 |
| Beach at St. Kitts from my recent 2016 Caribbean cruise |
You have come back from your amazing beach vacation soon to realize that your seashell mementos you collected are beginning to carry an unpleasant odor. Learn a quick and easy way to clean and preserve your seashells.
I collected a few shells on our vacation. I was wanting to spruce them up for an upcoming craft. To the left is a before shot- a little dirty with no shine.
-------------------------------------------------------
STEP 1: Place all of your shells in a bucket with half water and half bleach. Make sure there is enough to cover the tops of your shells. Let sit for 24 hours. This will remove any odors and kill off any remaining bacteria or animal tissue.
STEP 2: Rinse off all of your shells and scrub with an old toothbrush. Remove any sand or barnacles attached. Sometimes I have to use by fingernail to help pick some unwanted spots off a shell.
STEP 3: Place wet shells on a paper towel to dry out.
STEP 4: To give your seashells a nice luster, use a paper towel to wipe mineral oil over each shell. This helps to bring out the natural colors.