How to clean sea shells. My process for getting crusty, grimy sea shells gorgeous again.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- How to clean sea shells? Well there's not one particular method that works for all. I use a few different techniques to get my sea shells to their glorious former condition. I really like sea shells that look as natural as possible, so I try to preserve as much of their natural beauty as possible.
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Another tip I didn't mention - rinse your bleached shells REALLY well before dipping them in muriatic acid. Beach + muriatic acid = chlorine gas which is very dangerous so please be careful!
Please add that to the video in wording? I almost missed this.
After you dip in bleach, do you rinse in water? Same for the sand dollars in peroxide, do you rinse in water?
One more question: do you cover all your shells in the glue/water coating after cleaning to protect or keep those vibrant colors?
@@tinaleo6926 Yes, sorry I don’t mention this but I rinse everything I soak in bleach and hydrogen peroxide in water again. I’m afraid the chemicals will damage the shells so I rinse in water very well. I typically do not coat any of my shells with anything but I will use mineral oil once in a while.
@@SWFBeachLife thank you so much. I have been following you from Canada & your beach combing and finds inspire when we have long winters here when we long to be at the beach. Love your videos!
@@tinaleo6926 Thank you!! 🙏🏼
There are everyday pantry products that work well when you don't want to use muriatic acid. Vinegar works well, full strength or diluted. To make vinegar more aggressive add some salt. Watch those shells fizz!!
Citric acid and water works very well too.
I have used a milk (lactic acid) and lemon juice soak for my top shells when I've wanted to expose the nacre layer without damaging the tips. Soaking in milk for a few days gets a bit smelly and need a good wash afterwards but its gentle and it works.
Aspirin and water soaks also work to clean shiny shells without damaging the shine or colours.
I just might try all of these and see what happens! I have tried vinegar on my fighting conchs and it made the shell even more white. I probably either used it for too long or not long enough. I'm definitely going to give a few of these and try and see what happens. Thank you!
I use denture cleaning tablets to remove the scale from my kettle. They might work on shells too. I'm going to test it...✌🏼
I was told by a shell shop in Tampa Bay, to mix one part acid (Muriatic) with 3 parts water and then dip for the 3 seconds. It saves the shiny apertures. I've done it on Lettered olives which are still shiny as well as Lighting Whelks. So I mix 1/3 cup of acid to 1 cup of water. And since it doesn't go bad, I seal it in a plastic jug that has shell cleaner written on it. I use an old bleach bottle and store my mixture like that, out side in my shed.
I don't know what magic touch you have, but the acid I've mixed like you said in a 1:3 mixture absolutely makes the shiny parts dull, which is why I don't dip anything shiny. I store mine in a mason jar and reuse it too! It eventually stops working so I replace it but using it over and over has been a real time saver!
@@SWFBeachLife I coat the inside of abalone shells with Vaseline before dipping
@@donnachandler176 Brilliant! I’ve heard that tip before. I’m doing it next dip! 🙏🏼
Can you please give me the name again of the safe muriatic acid you use. Thank you. Also thank you for all the instructions in how to make our shells look new again.
I used a small paintbrush to polish my shells with mineral oil and it was like magic watching the colors pop!
Brilliant! Some others have left me a similar comment. I'll have to try that next time!
Wow! Some of those sand dollars are huge! I've never seen any that big on the shows that I watch. So amazing! I didn't know they got that big! Your shells are gorgeous. Thank you so much for taking me along and teaching me the cleaning options. I love your shows! Safe shelling to you always!
Thank you Carol!
I was watching one of your videos and you showed where you had returned some shells to the beach, which I thought was really nice of you. Another idea would be to put them is boxes or baskets with other shells you no longer want, and send them to people as Christmas presents to those that are inland, can no longer travel, or even to a nursing facility for then to use in crafts. Someone did that for me during this pandemic and I gave spent hours looking through them, learning their identity and using them in crafts. So that is just another thought.
Abigail I LOVE this idea! I'm going to add this to my "idea list" and see if I can find some facilities that might be able to use the shells. Thank you! ❤️
I have recently been coating my shells and rocks and other beach finds in polycrylic (after cleaning and acid dipping them and drying them of course)and it brings out all the beautiful details and gives them a gorgeous glossy coat. Keeps them preserved and beautiful for a long time
Good to know! I tend to keep my shells look natural, however for projects and crafts it might be a great idea to give them a little extra shine. Thanks for the tip!
Some of those are dramatically changed, loved it! Thank you for sharing your results and your reasoning!
