How to Clean & Store Seashells

Clean your seashells with bleach.

There's nothing more relaxing than collecting seashells on the beach. Unlike the seashells available at the store that are pristine and flawless, the seashells you collect have sand, dirt and residue on them. It's important to clean the seashells properly to remove all of the buildup. Then, you want to properly display the seashells so they do not break or crack. It's easy to clean seashells with household solutions.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic basin
• Water
• Bleach
• Rubber gloves
• Old toothbrush
• Baby oil
• Cleaning rag
• Storage containers
• Padding

Instructions

1. Combine equal parts water and bleach in a plastic basin, using enough liquid to submerge all shells.

2. Place the seashells into the basin and let them soak overnight. If all grime is not dissolved off of the shells, let them soak for another day.

3. Remove the shells using rubber gloves to protect your skin from the bleach. Scrub the seashells with a toothbrush under running water to remove any leftover debris.

4. Let the shells air dry. Apply baby oil to make the shells shine. Display your shells or place in a storage container. Separate the shells with paper towels, tissue paper, bubble wrap or some type of padding that will prevent them from bumping each other and cracking while in storage.

References

• Seashells.org: Sea Shell Cleaning