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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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]

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

[@tinaleo6926]

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]

@@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]

@@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]

@@tinaleo6926 Thank you!! 🙏🏼

[@gangstamum]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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

[@shelabrehio1050]

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.

[@lindsayhansen4117]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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

[@abigailhowes5944]

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]

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! ❤️

[@surfinturfer]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Thank you Carol!

[@rayvicario5985]

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]

I love what bleach does to the shells!

[@catgetter2784]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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

[@hollyw9566]

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

[@michellegibbs2065]

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

[@billrobbins5874]

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!

[@missourigal]

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.

[@susanbrown9799]

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]

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

[@MLM1011]

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]

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]

@@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]

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

[@karleenpage5979]

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]

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]

E we

[@gingermackeen5741]

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]

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]

Great tips on cleaning up our beach finds.

[@ilonamollema6467]

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]

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]

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

[@idkidk8278]

Acid is fun especially with these cool looking shells

[@sandybrown7621]

I love the sizzle when she puts the shell in the acid

[@susanlathrop234]

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

[@mrsthacker4238]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

I know - me too!!

[@melissabezio8618]

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]

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]

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

[@cindyrowland5030]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

That is awesome!

[@piratetaylor29]

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]

Thank you!!! 🙏🏼

[@gghhiiyy456]

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

[@NancyBeachGirl]

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]

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!

[@lieselgutierrez7439]

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]

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!

[@juteeb4955]

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]

Good to know! Thank you!

[@Eliel7230]

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.

[@cazee100]

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]

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]

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.

[@nadineglomboski1852]

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

[@CountessOlaf]

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]

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! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWXbpmCGlLRnisksi=tHYb8HEqrxFb4ppR

[@CountessOlaf]

@@SWFBeachLife I have heard of it. I’ll have to check it out

[@jacqulynjohnson6237]

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]

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!

[@annettereed6146]

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

[@MermaidTalesCo]

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!!

[@LifeSavingDefense]

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.

[@christinajarriel3423]

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]

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.

[@cintiapollock2486]

~*~ 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]

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]

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

[@shellstories]

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]

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!

[@maggieslifeisawildride512]

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]

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]

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!

[@nikispragg9811]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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

[@sheriboren2556]

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" 😁

[@Nrwich1]

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]

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.

[@suzannesalerio3237]

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

[@basvanderwerff2725]

cleaning shells is so satisfying!

[@DeeDee-dl7sl]

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]

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

[@seriously.....]

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....

[@denisemessier2815]

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

[@Angela-ut5tx]

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]

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 😭

[@tropicalcheez]

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]

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!

[@fernikakwan4088]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

Congratulations on your first lightning whelk!

[@charlottebeck3757]

Thanks for all the info!!

[@SWFBeachLife]

You bet!

[@diannpowell1077]

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]

I hope that crowned conch comes out great!

[@juteeb4955]

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

[@elizabetho395]

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]

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]

@@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]

@@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]

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]

I use straight bleach!

[@crafteymag]

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

[@sallya.2412]

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]

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!

[@kaleidoscopemom1588]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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.

[@netamorton4832]

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

[@savannahatlantasnail]

If you’re still in need of some shell preserving help, check out my recent video on preserving snail shells with the end result. ☺️

[@SWFBeachLife]

I want a land snail as a pet!

[@cossackcortes]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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

[@ztag1p]

•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]

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!

[@carolmusso7767]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

You are so welcome!

[@ravenclaw8715]

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]

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

[@marysimonetti5243]

Just wondering what you would recommend for my gorgeous muscle shells? Any recommendations are appreciated.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Bleach. I found some fresh water mussels and the mother-of-pearl is gorgeous! I'm kind of hard core and I soak my shells in 100% bleach. Just keep in mind if your mussels have any of that brown coating on them the bleach will likely completely remove it eventually.

