Get rid of a Ouija board the safe way [Ultimate guide]

Your heart is racing; you just found a Ouija board in the kid’s room. Scary horror movies about Ouijas start to flicker before your eyes. What to do now? How do you dispose of it without unleashing a demonic curse on yourself or your loved ones?

The safe way of getting rid of a Ouija board is to close it and perform a salt burial ritual. Bury the Ouija board facing down, covered with salt. Bury the planchette the same way, at least 10 feet away. When the burial is done, turn away and don’t look back as you walk away.

If a Ouija board session is not closed correctly, portals might open unintentionally. Therefore it is vital to know how to close a board and get rid of it correctly. You never want to leave a portal open.

Bury the Ouija the safe way

If you want to get rid of a Ouija board, you need to start by closing the board. If the board was mismanaged, the board might act as a portal and stay active even when not used. A portal is like a door to the spirit world. If the door is left open, any entity can come through at any time. Not a pleasant experience – I can personally vouch for that.

There are many opinions about how to get rid of Ouija boards. Some say they are toys and should be thrown in the garbage as standard junk. Some believe they are highly dangerous and must be treated with exorcism-like methods. Some think they need to be burned or cut into pieces (never do this, by the way!)

There is only one safe way of getting rid of a Ouija board. It is done by correctly closing the board and performing a salt burial ritual. There are two versíons of this ritual, the standard and the extended. The extended is used when you are experiencing severe issues with the board – as demonic attachments or portals that are tricky to close.

Throw it in the dumpster

What about just tossing the Ouija in the garbage alongside your other junk? You could do that if you don’t believe in the paranormal or spirit communications overall.

As divination tools and communication only work if you have the intention to listen, the spirits will not try to manipulate you – they don’t want to talk to someone that doesn’t listen to them. They are like humans in that way. We don’t like talking to brick walls either.

The downside of throwing it in the junk is that someone else can get their hands on it. They might have open channels to the Ether. We don’t want that.

It is recommended that you close the board and perform a salt burial ritual if there are known issues with the Ouija board. It is not good practice to throw it in the trash, give it away, or sell it if your gut feeling tells you something is up with the board.

If you used the Ouija correctly and know it has no issues, you can sell it, give it away, or toss it in the trash. The board is neutral, like any piece of wood.

Get rid of the Ouija board the safe way

The best way to get rid of a Ouija board is by performing a salt burial ritual. The salt burial ritual closes the board and lessens the risk that anyone will get hurt by it down the line. This is very important if the Ouija has shown signs of acting as a portal or has attachments. Below, you find more information about warning signs under the section Get rid of a Ouija board with known problems.

Now let’s take a look at the basics you need to know when getting rid of a Ouija safely.

First of all, whatever you do, don’t panic. You got this! You have the upper hand and control the situation as you have a body, spirit, and free will. This is something that the most dangerous entities don’t have (ghosts have spirits, demons don’t). As long as you don’t surrender your free will, you have the upper hand.

Before doing anything else, start by closing the board. Move the planchette to “goodbye.” You have to do this with the intent of closing the board and any portal activated. It will not work if you don’t believe in your actions. Everything spiritual works with the magic “intent” and reassurance.

Move the planchette to goodbye to close the board.

When you have closed the board, it is time to get rid of it. Make sure you have all the parts of the board: Ouija board, planchette, the magnifying glass in the planchette, and storage bag or cloth (if used). Sometimes the glass falls off the planchette, so be sure you got all parts.

Find a spot in the woods. Dig a three feet-deep hole that fits the board. Dig another hole for the planchette, at least 10 feet from the board.

Bury the Ouija board facing down. Place the Ouija board on a bed of salt. Not Epsom; it needs to be “real salt.” Salt is one of the most protective crystals there is. You need a more significant amount of salt, so a tiny sacket of salt from your drive-thru wont do. Add salt on top of the board as well. Be sure to encircle the board with salt as well.

The board and the planchette should never be buried in a way that they will, even by mistake, touch each other. The portal might be left open and the board active if they do.

Enclose the planchette with salt, just like the Ouija board.

Now it is time to bury the board and the planchette. Demand the Ouija to close open portals and break attachments to you. Again, the intent is critical here, not what you say.

