clean the floors first, including washing them with your standard floor wash then finish off with a magical floor wash to remove negativity. You can see a full breakdown of my favorite magical floor wash here.

No matter how you decide to cleanse your space and objects, know that they are all equally powerful if you will it so. While there is more to spell work than just intent, intent goes a long way when it comes to cleansing a space and you don't need smoke to do it. Remember, when you are cleansing, open windows or doors to allow the negativity a way to leave. While energy can travel through walls, why not give it a designated exit? Walls also have a habit of keeping things in, even when we don't intend them to. Good luck cleansing your spaces and objects, witches!

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New Home Blessing

Now that I have shared the new house with you, even without seeing the inside, I'd like to share my home blessing with you. Before we moved our furniture in, I did my space clearing spell to get rid of any lingering energies and what not. Since the energy of the house was already stirred up from the past owner moving out just hours before, I did a light cleaning and started the ritual without clapping or ringing a bell. Unfortunately, I was alone during this ritual so I don't have any pictures. I will tell you I bought a beautiful new white sage smudge and a shell to go with it. (Please keep in mind the use of white sage is frowned upon by non-Native witches. Please see Decolonizing Witchcraft: Racism, Whitewashing, and Cultural Appropriation in Witchcraft for more information.)

After clearing the energy from the house I moved our stuff in and we started setting things up in their less than permanent locations. I did not bless the house for almost a week for a couple of reasons. First of all, I just haven't been around. Second, I wanted to spend some time getting to know the house before I blessed it and ask it to accept us. Because we had such little time to buy and move, I didn't get several months of visiting and revisiting to get to know the place. The previous owner was still living here which also complicated matters. Her late husband died here. Not in the house physically, but the house watched the man who had lived here since the day it was built waste away on the front porch from cancer before suddenly disappearing and dying in the hospital within a couple weeks. My husband laughs at me, but I can tell the house was still mourning the loss and was not expecting the wife to suddenly move out either. The previous couple lived here for 32 years. That's a hell of a long time and a lot of energy to deal with. Needless to say, I finally felt comfortable enough to bless the house and ask it to accept us

For my blessing, I used a premixed loose incense from my local metaphysical shop. It's called Blessed Space and contains a mixture of white willow bark, myrrh, jasmine, rose bud and petal, clove, ginger, orris root, dandelion, and blessed thistle. Quite a potent mix. Each of these has very specific qualities to bring to the blessing. Willow bark is a traditionally used in blessings while myrrh lifts vibrations and jasmine and rose to bring love and happiness into the space. Clove and ginger are burned for protection (and also exorcism but we won't talk about that). Ginger also brings success, happiness, and prosperity along with orris root. Dandelion and blessed thistle expel negative energy and purify the space.

Supplies
     Blessing Incense
     Charcoal (if using loose leaf)
     Censor or fire proof dish
     Match or lighter

Directions

1. To begin I charged all my objects with their intent, including the piece of charcoal I was using. This is the first time I have used charcoal and it took me a bit to get it to light with a match (6 matches actually). 
2. Once lit, place a spoonful of incense on the charcoal and waft until it billows smoke.
3.  Proceeded clockwise around the space while chanting "Smoke of Air and Fire of Earth, Cleanse and bless this home and hearth. Drive way all harm and fear; only good may enter here." Visualize the house filling with a warm pink and golden glow of love, prosperity, and happiness.
4. Allow the incense to burn completely down or douse with water. Bury the remains in your yard or discard them in the trash.

You may want to carry the loose incense with you while you do this ritual. I had to add more twice to make it around the whole house.

This incense smelled amazing. I could feel the mood of the house change almost immediately. It was a very beautiful and personal ritual, even if it didn't involve a bunch of work.

Good luck blessing your own home! May it bring you the peace and happiness it is bringing me.

Witchy Tip 4

Space Clearing Spell

Yesterday I spent most of the day cleaning the house to get ready for the new year. I did a deep clean just as I had a couple of months prior. However, this time I hauled off some 4 boxes of stuff to Goodwill and finally finished unpacking from our move over a year and a half ago. I know right? I had three boxes of stuff sitting in the coat closet. I also reorganized most of the house in the process. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted.

Before I did any of this, however, I removed the ward I put up last year. I wanted to make sure that not just the dust and dirt and clutter was leaving the house, but that all the negativity was leaving as well. Remember, wards not only keep things out, but they keep things in too. Please refer to my post on my home protection ward for more details.