[@marysimonetti5243]

@@SWFBeachLife Thank you! Sending love and hopes for a quick moving hurricane. No hurricane would be better! Stay safe🧡

[@hikergal63]

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]

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]

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

[@Thenoobestgirl]

Wow the acid made such a difference! 😮

[@lorraineespinoza593]

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.🐚🐚🐚❤️

[@woodworkinggirl5525]

you are teaching me so much🤗christy

[@lisaheiser7491]

Question for you on the sand dollar. I have 3 of them Amd how do I get rid of the spines and hairy stuff on them?

[@SWFBeachLife]

Let them dry out 100% and use a toothbrush to gently remove the velvety covering on the top and the little hairs on the reverse side.

[@elihastings6987]

What beaches do you find the murex at? We frequent the Manasota Key area and LGI. Thanks!

[@SWFBeachLife]

I tend to find the murex shells on Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Lovers Key and Marco Island.

[@brendacrawford260]

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

[@jayelleart]

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

[@agds91078]

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

[@sallylepley6199]

Thanks for this very helpful video!

[@carolmathis6084]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@jodycharbonneau4915]

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]

I do. I broke open a sand dollar and shared the "doves" and the poem with my viewers in a previous video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHa6fH6eicysrKc

[@vernaj497]

Cool video! I recently got a bag is seashells that someone gave me to make a necklace for her. The shells are small and don't know what kind of shells they are. Hahaha.....can u help? Defining what kind of shells I have to work with and how to clean them. Thanks

[@SWFBeachLife]

If you know what area the shells came from you might be able to figure out what they are but I'm not very good at identifying those tiny shells. Yet. 😉

[@aliceelbradey6278]

Thanks for sharing I love it beautiful shell’s

[@Thenoobestgirl]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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

[@lynnmanning2795]

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

[@ceeclearly6840]

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]

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]

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

[@hopehartsook4235]

Could you please tell me what kind of acid you used?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I actually JUST discovered a new safe acid that I would recommend. The new video just dropped about 30 minutes ago!

[@buckiannscreations9089]

Do you ever get muscle shells with the brown crust that peals off a bit but the entire shell is covered so it takes hours to peel it off? I don't want to destroy the shine or mother of pearl effect.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I put those shells in 100% bleach and they turn out whiteish purple. Give it a try on a "test" shell - the bleach removes that brown layer! Let it soak overnight.

[@kristinthompson8387]

I wonder if on the two murex where you used mineral oil if you then took a soap solution and scrubbed the shell would it remove some of the oil? But maybe it would defeat the whole purpose?

[@SWFBeachLife]

Next time I would either use vaseline to coat the inside and see if that will protect the pretty inside when I dip in acid. And if that doesn't work, I would "paint" the oil on with a paintbrush instead of using a paper towel!

[@amberjohnson9004]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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

[@midnightbandit2005]

Very helpful video, thanks 😊 👍

[@SWFBeachLife]

My pleasure 😊

[@Dilinn67]

Did you ever use a UVlight with the Peroxide?? I seen it work great on yellowing Plastic. Just a suggestion.👍

[@SWFBeachLife]

I have not but I'm going to have to look that up!

[@ShoryoTombo]

Out of curiosity, what do you do with the acid in the jar? Can't it be stored in the same jar for reuse? Also, if you have to get rid of it, how do you dispose of it? I love this video because we just got back from Tarpon Springs and got a lot of shells and sponges from the island!

[@SWFBeachLife]

I personally leave the acid in a mason jar and use it over and over again until it stops working. Then I dispose of it - I did show in this video how I get rid of the acid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4SvdXWeedp5sLssi=_qOzKsNnBJwmM_V0&t=1255

[@ShoryoTombo]

Thank you so much!!!! 🥰 @@SWFBeachLife

[@KarenUntz]

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

[@RaisingRoosters123]

Thanks for all the tips and tricks! Is there any way you could spray or dab the acid on the outside of shells you don't want to dip?

