How to Preserve a Seashell
You just returned from your beach vacation with a bag full of seashells, and now it is time to clean and preserve them. Live seashells require the removal of tissue. If you cannot tell which seashells still contain tissue, you can clean dead seashells with the live shells to ensure you remove the foul odors. Seashells are beautiful, and it is important to clean them thoroughly and preserve them appropriately.
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Things You'll Need
- Seashells
- Shovel
- Large pot
- Water
- Tongs
- Towel
- Bowl
- Bleach
- Old toothbrush
Instructions
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You will need to remove any leftover tissue in the shells. Find a small area in your backyard that is safe to dig a hole.
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Dig a hole that is at least 12 to 18 inches in depth. You want to bury the shells this far to prevent animals from digging them up, and to avoid the odor the shells may produce. You can also consider placing the shells next to an anthill if you do not want to dig up your yard.
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Allow the insects to remove the tissue from the shells. This may take 2 to 3 months. After a month, dig the shells up and inspect them. If the foul odor is gone, then the insects took care of the tissue.
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Boil the shells to remove any leftover tissue. Place enough water to cover the seashells in a large pot.
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Bring the water to a boil. Depending on how many seashells you have, you will need to boil them no longer than 30 minutes. Boil 10 shells for an average of 20 minutes.
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Remove the shells with tongs carefully. Place them on a towel to dry.
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Soak the shells in pure bleach. You will need to allow the seashells to soak for 1 to 2 hours. They need to soak until the leather-like coating comes off the shells.
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Rinse the seashells with cold water. Use an old toothbrush to remove any leftover material from the shells. Allow the shells to dry.
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Place baby oil on a cotton ball. Rub the baby oil on the seashells to give them a beautiful luster.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear protective eye wear and gloves when handling bleach.
References
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Comments
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squid4
Feb 14, 2010
A very helpful and creative article indeed.