Today I decided to cleanse my entire house magically as well. I would have done this yesterday but I just didn't have the energy after cleaning all day.

Supplies
     White tealights for every room or area (including halls and stairways)
     Small plate for every room
     Salt
     White Sage Smudge Stick

Directions

1. Assemble all your supplies in one place. If you want, pray over the items and charge them with your intent.
2. In the room you are in, place a tealight on a plate and pour a ring of salt around it. Place it as close to the center of the room as you can. Repeat for each room/area of your house. The fire from the candle will burn away negativity while the salt will absorb the excess.
3. Return to the first room and begin clapping loudly to stir up and unstick any energy in the room. Make sure to pay special attention to corners and dark spots. Repeat for each room/area of your house. This will make sure your candle, salt, and smudge are able to get rid of the negativity that may be lurking out of its reach.
4. In the first room, open as many windows as possible then light the sage. Walk the perimeter of each room allowing the smoke to dissolve negativity and lift vibrations. Repeat in every room/area of your house. Extinguish the sage when you are done and close the windows.
5. Allow the tea lights to burn all the way down or for as long as you can. Any leftovers can be used when you perform this spell again. Flush the salt down the toilet or pour down the sink. Make sure to wash the plates before using again.
6. If you feel the need, bathe after the space clearing is complete to wash away any negativity you may have picked up.

I skipped the clapping part today because cleaning also stirs up the energy in a home. This should be performed every couple of months or as often as you feel needed. During times of loss or high stress, you may need to clear your space more frequently. Again, if you have a ward around your home, make sure you take it down before performing this.

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Witchy Tip 3

Home Protection Ward

 

I mentioned in a previous post on my threshold protection spell, that I also put up a new ward around our home. A ward is something that protects or defends, and when placed around a home it works like a barrier, preventing negativity from entering. However, you have to check on this regularly, just like a wall used to defend a city. How often you need to refresh your ward is completely dependant on your neighborhood and the sort of things following you home. I live in a nice little neighborhood, but right down the street is a not so nice one. Last December my car was stolen from our driveway while I was home by some kids that lived down the road. That being said, my ward needs refreshing rather often. Two to four times a year is usually good, but just remember to keep an eye on it. If you notice it needs refreshing, take down the old ward and reconstruct it.

My favorite ward ritual also comes from The Way of the Hedgewitch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. Like her threshold protection spell, its easy, quick, and informal.

Supplies
     Candle with holder
     Dish of water
     Dish of earth or salt (you will be sprinkling this outside)
     Incense of your choice
     Matches or lighter

Directions

1. Light the candle and, beginning at your threshold or where ever you deem fit (I started in my back yard at the fence since it was easiest for me), walk clockwise around the outside of your home. As you do say:

   "I build this boundary with fire."

   Repeat this over and over until you have walked completely around your home.
   
   
2. Then pick up the dish of earth. Again, walk around your home sprinkling dirt as you go. Repeat:

   "I build this boundary with earth."

3. Next, pick up the dish of water. Again, walk around your home sprinkling water as you go. Repeat:

   "I build this boundary with water."

4. Finally, pick up the incense and light it. Walk around your house for the last time repeating:

   "I build this boundary with air."

5. Standing at your threshold (or starting place), reach out your hands and visualize a shield of energy forming a bubble around your home and property. As you visualize say: 
   

   "Fire, water, earth, and air,
    Guard this home against all ill will and danger.
    Keep this house and those who live in it safe.
    I declare this ward to be raised and active."

And there you have it, a home protection ward! Now sometimes a ward needs to be dissolved. These times would be to refresh a ward, if you move, or if there are major changes that occur in your life or the life of the house, i.e. career change and remodeling.

To dissolve a ward, walk counter-clockwise beginning at the same starting point you did to construct the ward. As you do so hold out your hand and visualize it slicing through your ward. As you walk say:

"I dissolve this ward.
 You have my thanks for your protection in the past.
 I release you with my blessing."

A little word of warning about wards and protection barriers. If you are keeping something out you are also keeping something in. It is in your best interest to dissolve your barriers once in a while to let out any trapped energy.

Do you put up a ward around your house?

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Threshold Protection Spell

Note: This post contains potentially problematic practices or language, cultural appropriation, or misinformation. I have been working diligently to decolonize my practice, for which you can learn more about in my article Decolonizing Witchcraft: Racism, Whitewashing, and Cultural Appropriation in Witchcraft and How to Decolonize Your Practice. I believe in documenting my journey in witchcraft and that my readers can learn from my mistakes, so the posts will remain as a learning opportunity.