Very informative, thank you so much. No shelling here but used to. So nice to watch you find. Amazing collection. The colors are so mind boggling! Wonderful and different types! Fascinating!
Thank you for posting this video. You'd be surprised about how important it is to clean shells. I love the beach so it was fun to watch your video.
I love what bleach does to the shells!
Great tips on cleaning up our beach finds.
For murex and other very textured shells, I recommend high gloss spray polyurethane. Two coats; at least two hours drying in between and no wiping necessary. For any shell, actually, and sand dollars.
This was so helpful! I got a Big fab bowl of lots of wonderful shells at my thriftstore for $20 and today was sorting and realized how dusty/dirty some of the shells were.
Your channel is SO interesting! I LOVE sea shells also and never knew there were so many types and such beautiful! Thank you!❤️
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing your tips and tricks and giving me a fun mid week video. 😊
Next request, how to clean the urchins in different phases of decomp. Is it easier to clean them when they’re almost completely decomposed, or when they’re newly expired? I’d also love to see your preservation techniques (making harder, etc) for both the urchins and sand dollars.
Thanks so much again for all you do to teach us. Now that I’m back home in the frozen tundra of MN, I’m once again living vicariously through our beach walks together, looking forward to the next time I’ll be there in person.
I don't even bother with freshly dead urchins. They are a nightmare to clean up. I try to pick ones that are already dried up and ideally have most of the spines already removed. I soak and scrub them and then seal with the same 1:1 glue mixture I use on the sand dollars. I'll have to add them to the mix in the next cleaning video!
@@SWFBeachLife I've heard other shellers say that the put the urchins outside and let the ants and other bugs "clean them up" before they work with them. I guess a lot depends on where you live and what your critters prefer to eat! LOL
@@karleenpage5979 I’ve tried that very technique but I’ve just started to take the more dried ones. Much less clean up!
Great info thank you. I actually like the beach stuff and barnacles on my shells :)
Consider an old soft toothbrush to oil shells with lots of topography, as well as for removing excess oil.
That's a fabulous idea! Thank you! I'll have to try that in my future "experiments"!
@@SWFBeachLife Also, I think a little mild dish soap to remove the oil wouldn't be out of order.
Acid is fun especially with these cool looking shells
Great tutorial, Sharmon! What I've seen some people do with the murex and other highly textured shells is paint them with a soft brush which gets in the cracks and crevasses. xxoo
A couple other people have left that recommendation - now why didn't I think of that?! I'll have to try that next time!
And no repetition of my “chemical experiment” lol. How lovely to have a mid week video, thank you. And perfect timing as I am just about to embark on some more shell art projects. Really super helpful. Thank you! Stay safe x
Have you ever tried using Varathane on your shells to get the shine? I really look forward to your new episode every Sunday. Thank you
I don't add anything other than mineral oil to shine my shells but I've heard there are lots of different techniques to get those shells shiny again.
I LOVE watching when you dip the shells in acid. It's like a magic trick!!
I know - me too!!
I love the detail that shows up in the tan sand dollar
I've only ever use bleach for my shells and my sand dollars. When the sand dollars don't come clean I just leave them in the bleach for as long as they need. I mix my bleach half water half bleach. I find it if I leave them soaking for a week or so I get really good results. I love watching your videos!
I'm afraid the bleach will make the sand dollars weaker. I wonder where you're finding your "iron" ones! LOL!
Absolutely love shells, guess because I grew up in California. But I've learned a few things from you! Plus your just awesome, and your saying should be, " Let's just dip and See" 😁
I love this video and I found my 1st lightning whelk
Congratulations on your first lightning whelk!
Well the heck with Mr Clean when we have Mrs Clean tutorials on what's best to use and when! Thank you so much. 👍🏻🇺🇸😎
Thank you!!! 🙏🏼
Made a trip to Honeymoon Island SP yesterday and loaded up on the Chestnut Turbans! Thank you for sharing your videos!❤❤❤
That is awesome!
Thank you for this wonderful informative video. You are a fabulous teacher! You teach us in all your videos, which I enjoy. Thank you.
Very helpful and informative! My father was a brick mason and used muriatic acid to clean masonry. He emphasized how dangerous it is, so I’m glad there are other techniques to use. I would probably wear a face mask or a respirator myself if I tried it because of my chemical sensitivities. But I didn’t know about that calcium layer that it removes. Good to know. Well, since I’m not near the coast, it’s not something I’d use right now. But I can see why you reject some shells as “too much work”! LOL Thanks for the info and taking the time to make this. Will definitely save it for future reference! Hugs from Virginia!
