How to clean sea shells. My process for getting crusty, grimy sea shells gorgeous again.

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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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4 окт 2024

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@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@catsloan7193 11 месяцев назад

Please add that to the video in wording? I almost missed this.

@tinaleo6926 6 месяцев назад

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?

@SWFBeachLife 6 месяцев назад

@@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.

@tinaleo6926 6 месяцев назад

@@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!

@SWFBeachLife 6 месяцев назад

@@tinaleo6926 Thank you!! 🙏🏼

@gangstamum 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@emmamaclachlan1971 2 месяца назад

I use denture cleaning tablets to remove the scale from my kettle. They might work on shells too. I'm going to test it...✌🏼

@marydegenkolb9603 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@donnachandler176 Год назад

@@SWFBeachLife I coat the inside of abalone shells with Vaseline before dipping

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

@@donnachandler176 Brilliant! I’ve heard that tip before. I’m doing it next dip! 🙏🏼

@shelabrehio1050 11 месяцев назад

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.

@abigailhowes5944 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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! ❤️

@lindsayhansen4117 2 года назад

I used a small paintbrush to polish my shells with mineral oil and it was like magic watching the colors pop!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Brilliant! Some others have left me a similar comment. I'll have to try that next time!

@surfinturfer 2 года назад

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.

@amberjohnson9004 Год назад

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

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

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!

@carolledger8047 2 года назад

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!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Thank you Carol!

@catgetter2784 2 года назад

Consider an old soft toothbrush to oil shells with lots of topography, as well as for removing excess oil.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

That's a fabulous idea! Thank you! I'll have to try that in my future "experiments"!

@hollyw9566 2 года назад

@@SWFBeachLife Also, I think a little mild dish soap to remove the oil wouldn't be out of order.

@michellegibbs2065 2 года назад

Some of those are dramatically changed, loved it! Thank you for sharing your results and your reasoning!

@billrobbins5874 2 года назад

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!

@rayvicario5985 Год назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

I love what bleach does to the shells!

@MLM1011 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@karleenpage5979 2 года назад

@@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

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

@@karleenpage5979 I’ve tried that very technique but I’ve just started to take the more dried ones. Much less clean up!

@missourigal 2 года назад

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.

@gingermackeen5741 2 года назад

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

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

A couple other people have left that recommendation - now why didn't I think of that?! I'll have to try that next time!

@denisem6754 2 года назад

Great tips on cleaning up our beach finds.

@ilonamollema6467 2 года назад

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!❤

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@sharonvanhine214 2 года назад

I was thinking a small paint brush.....

@susanbrown9799 Год назад

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!

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

I'm afraid the bleach will make the sand dollars weaker. I wonder where you're finding your "iron" ones! LOL!

@susanlathrop234 2 года назад

Great info thank you. I actually like the beach stuff and barnacles on my shells :)

@netamorton4832 2 года назад

Your channel is SO interesting! I LOVE sea shells also and never knew there were so many types and such beautiful! Thank you!❤️

@karleenpage5979 2 года назад

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!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@bleehall635 Год назад

E we

@cazee100 2 года назад

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

@merrykennedy1400 2 года назад

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

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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.

@cindyrowland5030 Год назад

Made a trip to Honeymoon Island SP yesterday and loaded up on the Chestnut Turbans! Thank you for sharing your videos!❤❤❤

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

That is awesome!

@gghhiiyy456 Год назад

I love the detail that shows up in the tan sand dollar

@mrsthacker4238 2 года назад

I LOVE watching when you dip the shells in acid. It's like a magic trick!!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

I know - me too!!

@idkidk8278 2 года назад

Acid is fun especially with these cool looking shells

@piratetaylor29 2 года назад

Well the heck with Mr Clean when we have Mrs Clean tutorials on what's best to use and when! Thank you so much. 👍🏻🇺🇸😎

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Thank you!!! 🙏🏼

@Eliel7230 3 месяца назад

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.

@suzannesalerio3237 2 года назад

This was great! I’m going to try the mineral oil next week on our trip down. Thanks for the helpful techniques!

@melissabezio8618 2 года назад

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!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@melissabezio8618 2 года назад

@@SWFBeachLife absolutely! Definitely way easier than the bleach or acid method for the shells! 😊

@sheriboren2556 Год назад

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" 😁

@MermaidTalesCo 2 года назад

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!!

@lieselgutierrez7439 Год назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

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!

@denisemessier2815 2 года назад

Thank you for this wonderful informative video. You are a fabulous teacher! You teach us in all your videos, which I enjoy. Thank you.

@NancyBeachGirl 2 года назад

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?

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@annettereed6146 2 года назад

If I ever get to collect shells, this video will come in handy. Thanks for the video.

@christinajarriel3423 Год назад

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 😊

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

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.

