Seashells can be a nice souvenir of a nice day at the beach, but they can also be used to embellish a decoration or an artistic work to be finished. If you collect any shells scattered along the beach you should clean them on the outside, inside and then polish them to be able to preserve them.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Collect the Shells
Step 1. Get the shells in the place of your choice
It can be a shoreline near where you live or the beach you frequent when you are on vacation. Seashells can also be purchased in home improvement stores and on the Internet.
Step 2. Don't get shells with shellfish inside
Respect nature and leave those in which sea creatures live. You can be sure of their presence if, by turning the shell upside down, you see a living being inside it.
Be sure if it is illegal to deprive a beach of shells in the place where you collect them. For example, in Queen Conches, in the United States, it is not allowed to take them, but also near protected areas and coral reefs, such as in Australia or Malaysia, there is this prohibition. They belong to protected species that could become extinct if the harvest goes wild
Step 3. Find out if a shell is dead
The shell is a rigid body that can have animal tissues attached to it. If the mollusk inside is dead, it obviously differs from one that contains a living thing. A dead shell, on the other hand, is a shell that does not contain animal tissues.
It is important to understand this difference because it affects how you choose to clean the shell. For example, if it contains residues of animal tissue, it must be removed
Part 2 of 4: Remove the Animal Tissue from the Shells
Step 1. Bring the shells to a boil to remove animal tissue
By boiling or cooking a shell you can soften any residues of animal origin that are inside and facilitate their removal. To remove them, you will need a saucepan and a pair of tweezers or an oral hygiene tool, such as a toothbrush. To clean the shells by boiling:
- Put them in a large pot filled with water at room temperature. Cover them with about 5cm of water. It is important that it is at room temperature and that the shells are placed inside the pan before heating it because the sudden heat could split them.
- Bring the water to a boil. Let it boil for about 5 minutes. If you have more than one shell, increase the boiling time. Even larger ones may take longer.
- Remove them from the pot with a pair of tongs and gently place them on a soft surface like a warm towel.
- Using a pair of tweezers or any other tool, gently pull out all the animal tissues from inside the shells and discard them.
Step 2. Bury the shells
This process of cleaning shells can take longer, but many choose it to avoid damaging them. Both boiling and freezing, but also the manual extraction of animal tissue, risk breaking them. By burying them, as long as you do it in a safe place, you can protect them from damage and empty them of animal residues in a natural way. Ants, bedbugs and other insects feed on shells, removing all kinds of contents. So, to clean them using this system:
- Dig a hole in the ground. Make sure it is large enough to fit all of them and that it is possible to space them out. It should be about 45-60 cm deep to prevent unwanted animals from digging, bringing them back to the surface or anyone trampling and crushing them.
- Place them evenly, leaving some space between them.
- Cover them with earth.
- Wait a few months for insects, larvae, worms and bacteria to remove the animal tissues contained within. The more patient you are, the better the results will be.
- Unearth the shells and check them to see if any animal tissue remnants have disappeared.
Step 3. Freeze the shells
This method allows you to easily remove any animal tissue left inside. To clean them using this procedure:
- Place the shells in an airtight plastic bag. You may need to use more than one if you have many.
- Add water to cover them.
- Place the bag in the freezer.
- Let it freeze until solidified for a couple of days.
- Take it out of the freezer and let it thaw completely.
- Take the shells and extract the animal tissue inside.
Part 3 of 4: Cleaning the Dead Shells
Step 1. Soak the shells in water for a week
After a week the water will remove impurities, making the shells shiny and clean.
- Change the water almost every day. If you replace the water in the container you soak the shells in, the shells will be even cleaner.
- After a week you can also boil them to make sure all impurities and animal tissue residues are completely gone.
Step 2. Use bleach to clean the shells
It will completely remove dirt, impurities and animal tissues. However, some collectors report that the use of bleach can spoil the color of the shell and impregnate it with its smell forever. If you are going to use this method:
- Fill a saucepan with equal parts of water and bleach. It should be enough to completely cover all the shells.
- Soak the shells in the solution. You will likely notice a shiny, scaly patina forming on the surface of the shells. It is the periostracum, that is the organic covering, the "skin" of the shell.
- Once this coating has disappeared you can remove the shells from the solution. Also try using a toothbrush to remove impurities.
- Rinse the shells thoroughly and let them dry thoroughly.
- Rub in some baby oil or mineral oil to make them shiny again.
Step 3. Use the toothpaste to clean the shells
It is a less aggressive alternative to whitening shells. To clean them like this:
- Smear a light layer of toothpaste on both sides of the shell.
- Leave the toothpaste applied to the shell to act for at least 5 hours, so that it has time to penetrate well. It is best to leave it overnight for it to take effect.
- Once it has become sticky and / or hard depending on the thickness of the applied layer, get an old toothbrush, a glass of hot water and scrub the shells thoroughly. Try to get into both crevices and smaller, hard-to-see cavities.
- Make sure you remove all of the toothpaste, although you will need to rinse the shells under water once scrubbed. This will eliminate the grit, toothpaste residues and all rough or sharp parts, leaving the surface smooth with very few defects.
Step 4. Remove the shellfish from the shells
If you see any clams stuck inside, use an oral hygiene tool, such as a soft toothbrush, or wire brush to remove them.
This is most effective if you have cleaned the shell first, using the soak or bleach method
Part 4 of 4: Polishing the Shells
Step 1. Rub mineral oil on each shell to give it shine
Let it dry for at least a full day and then rub the oil on the surface.
- Mineral oil not only restores the external shine, but helps preserve the shell.
- Similarly you can use WD-40 lubricant. However, when using this product, be sure to wear a pair of gloves when touching the shells.
Step 2. Apply a spray to the shells
You can use satin polyurethane or apply a coat of transparent enamel. This type of finish preserves the natural appearance of the shell and at the same time enhances its shine.
Apply the product on one side of the shell and the next day on the other, letting it dry completely before continuing on the other side. Each side can take approximately 24 hours to dry
Advice
- Leave the living shells on the beach. They make a home for the animals inside them. There are many others that do not involve the need to eliminate the creatures that inhabit them. Gently throw those that are still alive into the sea and look for those without molluscs inside.
- Alternatively, you can put the shells next to a bin or garbage can. Find one near which you can see insects or grubs, but make sure the shells have a large enough opening for these animals to enter. The flies will lay their eggs inside and the insects that will be born will eat the dead meat present in the shell. This treatment can last at least a week or more.
Warnings
- Bleaching and other treatments will likely damage some shells (especially cowries) instead of preserving them. If you have a shell that is very special to you, identify the species and find the right treatment to use in this case. You can also try some other shells of the same type that you like less.
- Some shells, including those that are particularly fragile or tender, do not tolerate the boiling process well. If you're worried about breaking them, bring the water almost to a boil instead of boiling it completely.
- Be careful not to burn yourself when removing hot shells from boiling water. Always wear protective gloves.
- Sometimes the bleach fades the shells. If you don't want a "white" shell, check it frequently and / or dilute the bleach solution (you can always add it if needed).
- When handling bleach, in addition to gloves, always wear eye protection.
