House Cleansing: A Checklist for Clearing Bad Energy from Your Home
Your home should be your safe haven -- the place where you feel relaxed, happy, and at peace. But when bad energy is lingering around, your home can quickly become the complete opposite -- a place of hostility and negativity. And when you have this negative energy in your home, it can affect every other aspect of your life. That’s why house cleansing can be an important part in your personal well-being.
If you’ve just moved into a new space, you should cleanse your home of any negative energies that might still be there from the previous owners. Or, if you’ve just gone through a breakup, had a big life transition, or you’re just in a funk -- clearing bad energy from your home can help. But how do you know if you have negative energy in your home, and how do you clear it out?
Signs you have bad energy in your home
Knowing how to detect negative energy in your house can actually be quite simple. You can tell whether the energy in your home is good or bad – or neutral – based on the way you feel inside while you’re inside it. A house filled with good energy feels fresh and vibrant -- it’s full of life and you feel good being there. Some may say it has good qi or feng shui. On the other end of the spectrum, a home drowning in bad energy will make you feel like you’re being stifled, smothered, or even crushed. You can feel the tension in the air, and there are a thousand places you’d rather be.
Negative energy and stress go hand-in-hand, so if you’re constantly frazzled or at the end of your rope, your home could be partly to blame. If you’re not sure whether your home has bad energy of its own, check out these red flags:
Excessive complaining. If you or your family members catch yourselves complaining, even when things are okay (or worse, when they’re actually pretty good), you may have negative energy in your home. The same is true if you’re struggling to find positivity in life.
Negative relationships. When the people around you – spouses, children, family, and friends – are negative, it’s worth taking a look at the kind of energy you’re putting out there. Negative energy attracts more negative energy, and it becomes a vicious cycle.
The blame game. Household members always pointing the finger? Negative energy in the home could be preventing them (and you) from looking inward to place responsibility where it really belongs.
Criticism. If there’s a lot of criticizing going along with all the blame, your home could be swamped with bad energy. When you or others in your house send out negative vibrations, you’re increasing the bad energy in your home.
Clutter. One of the biggest signs of negative energy in a home is clutter. Clutter blocks the way energy flows through a home, so it could be keeping bad energy in and making things worse.
Even if you aren’t picking up on any of these warning signs that you’re dealing with bad energy, it’s a good idea to cleanse your house when someone has had an argument, been sick, or is experiencing stress at work. Negative energy can seep into your house over time, so it’s okay to clear it whenever you feel like doing so.
Your home is the one place you should feel safe and secure, but if you open the door and you’re practically swimming in a pool of bad energy, you need to cleanse it – and this checklist will help.
Clearing bad energy from your home: the ultimate checklist
Unless you’re living in the former house of an accused witch in Salem, MA, removing negative energies from your home is fairly easy. All you need to do is follow this straightforward checklist for an all-over house cleansing.
1. First thing’s first: clean and declutter your house
Get rid of all the clutter by putting things away or disposing of them, and make sure you clean every corner. Open all the blinds, and, weather-permitting, open your windows. Let in as much light and fresh air as you can while cleaning. Don’t forget to dust, vacuum, and check for cobwebs – you don’t want the negative energy to have any reason to stick around.
As you clean your home, know that keeping broken items in your house is bad feng shui – and items that don’t bring you joy can only drag you down. If you have an item that’s irreparably broken, it’s time to get rid of it and move on.
When you’ve cleared away the clutter and removed broken items from your home, you can finish removing negative energies with this naturopathic remedy. You’ll need the following for this house cleansing solution:
5 lemons
¼ c. ammonia or white vinegar
Sage, frankincense, or copal (or all three)
A fireproof dish for catching embers and ash
Sea salt
A bell
Selenite
2. Begin house cleansing with doors and windows
The doors and windows are where outside energy enters your home. Keep them purified by mixing a bucket of water with the juice from five lemons, one cup of sea salt, and ¼ cup of ammonia or white vinegar. Clean the doorknobs, doors, and frames, and windows in your home with the solution to keep them purified.