[@SWFBeachLife]

People recommended a dropper and all sorts of other methods. I think I would try vaseline next time to protect the shiny parts. At some point I'll give it a try!

[@basvanderwerff2725]

you deff dont want to spray muric acid is very dangerous stuff the last thing you want to do is mist it in the air

[@andifrestea1950]

Would you tell me how to clean spondylus from Encrustation or bernacles?

[@SWFBeachLife]

Bleach will get the barnacles to really just slide right off the shell. It might damage hinges, but it works like magic on all the encrusted beach junk on the shells.

[@cristinpappert3932]

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

[@SWFBeachLife]

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.

[@LIZFRIZZ26]

I stumbled on your video by accident & I have to say I was super impressed. I want to know if it's ok to clean everything just using Hydrogen peroxide? I have asthma & I'm weary of using bleach or the other mixture you mentioned. Any alternative suggestions 😊??

[@SWFBeachLife]

The hydrogen peroxide makes the sand dollars white, but I am not sure if it will "clean" other shells. I've found straight bleach to work the best on barnacles and getting the green "stuff" off shells. I suppose you could give the Peroxide a try with one shell and see what happens. I'm sorry I don't have better info for you.

[@LIZFRIZZ26]

@@SWFBeachLife Ok thank you! I think you said you had a video on the correct mixture of bleach & water?? I'm going to ask someone to help me.

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@LIZFRIZZ26 I use straight bleach for the hard to remove barnacles and the shells that have green on them. I use acid to remove that white calcium layer and then the peroxide for sand dollars. I wish there was a less caustic way to clean shells.

[@jacquipierce5558]

Thank you for this great teaching vlog. What kind/brand of glue do you mix with water on the sand dollars? Also, I have a large queen turban with a heavy calcium layer on the outside; how would you recommend cleaning it? Thanks.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I use white glue (like Elmer's) and I mix it with equal parts water and glue and then paint that mixture on the sand dollars. If the turban has any shiny parts it will make it dull if you dip it in acid, however that acid really does a great job removing that outer layer. That's why I had such a hard time deciding on which shells to dip as anything that goes in the acid will be vibrant, but that shine will be gone.

[@jacquipierce5558]

@@SWFBeachLife Thank you. Wishing you have many more happy hours of shelling.

[@veronicafrawley2922]

Are there certain shells you just clean with soap and water? I’m assuming Gastropods would all benefit from bleach water just because of the spiral nature of the shell. But I’m curious about bivalves whether I need to bleach all of them any thoughts?

[@SWFBeachLife]

Well now that all depends on the crud you're trying to clean. Green for me means bleach on any shell, and I'll go ahead and soak them at 100% strength. I do not do this with delicate angel wings or sand dollars. Angel wings I'll use a splash of bleach and sand dollars I use hydrogen peroxide. I like soap and water if I want to remove any residual smells.

[@JennyMack]

would vinegar work to get the salt and calcium residue off?

[@SWFBeachLife]

Perhaps, but since the acid works so great I just use that.

[@medinay100]

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

[@carolyost6733]

Thank you so much for this video. So useful and informative . I learned alot. Can that same acid be reused and how many times to use? Where do you buy acid?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I buy my acid at Lowe's or Home Depot and I store it in a mason jar so I can use it over and over. Eventually it stops working as good as it should and I replace the mixture. I would say it lasts me quite a few months with some pretty regular dipping.

[@jazziered142]

@@SWFBeachLife How do you dispose of the acid mixture once you are done?

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@jazziered142 First I drop an old shell in the acid and leave it. Once it’s done bubbling I add water and then baking soda until I get zero reaction. Then I dump it in a spot in my yard that there are stones and I won’t try to grow anything. I use the acid mixture over and over and store it in a mason jar until I’m ready for a new batch to try to use it as much as possible 😃

[@jazziered142]

@@SWFBeachLife Thank you so much.