Now it is time to turn your back to the board and the planchette and walks away. Don’t look back.

The Ouija board is now closed, buried, and sealed.

Salt burial ritual to get rid of Ouija boards

  1. Make sure you have all the parts belonging to the Ouija board (board, planchette, and box)
  2. Close the board by moving the planchette to “goodbye.”
  3. Bury the planchette and the board separately (be sure they never touch, even by mistake)
  4. Fill the hole with salt
  5. Place the board/planchette facing down on top of the salt
  6. Cover the board/planchette in a layer of salt
  7. Make sure the board/planchette is fully enclosed with salt
  8. Cover the board/planchette with dirt with the intention to close the board
  9. Turn away from the board/planchette
  10. Walk away from the site without looking back (very important!)

Get rid of a Ouija board without known problems

Getting rid of a Ouija board with no specific problems is relatively simple. With problems, I mean negative attachments or other kinds of known hauntings. Use this option if you bought the board, handled it correctly, and know its history. This version is a simplified way of closing the board, which should be enough if there are no known issues and you know the history of the board.

  1. Move the planchette to “goodbye” to close the board
  2. Be sure to put the planchette in a separate bag if stored with the board (they should never touch)
  3. Throw it away, give it away, or sell it

As the board has no known issues, you can sell or throw it away as this poses no danger to others. If you have a gut feeling something is not right with the Ouija board, use the salt burial ritual or the extended version of the ceremony below. If you are unsure, I recommend you perform the salt burial ritual. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

In the video below, you find tips and tricks to perform a burial. I always add salt to restrain the board, just to stay safe.

Get rid of a Ouija board with known problems

When it comes to a Ouija board that you have found or don’t know what happened to, you should always handle them with care and perform a salt burial ritual. If the Ouija board was misused it might act as a portal opening your home to unwanted visits from the world beyond. It is like leaving your front door open, letting anyone step inside at any hour.

If you fear something is off with your board, I recommend you perform a salt burial ritual. If the board shows obvious warning signs of hauntings or acts as a portal, it is recommended that you perform an extended salt burial ritual.

The extended salt burial ritual

An extended salt burial ritual is when you smudge the area and yourself during the salt burial ritual. Blue sage is recommended for Ouija boards, but you can also use white sage. Also, leave a note with a warning if anyone ever finds it.

Extended salt burial ritual for Ouija boards

  1. Make sure you have all the parts belonging to the Ouija board (board, planchette, and box)
  2. Close the board by moving the planchette to “goodbye.”
  3. Bury the planchette and the board separately (be sure they never touch, even by mistake)
  4. Fill the hole with salt
  5. Place the board/planchette facing down on top of the salt
  6. Cover the board/planchette in a layer of salt
  7. Make sure the board/planchette is fully enclosed with salt
  8. Add a note with a warning that the board is dangerous
  9. Cover the board/planchette with dirt with the intention to close the board
  10. Smudge the board, site, and yourself with blue sage (white sage works as well)
  11. Turn away from the board/planchette
  12. Walk away from the site without looking back (very important!)

The sage will protect you and the area from attachments or attacks during the ritual. In the video below, you find tips on how to smudge.

Ouija warning signs

Below you find the most common warning signs that something might be off with your Ouija board.

  • Negative vibes
  • Feeling low or moody in the vicinity of the board
  • Unexplained attachment to the board
  • You find the Ouija in places you didn’t place it
  • The planchette is moving by itself
  • An uptick in paranormal activity
  • Manipulative, negative, or scary sessions
  • The planchette is counting down, high numbers to low
  • The planchette is moving to the four corners of the board
  • The board seems to attract attention – good or bad
  • It never gets dusty or dirty even if unused for a long time

If you are new to Ouija boards, it can be hard to know if it is showing warning signs. Most signs are subtle but escalate over time. The best indicator is your gut feeling. If you sense something might be wrong, it probably is.

Key is to close the board before getting rid of it. Closing is the most important part and should never be ignored.

Claudette

You should start by closing the board if you believe there might be an issue. Closing the board is the essential part and should never be ignored. Even if you don’t believe in Ouija it is important, as others that have open channels can get hurt.