3. Continue removing negative energies throughout your home
The ancient Native American technique of smudging can help remove bad energy in your home. The Native Americans used it for millennia because they knew it worked – and fortunately, the same materials they used are readily available in health food stores and online.
Burning sage – particularly white sage – is a simple and fast way to clear out bad spirits and negative energy. Add frankincense (which you can use alone, too, if you don’t like sage) and copal incense to chase out all the negative vibes so there’s plenty of room for good ones. You can also use patchouli, palo santo, or other herbs recommended by healers for house cleansing.
Follow this step-by-step guide to smudge your home with sage (or other herbs):
Stand in the center or at the front door of the room you want to cleanse. Most people begin in the kitchen, as it’s the heart of the home.
Light the sage bundle like you’d light incense, and let the flames die out (they will, very quickly).
Fan the sage carefully to encourage a steady stream of smoke. Envision the smoke absorbing bad energy and carrying it away.
Cleanse yourself first by lightly fanning the smoke around your body, beginning at your feet and working up toward your head.
Walk clockwise around the room, swirling the sage bundle in circular motions. Pay special attention to the walls, corners and floor, and don’t forget the ceiling.
This process will help manifest positive energy in your home. Some people choose to recite incantations or make positive affirmations as they’re smudging. If you’re comfortable, saying a prayer or appealing to a higher power for positive energy can help with house cleansing.
After you’ve smudged each room, you can now cleanse your house with salt. Pour salt into each corner and let it sit for 48 hours (the salt can absorb negative energy). Ring a bell three times in each corner to break up any stagnant energy, which the salt can then absorb. In two days, vacuum the salt away. Many people choose to use salt lamps to continue clearing bad energy, as well.
You can further protect your home from negative energy by putting selenite on your windowsills. Selenite can cleanse energy and raise the vibration in your home to a higher level. Many healers recommend using other healing crystals, as well. For instance, black tourmaline is a protective crystal that absorbs depression and negative energy. Rose quartz opens the heart chakra, while amethyst helps with intention setting, and citrine allows you to manifest your dreams. If you have a favorite that works for you, place it in rooms where the bad energy seems to collect.
What to do after you’ve finished house cleansing and removing negative energies
Now that you’ve cleared the bad energy from your home, you can focus on attracting positive energy to your space. Having salt lamps in various rooms is a great place to start. Revamping your interior design to make you happier at home and creating good feng shui throughout can also help bring in those positive vibes.
It’s important to be aware of the energy your home continues to bring you - good or bad. If you notice a shift in the energy as time goes on, consider clearing bad energy from your house again. After all, your home should bring you joy and be a source of positivity.
Question 1.
Do you have a special spell or charm you use to protect your home or a particular ritual for housewarmings?
Certainly! For safeguarding my home, I have a specific routine that involves using a mixture of sage and salt. I typically sprinkle salt at the thresholds of doors and windows for protection, and I burn sage throughout the house to cleanse the space and ward off negative energies. For housewarming, I gather friends and family for a small ceremony where we light candles in each room, set positive intentions, and share stories and laughter to fill the home with joy and love.
Question 2.
How can the protection blend be applied both indoors and outdoors for maximum effect?
For maximum effect, the protection blend can be applied around a home or property both indoors and outdoors, ensuring a secure environment. Optimally, outdoors, the blend should be sprinkled in a complete circle around the property during quiet hours like midday or early morning, to avoid drawing attention. For those unable to circle their entire home, such as in a duplex or apartment, creating a line with the blend under all entry points—doors and windows—and along the perimeter of accessible areas, like a yard, is effective.
Indoors, particularly when access to the outside is restricted or in upper-floor apartments, a small amount of salt—a safe option especially for homes with pets—can be used. While applying the blend, repeating affirmations such as "This home is protected; this home is secure. Evil may do no harm here!" reinforces the intention of security. The ritual should be concluded with a final affirmation, "So Mote it Be," to seal the protective measure.