Last night was the full moon and while banishing magic is best conducted during the waning moon, something told me that I should go ahead and clear out the negativity in our home, redo our threshold protection spell, and strengthen the ward currently protecting us. Sometimes it is better to listen to the universe than force the issue later on.

I spent the entire day cleaning the house and preparing for the moon to rise. Before you put up a ward or a threshold protection spell, you need to take down your previous ward and clear your home of all negativity. Cleaning is the best way to do this in my opinion. Some people take a more "magical" approach, using spells and charms, but cleaning, cleaning gets rid of the mundane and magical "dirt" while freeing your mind of clutter as well. You want to be sure to clean EVERYTHING. Yesterday I washed baseboards, doors, fans, the dishwasher, under all the furniture, even some of the outside windows. Cleaning stirs up stagnate energy, so cleaning behind and under things helps push out the negativity. Closets, where I didn't clean, I stirred up the stagnate energy by clapping, but you can use a chime or drum as well. Clapping is easiest considering I had enough to haul around into each room.

Start at the top of the house and work your way down. This means rooms as well that way you don't have to sweep and vacuum twice. I work clockwise because that is most comfortable for me, but most banishing magical suggests you walk counterclockwise. I can never bring myself to work in the opposite direction. Why? Because I feel counterclockwise pushes not only the negative away, but prevents the positive from entering as well. I find that moving forward and inviting more positive in works best, but everyone is different. Do what feels right to you. I also open the windows in the room I am cleaning as an exit for negativity. No windows? That's fine; sweep the negativity into the next room until there is a window or door for it to exit.

Once your house is clean and the energy stirred up, you are ready to put up your threshold protection spell and ward. I put up the protection spell as soon as I was done cleaning. You can use this spell on every door and window in your home if you want, but I feel confident my ward will prevent the bulk of negativity from entering. Furthermore, everyone must enter through our front door, so anything the ward fails to prevent will be prevented at the threshold. My favorite threshold protection spell is from The Way of the Hedge Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. Its simple and quick, just what you need after cleaning all day.

Supplies:

     1 cup water

     1/2 cup vinegar

     1 tablespoon salt

     1 tablespoon lemon juice

     bowl or bucket

     washing cloth

     sage smudge

     matches or lighter

     olive oil mixed with a pinch of salt

     3 cloves of garlic

1. Begin by combining the water, vinegar, salt, and lemon juice in your bowl or bucket. Using the washing cloth, completely clean your threshold. Wipe down the front and back of the door and both sides of the door frame. Try to get it as clean as possible.
2. Light the smudge stick and move it around the door frame. Waft the smoke so it touches both the inside and outside of the door frame. Lay the smudge in a heatproof dish and allow it to smoulder during the ritual.
3. Dip your fingers in the oil and salt mixture and trace the outside of the door frame. Make sure there are no broken spots; you want a complete seal. As you trace the frame say:

   "No evil or illness may cross this threshold. I hereby bar it from entering. My home is protected."

4. Dip your fingers in the oil again and touch the upper left corner of the door frame. Trace through the air to the bottom right. Dip your fingers again and trace from the upper right to the lower left. Finally, dip and trace from the upper middle to lower middle all while repeating:

   "No evil or illness may cross this threshold. I hereby bar it from entering. My home is protected."

5. This symbol is a hexefus which is a combination of the runes Isa (|) and Gebo (X). When written together they "freeze" the state of your home and possessions, protecting them from physical and spiritual intrusion.
6. Finally take the three cloves of garlic and bury them as close to the threshold as you can. I buried mine in a line. One of the left, one in the middle, and one on the right. As you do this repeat the same chant.
   

   "No evil or illness may cross this threshold. I hereby bar it from entering. My home is protected."

***

I have used this threshold protection spell at every house I have lived in. It works, but you need to keep an eye on it. Depending on how much negativity is trying to enter determines how long the spell will work. I suggest strengthening it every couple of months, but you may need to redo it every month. My husband is a funeral director and when he has had a particularly heavy load of cases dealing with murder, suicide, and unexpected/tragic loss, I find our threshold weakens faster. Its amazing what you can bring home with you. For extra protection, sprinkle a line of salt across the outside of the door frame. This will further prevent negativity and keep away most insects.

I hope this has been helpful. I will post the ritual I use to create my ward later this week. Until then, how do you protect your home?

 

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