The power of (all) divination tools sits with the user – it is how you use it that makes it a tool for spirit communications. If you don’t believe in Ouija you will not open your channel to the other side. This is why skeptics have a harder time noticing paranormal activity. They are just not inviting communications and spirits are therefore not reaching out or manifesting.

If you believe the Ouija might act as a portal it is important to get rid of it in the correct way. If you fail to close the portal or board entities might attach to you, or your loved ones. If someone later down the line finds the board they can get into trouble. We don’t want that. Always start by closing the board.

If you feel that the board makes you feel low or in a bad mood, something might be up with the board. Other signs are that you feel a strong attachment or even addiction to the Ouija board.

Warning signs that never should be ignored are if you find the board in places where you didn’t store it. This is a powerful signal an entity has control over the board. The same applies if the planchette starts moving by itself. Never place the planchette on the board when it isn’t in use.

If you notice that the Ouija is counting down or the planchette moving to the corners of the board, it is time to close the session. This is a typical sign an evil spirit or entity is coming through. If you leave the session open, it can come through the board. Not a fun experience.

A common sign something is up with the board is if the board never gets dusty or dirty, even if left untouched or used for longer times. If it looks sparkly clean while the rest of your stuff close by is covered in dust, you should watch out.

If people seem strangely attached to the board when they visit you, it can be a sign that something is luring them in. Maybe they constantly walk toward the Ouija board and ask if they can touch or use it. They seem a bit annoyed with you when you tell them to back off and leave the Ouija alone. This is a strong signal something is not right with the board.

Never burn or cut the Ouija board

It is never a good idea to burn or cut the Ouija. When you burn an active Ouija board, it is tricky (I say nearly impossible) to close it again. You can’t perform the rituals needed to close it and restrain it if it is damaged.

The board will reappear if you burn an active board with negative attachments. One day when you come home after work or school, it will sit on the bed or the couch waiting for you. When things escalate to this level, you need to call in an expert in the paranormal or a clergy.

It is always recommended to bury the board and the planchette. It is a safe option, as you can redo rituals if needed.

How to get rid of your kids’ Ouija board: Parental advice

If you found a Ouija board in your child’s room and want to get rid of it, make sure to collect all parts You need to find the board, planchette (the pointer), storage box, or cloth. Perform an extended salt burial as you are unsure what has happened with the board or if your child has closed it correctly.

Teens might have used the board with alcohol, making them more prone to attachments. They are also less likely to close the board correctly. Not closing it will leave a door open for spirits and entities to walk in and out as they please.

As teens often don’t tell you the whole story, performing an extended salt burial is recommended just to stay on the safe side.

In most cases, the Ouija board will not cause any issues or problems. You should not be too concerned, but it is always good to be safe than sorry. This applies to all divination tools – tarot cards, pendulums, etc. If they are misused, they might start to cause harmful effects.

If you want to learn more about parental advice regarding Ouija, read the article below.

Ultimate Guide for Parents: Ouija for Kids and Teens

Learn everything you need to know about Ouija and kids

Conclusion

Most Ouija boards are not evil or bring on misfortune or demonic possession. If the Ouija is treated correctly, they are wonderful tools for spirit communications. If the user doesn’t know how to use the board, there might be adverse effects.

If the Ouija is not closed correctly, a portal can be left open for spirits and entities to pass through as they wish. Often portals are pretty easy to close; just drag the planchette to “goodbye” to close the portal. Not allowing the board to act as a portal is critical. It is not what you say but what you mean by your actions.

The safe way to get rid of a Ouija is to perform a salt burial ritual. The ritual ensures that the board is closed and that any attachments are enclosed in the grave. This is the way to go if you have any concerns about your board. If you have severe issues with your board, it is recommended that you smudge with blue sage as well.

If you have used your Ouija and know that you handled it correctly, it is ok to throw it in the trash if you want. You can also sell it or give it away. The board is neutral and doesn’t threaten the new user (as long as they use it correctly, though).

So don’t fear the Ouija. Used correctly, it can be an excellent tool for the occult enthusiast.

Claudette Beaulieu

A certified paranormal investigator, accredited demonologist, and psychic stuck in the Victorian era.

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