Question 3.
What ritual can be performed outside the home to protect it from negative intentions?
To perform a protective ritual for your home intended to ward off negative energies, begin by thoroughly cleaning your living space to remove any residual negativity and clutter. You can then prepare a mixture of protective herbs and salt, which acts as the primary base of the concoction. Commonly used herbs for such purposes include sage, rosemary, and lavender, but feel free to choose or prioritize herbs that you feel a stronger connection with or that hold particular meaning to you. Combine these herbs in proportions that feel right, typically using a small amount of around 1/4 cup in total.
The ritual itself should be conducted outdoors, encompassing your home and property. A quiet time of day, such as midday when the area is less busy, or during early morning or late night hours to avoid drawing attention, is ideal for performing the ritual. If you reside in a shared or confined space, like a duplex or apartment, adapt the ritual to fit your environment. For example, in a duplex, you might sprinkle the herbal mixture along the thresholds of all entryways instead of around the entire building's perimeter. Apartment dwellers can do a smaller indoor version using plain salt, particularly when outdoor access is restricted.
While you sprinkle the herbal and salt blend, recite the following affirmation or a similar protective chant: "This home is protected; this home is secure. Evil may do no harm here!" It’s important to maintain a clear and focused intention while reciting. Conclude the ritual and seal its power with the closing words, "So Mote it Be,” signaling the completion and activation of your home’s protective barrier.
This simple ritual can serve as a spiritual safeguard, fostering a shield of positivity and security around your home.
Question 4.
How can one use a protection blend of herbs like salt, cinnamon, clove, dragon's blood, and garlic to safeguard their home?
To safeguard your home using a protection blend of herbs such as salt, cinnamon, clove, dragon's blood, and garlic, begin by identifying the room with the most negative or stagnant energy. Starting at the doorway, use a clockwise motion to navigate around the space, ensuring that you can easily move without obstacles. Light a smudge stick crafted from these protective herbs, or place the loose herbs in a fire-safe bowl. Gently disperse the smoke with a feather or by waving your hand, making a thorough pass from ceiling to floor and especially focusing on corners where negative energy often accumulates. It is beneficial to incorporate sound into your cleansing ritual: wearing a string of bells can help break up and drive away lingering negative energies. If bells are not available, you or a companion can ring a bell vigorously three times when entering and leaving the room, enhancing the effect of the herbal protection blend. This process can be repeated in each room of the home to establish a protective and peaceful environment.
Question 5.
What does the chant "I banish all evil and negativity from this home. Only good shall prosper here!" signify during the cleansing process?
During the cleansing process, the chant "I banish all evil and negativity from this home. Only good shall prosper here!" expresses the purpose of removing negative energies or influences from the residence. It also underscores the desire to welcome and foster positive, prosperous conditions within the space. This reaffirms the intent behind the action, ensuring the space is purified and filled with beneficial energy.
Passage_1 provides the following supplies recommended for a house cleansing and protection ritual:
"You'll need the following for this house cleansing solution:
5 lemons
½ c. ammonia or white vinegar
Sage, frankincense, or copal (or all three)
A fireproof dish for catching embers and ash
Sea salt
A bell
Selenite
Additionally, consider enhancing your ritual with these protective elements for a more potent effect:
- Smudging stick or loose smudging herbs such as Sage, Rosemary, or Evergreen needles for purifying the space.- A Protection Blend, which could include a mix of Cinnamon, Clove, Dragon's Blood, and Garlic to fortify the barriers against negative energies.- Bells of any kind to clear the air through sound vibrations.- Lastly, if some items are not readily available, remember that simple sea salt is a powerful element for protection and can be used effectively on its own.
This combination of cleansing and protective supplies will ensure a thorough spiritual cleansing and safeguarding of your home. Let me know if you need any more information."<
Originally published by Redfin