Can bloodstone get wet?

Brief contact with water is fine, but avoid long soaking and dry it promptly. Chemicals and perfume are the bigger risk.

Why has my bloodstone gone dull?

Usually a film of lotion or scent, or fine scratches from storage. A gentle wash and a microfibre polish often restore it; deep scratches need a jeweller to repolish.

Is bloodstone hard enough for a ring?

Yes. At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale it suits a daily ring, ideally in a protective bezel.

How do I recognise fake bloodstone?

Natural red spots are irregular and sit inside the stone. Perfectly round or surface-level dots suggest dye or paint.

Bloodstone Care: Cleaning and Storage Tips

Bloodstone Care: Keeping the Green Deep and the Red Spots Bright

In short: Care for bloodstone by keeping things off it: it is slightly porous chalcedony, so perfume, oils and harsh chemicals can dull it. Wipe it with a soft cloth dampened in lukewarm, mildly soapy water, rinse, pat dry and polish with microfibre. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners, bleach, acids and long soaks, and store it in its own pouch.

2 min read

In this article

Know what you are caring for
Durability in daily wear
Cleaning: the gentle routine
Storage
Is it real bloodstone?
Traditional associations
Buying bloodstone from GemStore

GemStore team — written by the people who list and pack every stone.

Reviewed on 19 October 2026

Bloodstone, also called heliotrope, is dark green chalcedony scattered with red spots of iron oxide. It is a sturdy stone, but its appeal depends almost entirely on a deep polish, and that polish is what careless storage and harsh cleaners destroy. Here is how to keep it looking the way it did on the day you bought it.

Know what you are caring for

Because bloodstone is a form of chalcedony with patches of jasper, it is slightly porous. That porosity is why perfume, oils and strong cleaning chemicals can creep into the surface over time and make it look dull or blotchy. Most care advice for bloodstone comes back to keeping things off it rather than scrubbing things out of it.

Durability in daily wear

At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale bloodstone takes a daily ring, though a sharp knock on the edge of a cabochon can still chip it. A bezel setting protects the rim. If you wear it while doing manual work, take it off first.

Cleaning: the gentle routine

Wipe with a soft cloth dampened in lukewarm water and a drop of mild soap.
Rinse with clean water and pat dry straight away.
Polish lightly with a dry microfibre cloth to bring back the shine.

Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners, bleach, and anything acidic such as lemon juice or vinegar. Do not soak it for long periods.

Storage

Keep it in its own soft pouch. Harder gems such as sapphire or topaz will scratch it, and it will scratch softer stones in turn. Put rings on last, after cream, scent and hair products have dried.

Is it real bloodstone?

The usual substitute is dyed jasper or dyed green stone with red paint-like dots. Natural bloodstone's red spots are irregular in size and shape, sit inside the stone rather than on top, and often blur at the edges. Painted or dyed spots tend to be too round, too evenly spread, or slightly raised. Ask the seller in writing whether the stone is natural and untreated.

Traditional associations

In South Asian practice bloodstone is linked to Mars (Mangal) and is worn for stamina and endurance. These are traditional beliefs, not guaranteed results. If an astrologer is involved, settle weight and metal with them first; see our rashi guide for common pairings.

Buying bloodstone from GemStore

Look for a deep, even green with well-distributed red spots and a glassy polish. Each stone in our bloodstone collection is inspected and photographed on its own. If you are comparing options, try feroza or moonstone. Urdu and English names are on the names page, and we deliver with Cash on Delivery to Lahore, Karachi and every other city.

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