Sometimes rocks we have collected on
one of our field trips sit around in our yard for a year or more
allowing the rain and sun to naturally clean them. However if they
are big and really dirty, I pull out the pressure washer and get
really wet. The majority of them I clean with a small jet nozzle
simply attached to a hose but get even wetter since there is no long
wand. To be honest, this time of the year getting wet is part of the
fun. I turn the stones often and let the sun dry them in-between
which helps break up trapped dirt. I repeat this process until the
loose material is removed. Exceptional examples may require hand
cleaning with probes and brushes. Beth and I like specimens in both
their naturally found form and as in these examples completely
cleaned of mineral stains which requires a few hours in a crock pot
slowly heated with a mild oxalic acid. This acid bath is required to
clean the iron oxide off select specimens like this druzy quartz we
collected on the last Club trip to Missouri. You can clearly see the
difference between those that were just cleaned with the hose and
those that have had the iron oxide coating removed with acid.
Many rocks we collect end up in the
garden or I use them as pots like the included example. Some we cut
and polish. Others we make into jewelry.