Oh, one tip I'd make is to be sure you thoroughly rinse the bleach off the shells before dipping in the acid. That could cause a dangerous reaction!
Thank you Karleen! I pinned a comment at the top of the video to give the info about rinsing the shells extra good after bleaching if acid is in their future. I always store and use my shell cleaning products outside but a mask is a good idea - one can never be too careful!
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If I ever get to collect shells, this video will come in handy. Thanks for the video.
This was great! I’m going to try the mineral oil next week on our trip down. Thanks for the helpful techniques!
cleaning shells is so satisfying!
Sharmon, what a lot of love you show in the cleaning the shells. Thanks
Nice ! I really like those purple murex shells. I live on the southern west coast and once found a murex rolling up from the surf towards me. It is the first of my favorite shells in my collection.
I have drawn quite a few of these.
Thanks for all the info!!
You bet!
Thank you for this informative video! I learn so much from you! ❤️🐚
You are so welcome!
Yay for midweek video!! I have a few conches that need a good clean up. I'll have to give the bleach a try. Most of those cleaned up so nicely!!
you are teaching me so much🤗christy
Wow the acid made such a difference! 😮
Hi Sharmon,
I was thinking about those apple murexes: can't you you a Q tip soaked in a bit of acid and clean them that way? That's easy to control, without splashing the acid everywhere.
The shells look stunning. Especially that true tulip!😍
It's a lot of work to clean them all, but the end result makes it worth it!❤
I was thinking of using a q-tip and the acid and just decided to try the oil. Some others have left me great tips like using an old toothbrush to get the oil dispersed on those lumpy shells better. Maybe I'll try both and see how it comes out!
I was thinking a small paint brush.....
Wow you live in an area with great seashells ...I live on Long Island..some beaches are better than others. Most shells here are broken but I've gotten lucky a few times but I still love collecting them . Happy collecting and thanks for the cleaning videos 😊
There are seashells on Long Island! I have a subscriber that sends me photos of the shells he manages to get out of the rocks with screwdrivers of some of the beaches.
Yay!! I’ve been waiting for this! Thank you my sweet friend for sharing this info 🧜🏼♀️🐚
I really enjoyed this video, I’ve always wondered how to clean up my shells , thank you !
If you go to the beauty supply store, you can buy 10, 20, 30 and 40 volume peroxide that can really clean those shells. That’s what taxidermist use to clean bones.
Yes someone told me to use the HP that you can get at the store to clean sand dollars. It works great! Thanks so much for the beauty store suggestion!
Good evening from California, how awesome to have a video during the week.I truly enjoyed this very much they all came out beautiful one of my favorites the Apple Murexes❤️ but then again I love them all. See you back on Sunday.🐚🐚🐚❤️
Thanks for sharing I love it beautiful shell’s
Thanks for this very helpful video!
All solid pointers! I wonder how shells from different parts of the world react to all these methods you used. I haven't cleaned my shells from North Carolina yet, but I wonder if those guys will clean up different. Also, I have some Europe and New Zealand shells (I will make videos on those guys!) in our home in Europe we collected ages ago, and this summer, given Covid doesn't stop my travel plans, I am hoping to clean some of them up, and I wonder if they will react differently. Thanks again for sharing, a lot of people will find this super useful!
It seems to me regardless of where the snail lives, the shell will still be made of similar material - calcium carbonate. I would think these techniques would work on any shell that had the same composition. That being said, I can only speak to the shells we find down here. Only a few of the SWFL shells have the nacre composition (I dropped in a top snails and lost it - when it came out only the nacre was exposed - pretty cool!) so those I would be more careful with as I don't know how they'll react. Can't wait to see your Europe and New Zealand shells. Happy cleaning!
Oh, it's fun to see the transformations!
I still enjoy every video!
P. S. Midweek video is a most welcome treat.
Glad you enjoy it!
Thank you so much for this video! I have a few shells that were given to me and really need shined up. Now I know how. I have a really pretty crown conch that is just dull. I can't wait to get mineral oil and get to work!Thanks again.
I hope that crowned conch comes out great!
Phenomenal! Great to see beachy goodness on a rainy night in Georgia!
I use a real hair bristle eyeshadow brush to dip in mineral oil, blot on paper towel, then paint the oil on shells like murex 😊
Brilliant! Someone else recommended an old toothbrush. Either would work better than a paper towel - thank you so much!
Thankyou soooo much! I have some shells i need to clean.... can't wait to see how they turn out! That was very helpful. I especially like hoe your shark eye turned out.