@nadineglomboski1852 2 года назад

Sharmon, what a lot of love you show in the cleaning the shells. Thanks

@shellstories 2 года назад

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!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@Thenoobestgirl Месяц назад

Wow the acid made such a difference! 😮

@DeeDee-dl7sl 2 года назад

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 😊

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Brilliant! Someone else recommended an old toothbrush. Either would work better than a paper towel - thank you so much!

@fernikakwan4088 2 года назад

I love this video and I found my 1st lightning whelk

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Congratulations on your first lightning whelk!

@cintiapollock2486 2 года назад

~*~ 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 : ) ~*~

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!!

@cintiapollock2486 2 года назад

@@SWFBeachLife If it works well I hope you let us know I am putting together some tools for when I can start shelling :) ~*~

@basvanderwerff2725 2 года назад

cleaning shells is so satisfying!

@jacqulynjohnson6237 2 года назад

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!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@diannpowell1077 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

I hope that crowned conch comes out great!

@sallya.2412 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@carolmusso7767 2 года назад

Thank you for this informative video! I learn so much from you! ❤️🐚

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

You are so welcome!

@lorraineespinoza593 2 года назад

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.🐚🐚🐚❤️

@Thenoobestgirl Месяц назад

I wish we had such pretty shells at our beaches here... All we get are the most basic small shells and sconces

@SWFBeachLife Месяц назад

That is how I grew up, so I know the feeling well!

@agds91078 2 года назад

Yay!! I’ve been waiting for this! Thank you my sweet friend for sharing this info 🧜🏼‍♀️🐚

@LifeSavingDefense Год назад

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.

@charlottebeck3757 2 года назад

Thanks for all the info!!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

You bet!

@maggieslifeisawildride512 2 года назад

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.

@lindsayhansen4117 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@brendacrawford260 2 года назад

I really enjoyed this video, I’ve always wondered how to clean up my shells , thank you !

@juteeb4955 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Good to know! Thank you!

@seriously..... Год назад

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....

@ravenclaw8715 2 года назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

I have heard of people using Modge Lodge too - hey, whatever works right? Thanks for the tip!

@carolmathis6084 2 года назад

Oh, it's fun to see the transformations! I still enjoy every video! P. S. Midweek video is a most welcome treat.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Glad you enjoy it!

@juteeb4955 2 года назад

I really like the orangish sand dollar! The star shows up beautifully on it.

@woodworkinggirl5525 Год назад

you are teaching me so much🤗christy

@CountessOlaf 2 месяца назад

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

@SWFBeachLife 2 месяца назад

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! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-s4xu-P_O4Tg.htmlsi=tHYb8HEqrxFb4ppR

@tropicalcheese4001 2 года назад

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

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@gingerelver70 2 года назад

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.

@Nrwich1 Год назад

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?

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

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.

@nancydalton4629 2 года назад

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 🤔🤔🤔

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Sounds like someone needs a beach trip!

@nikispragg9811 2 года назад

Thank you so much for this. About how much baking soda do you put per how much water for the acid dip part?

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

I put in about 1/4 cup just to make the water more basic to help stop the acid burning process.

@elizabetho395 2 года назад

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

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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!

@elizabetho395 2 года назад

@@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??

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

@@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!

@sherrydonoghue2337 Год назад

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?

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

I use straight bleach!

@KarenUntz 2 года назад

Phenomenal! Great to see beachy goodness on a rainy night in Georgia!

@kaleidoscopemom1588 2 года назад

Great video! How long do you leave them in the bleach?

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

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.

@lesamonroe2355 2 года назад

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

@medinay100 2 года назад

I love all your posts, can’t wait to be able to travel to Florida to shell

@robertabessey7990 2 года назад

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!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

It really is amazing how these shells will clean up with a little effort! Thanks so much for watching!

@crafteymag 2 года назад

Thanks I can check Lowes when I need to get the acid.

@sallylepley6199 2 года назад

Thanks for this very helpful video!

@aliceelbradey6278 2 года назад

Thanks for sharing I love it beautiful shell’s

@hikergal63 2 года назад

Could you put the acid in a spray bottle and spray the shell and quickly spray it with the water mixture to prevent the acid from ruining the shiny part of the shell?

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

That's a pretty good idea! I'd have to figure out if the spray container had any parts that would be destroyed by the acid. I suppose if it had the right plastic parts that might work. Thank you for the idea!

@juteeb4955 2 года назад

I would be afraid of it getting in the air. Breathing it would be dangerous.

@Angela-ut5tx 3 месяца назад

I soaked some shiny cowrie shells in soapy water as one of them kind of smelled and I was trying to get the smell out and clean them. However it's removed the sheen from the shells, is that permanent? Is there anyway to fix it?

