1. If your quartz is very dirty, you can clean the stone with soap and water. Put a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a cup of water. Dip a rag or a small brush (such as an old toothbrush) in the water. Scrub the stone with the soapy solution until you have removed all the dirt and grime left from digging the stone out of the ground. Rinse thoroughly when you are done and let it air dry.
2. Use an abrasive powder and a brush to scrub away any iron deposits. If your crystals are "dyed" red by iron, you may need to scrub them harder than if they just have dirt on them. Try using an aluminum or steel brush and then scrubbing those areas thoroughly with a scrubbing powder (such as pumice).
3. After cleaning your quartz, grind away the roughest edges with a small rotary tool. If your quartz has large chunks that need to be removed, you can cut them off with a cut-off wheel saw. Place the edge of the wheel on the section you want to cut away and gently grind it away with force. Don't use too much force or you could injure yourself or the tool. For sharp edges that you don't want, use a grinding tool to grind away the edge.
4. Start polishing by sanding the stone with very coarse sandpaper. Choose very coarse and hard sandpaper, such as 50 grit for the first round. Sand the rough edges of the stone. When they are smooth, use finer sandpaper, such as 150 grit, and sand again. Continue using finer sandpaper until the stone is fairly smooth.
5. Polish the stone with a rough cloth. Rub the stone thoroughly with the cloth until it starts to shine. Quartz has a natural sheen, so it will shine quickly.