Very helpful video, thanks 😊 👍
My pleasure 😊
Thank you for the bonus video I look so forward to Sundays becouse I love your videos this was a very informative video thank you cant wait til Sunday to watch our next adventure
I really like the orangish sand dollar! The star shows up beautifully on it.
I love all your posts, can’t wait to be able to travel to Florida to shell
Your the best! Tha ks for all your hints be it tried and true.
so helpful i cannot thank you enough!!!!!!!!!
I absolutely love your videos!!!
anyone who lives near the beach is so So SO LUCKY!! wouldn't I LOVE TO LIVE ON THE BEACH!!! or at least close lol im about 4hrs south or 4hrs north across from PEI my moms family has cottages up there and it's a private beach so as kid I went for a week and the amazing things I found there!! super cold water up there though and at Bar Harbor (snd really anywhere in Maine) but I'd always get in nomatter what lol so I'm frm northern Maine and it's a beautiful place for every season but no beaches unless you travel about 4 hrs either way : P. maybe someday I can get myself to FL to live My gramp and auncle actually are down there so maybe....
I have used Rust-oleum painter's touch 2x ultracover Gloss Clear spray paint.It is non-yellowing.I know it sounds crazy ! I have also used all the methods in your video. The clear spray worked great bringing the shine back to my coral and dull shells.
I have heard of people using Modge Lodge too - hey, whatever works right? Thanks for the tip!
Because hydrogen peroxide decomposes into water when exposed to light and air (oxygen), I wonder if you really need to “refresh/replace the peroxide for those sand dollars that were a bit more stubborn? Super helpful video!! Thanks so much!
I had forgotten some sand dollars in HP and they were bone white when I discovered them a few weeks later. If soaking them longer doesn't help, I will replace the HP to give them another shot at getting whiter. I like the HP because it won't damage the sand dollars and it's cheap!
@@SWFBeachLife absolutely! Definitely way easier than the bleach or acid method for the shells! 😊
Nice clean-up!!
Thank you for those tips on how to clean some of the shells. I heard that some will spray a lacquer over the shell if the shine is lost by the bleach or acid dipping. I think I would want to keep it as natural as can be. Great job on the cleaning.
I'm with you - I like them to look as natural as possible. Other people have painted/coated their shells to give them shine and that's just fine! It's a personal preference and a little less work!
Hi! Love your videos! I have done the acid dip and have done diluted bleach before as well. The bleach never really seemed to do much so I was surprised (and excited) when you used straight bleach. My question is how long do you leave them in the bleach?
Usually 24 hours in fresh bleach will do the trick. I use the bleach over and over until it stops working, then I replenish it. Hope this helps!
Seashell is so good I am crafting seashell 🎉❤
~*~ maybe a little sturdy but small paint brush would help apply the mineral oil on the apple and lace shells that have all those crevices and a larger dry brush to use after to help take away the excess oil then towel dry? This was so fun to watch thank you so much : ) ~*~
Yeah...a paintbrush or a toothbrush would have been a MUCH better way to get the oil on. I would still have a hard time getting it off again but at least I would have the whole application thing down. Thank you for the tip!!
@@SWFBeachLife If it works well I hope you let us know I am putting together some tools for when I can start shelling :) ~*~
I’m not too keen on the oil. If on display, and not in a sealed jar/container, how much is dust gonna stick. For the Murex, if you wanted to clean one side, how about if you used a toothbrush for dabbing on the acid, or would that eat the bristles? Maybe a tiny glass dropper would work? We use those at my doctor office when using TCA/BCA. Just a thought. Nice job showing us the before and after!! Beautiful!
Hmmm - maybe a dropper would work! Now I'll have to see if I can get my hands on one that will hold up to the acid!
I wish we had such pretty shells at our beaches here... All we get are the most basic small shells and sconces
That is how I grew up, so I know the feeling well!
Thanks!
Thank you so much! 🙏🏼
very helpful video also ppls comments 💙🌊🐚
They look fantastic! Thank you for sharing. I really enjoyed watching. Nothing like a surprise of before and after. I have a friend who uses clear coat on her shell's. They are beautiful!
It really is amazing how these shells will clean up with a little effort! Thanks so much for watching!
Vinegar is a much lighter acid and will clean rusty metal to a shine so I would think it would clean shells too with a bit more control and cheaper if that matters.
Also please be careful and rinse the bleach off so not to mix with other chemicals as others have already said.
Retired paramedic and I treated too many people mixing chemicals. Outside not so much of a problem but never inside.
Cool info.