@SWFBeachLife 3 месяца назад

Soapy water should not remove sheen from any shells. You can try to replace the shine with mineral oil, but it's not the same as the natural shine. I'm so sorry that happened 😭

@kaye8231 2 года назад

Is there a reason you didn't boil your shells for cleaning? I boiled mine for about 5-6 minutes or so in a pot I bought from a thrift store and they cleaned up wonderfully.Any shine wasn't removed either.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

I have tried many, many different techniques and it all comes down to what kind of "stuff" is on the shell. If they're just dirty, a boil would probably work. However for the calcium build up, acid works great. I had someone else leave me some tips about other methods. I'm going to try them out and if anything works better or as good as the acid I'll be sure to share!

@kaye8231 2 года назад

@@SWFBeachLife Thank you for clarifying! (It also stinks up the room when you boil shells. ha)

@carolshaver742 2 года назад

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!😀

@jodycharbonneau4915 2 года назад

Hi Sharmin! Thank you for sharing! I guess there's everything on You Tube! My Mother in Law carefully sliced sandblast and found the little white doves 🕊. Do you know the Sand dollar poem?

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

I do. I broke open a sand dollar and shared the "doves" and the poem with my viewers in a previous video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6EWKKhTgyvE.html

@brandonsmith1198 2 года назад

Thanks for doing this because now we’re going to try to do the same thing what you did

@lynnmanning2795 2 года назад

Your the best! Tha ks for all your hints be it tried and true.

@timeenuf4200 7 месяцев назад

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.

@SWFBeachLife 6 месяцев назад

I found a "safe acid" that I like a lot better than the muriatic acid! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QSLDBhDuFzY.html

@Craftswithseashells 2 месяца назад

Seashell is so good I am crafting seashell 🎉❤

@amberjohnson9004 Год назад

You could always use a clean paintbrush with the oil for the hard to reach places and pointier Shells

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

Yeah....a paintbrush would have worked MUCH better than a paper towel!

@cossackcortes Год назад

Thanks for the video :) Can bleach be harmful to shells? Should I mix it with sth?

@SWFBeachLife Год назад

Bleach isn't harmful to the shells I collect but I can't speak for all shells. Most should be fine.

@sunsetescapescruiseandtrav7962 2 года назад

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!!

@midnightbandit2005 2 года назад

Very helpful video, thanks 😊 👍

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

My pleasure 😊

@Someonewhoruns 2 года назад

so helpful i cannot thank you enough!!!!!!!!!

@luana1600 2 года назад

Nice clean-up!!

@kathykreager3108 2 года назад

Thanks!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Thank you so much! 🙏🏼

@ztag1p 2 года назад

•I’m curious if it would work to use an ultra-soft toothbrush and mineral oil on shells like the apple murex and scallops that have all those clefts and ridges? •Also, in the other muriatic acid video that you referenced, you showed how to neutralize the acid in order to dispose of it. But I must have missed HOW you suggest disposing of it. Did you pour it down the drain? The toilet? I’m just not sure what to do with the acid once it has lost its strength to clean shells. •Thank you for such great information!

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Yeah, lots of people had the great idea of using a brush instead of a paper towel, which I imagine would work MUCH better than the method I tried. As far as neutralizing the acid, I do the dilute with water/baking soda thing and then I dump the liquid in my yard in a place we will never try to grow anything. "They" say you can dump it down the drain, but I would not give that advice in the off-chance people don't dilute it enough and it would damage the sink, drain or pipes. Hope this helps!

@patriciap9162 2 года назад

I absolutely love your videos!!!

@fernandapompa7118 2 года назад

Where do you buy the acid and what is it called what type of acid do you buy

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Here in the states it's just called Muriatic Acid. We buy it in home good stores like Lowe's or Home Depot.

@fernandapompa7118 2 года назад

Thanks

@jayelleart 2 месяца назад

This is a great video. How long do you leave them in the bleach?

@ceeclearly6840 2 года назад

Have you ever tried a cleaning vinegar (6%) for your acid? I was just wondering if it was a safer acid for the shells that aren't in too bad of shape?

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

I did try vinegar on a florida fighting conch and it made the shell more white, instead of removing any of the outer coating. I should try to experiment a little more. I would love to find a safer way to clean my shells!

@karleenpage5979 2 года назад

@@SWFBeachLife I would guess that white (or clear) vinegar would work best, but it's just a guess!

@charissescully5893 2 года назад

You could try using a cosmetic brush or a short small paint brush with the mineral oil on it. That could get you in those nooks and crannies.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Yes!! In retrospect a brush would have been a better way to get the oil on the shells. I'm still trying to find the perfect solution for all shells and I'll be sure to share when I figure it out!

@lolabaker8197 2 года назад

Early post? I’m all here for it🙌🙌🙌

@cristinpappert3932 2 года назад

Try using an old toothbrush to apply the mineral oil to the ruff shells, i.e. apple murex and the prickly cochrell.

@SWFBeachLife 2 года назад

Yes! Or an old paintbrush. I just didn't want to put too much on as I don't know how I'd blot the extra oil off. I'm still trying to find a good solution to cleaning those shiny shells.