Thanks for doing this because now we’re going to try to do the same thing what you did
This probably won’t be a popular comment but I want people to know that the acid dip isn’t as scary as I sounds. It’s diluted 1:3 with water. I was terrified to try it. Now I do it all the time. I’ve accidentally gotten a little splash on myself. It didn’t burn a hole through my arm like I feared. I keep baking soda nearby and made a little paste and applied to my arm. It was fine. I’ve had way worse burns in the kitchen. I guess I should cook less and clean shells more
Have you seen Acid Magic?? It won't burn your skin! It works just like the muriatic acid, but it will not burn your skin. I couldn't believe it! th-cam.com/video/s4xu-P_O4Tg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tHYb8HEqrxFb4ppR
Early post? I’m all here for it🙌🙌🙌
Cool video! Thanks.
Thanks for the tips
Maybe use Rust-oleum Gloss Clear painter's touch 2x ultra cover gloss clear spray. (I got that from another comment). Use that on the shells that nothing works on. Can't hurt I guess. I collect rocks & do this to some. Turns out beautifully. Brings out their beauty.
Good to know! Thank you!
very informative
That was awesome...thanks! I wonder if a small paint brush would help oil the shells and then use paper towel to absorb it...the paper will absorb the oil more easily than the towel.
That's exactly what I used to polish mine and it worked really well! I had a bunch of lightning whelks and apple murex shells I found in Fort Myers and they cleaned up nicely.
Yes! Some others have left comments about using an old toothbrush or a paint brush to apply the oil. I'll have to try that next time!
Great job! Thanks
I was a dental assistant for 16 years so I could really work with those instruments!!! Loving those larger horse conches, maybe need some more 🤔🤔🤔
Sounds like someone needs a beach trip!
Thanks I can check Lowes when I need to get the acid.
Thank youuuuuuu!!! That muriatic acid is some serious stuff!! I wish I’d seen this before I played with it! I would have used a mask too!
Love mineral oil!!
Ayyyy a new vidddd your the best
When I lived in Florida, I used to soak my shells in mineral oil so that they would absorb the oil. Then I wiped them. Of course not sand dollars!😀
Nice to have a video in the week❣️That acid is scary stuff. 😳 Thanks for sharing your helpful tips!
Thank you for sharing
Wow your dirty before shells are 100 X cleaner than the ones I find on the pacific coast. Not crazy about muriatic acid but will give the hydrogen peroxide a try. Thank you so much for sharing.
I found a "safe acid" that I like a lot better than the muriatic acid! th-cam.com/video/QSLDBhDuFzY/w-d-xo.html
I dont know much about cleaning shells but I thought maybe you could use a paintbrush or some sort of brush for the shells that you only want specific areas cleaned and keep the shiny areas shiny
Yeah...a paintbrush would have worked MUCH better than a paper towel! I'll have to keep that in mind for next time. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Hello, I’ve had my shells for 15+ years. But I’m going to try to clean them up. Watching your channel has inspired me. I haven’t heard if it’s straight bleach or mixed with water?
I use straight bleach!
In California, for cleaning abalone shells, you can coat the inside pearl side with petroleum jelly and that is supposed to keep the shiny or pearly part in tact but I have not tried it
That sounds way more doable than wax! Fantastic idea! I have a whole list of things I'm going to test out and I'm going to add this to the list. Thank you!
@@SWFBeachLife ah! You saw my comment! YAY!! Looking forward to see how your tests come out. You're on Facebook right? I would love to share my finds with you! .. I JUST got back from Florida a few days ago. I drove there from raleigh(where I'm currently a travel nurse). Was the first time I've been able to do unlimited shelling in Florida because I was by myself :) got some good ones! Also, do you ever dilute the bleach??
@@elizabetho395 I usually just use straight bleach if I'm trying to get some gunk off the shells. And yes I'm on Facebook! Feel free to send me photos of your treasures!
Thank you
Muchas palabras para realizar el trabajo.,no he podido verlo.
Hello! This was a great video and very informative. Have you ever put a put a finish or vanish on the shells to bring out the color? It seems to bring out the color in wood well, what about seashells?
People have put mineral oil, baby oil, modge podge and even spray varnish to give shells some shine but I like mine natural. I'm a little spoiled since I get to look for seashells on a regular basis.
Yes! Bonus video!😆😁...💗
Awsome video love the content thanks for sharing your education with us❤👍
Thanks for watching!
Great video! How long do you leave them in the bleach?
I usually let them soak for a day or two. If all the slimy stuff is gone I know it's time to remove them.
You could always use a clean paintbrush with the oil for the hard to reach places and pointier Shells
Yeah....a paintbrush would have worked MUCH better than a paper towel!