How to clean sand dollars. Bleaching and sealing your sand dollar treasures.

Do you want to know how to clean sand dollars? Well I happen to find them on a somewhat regular basis and I was recently asked how I clean and seal them so I decided to share what I do with the ones that I find.
Down here in SW Florida (by the way, that's what SWF stand for), the 5 hole, keyhole sand dollar is the one we find on our beaches. I find that if you don't treat your sand dollars in some way, they could become brittle and break which would be tragic after finding the sought after sand dollar.
Please feel free to ask me any questions you might have about how to clean your sand dollars.
Im glad someone asked me how to clean sand dollars so I can share this info with you!
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[@RidgeRunner5150]

A couple moths back my granddaughter and I hunted and found many sand dollars. I brought them home and cleaned them exactly as you did here. She wanted to paint some so she did, and we put several in a shadow box with pics of our Madeira Beach vacation. FFWD to this morning and I see your video. This is the way to do it.

[@BonJoySwirl]

A friend sent this along and I loved it! I was afraid to use bleach because they’re so delicate. Many thanks!

[@Ninjaroo82]

Very cool! I’ve always wondered how to clean my sand dollars. I’m going to give it a try. Thanks for sharing

[@SWFBeachLife]

You got it! Good luck!

[@nicelady51]

You only have to put them out in the sun to bleach them out. The grey ones are not discolored, they are alive. Remember that you are killing them. That's when they turn white.

[@crunchers9]

Please be sure to remind everyone to never take LIVE sand dollars.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Great advice! I'm like a broken record and say it just about every time I find a live one.

[@SnowPink90]

Yes I’m going to try this and I can’t wait. Yours turned out really great and I love how you display them!! Thank you for showing how you clean them up. 😊

[@SWFBeachLife]

You are so welcome!

[@darbygordon7036]

Just got back yesterday with about a shoebox size box that is FULL of sand dollars that need cleaning. I had so much fun shelling on a weeklong trip up the California coast!

[@SWFBeachLife]

That's awesome! I have yet one more sand dollar cleaning video that I want to put together. I'm going to try hydrogen peroxide and see if that works as well as bleach :)

[@janetpullen5210]

Hello friend, thank you for the lesson. I have bleached the sand dollars but haven’t painted the glue solution on them..good idea..thanks for sharing 💕 Share any tidbits u have

[@SWFBeachLife]

Yes, the glue/water solution is great for sealing sand dollars and urchins. Thanks as always for watching Janet!

[@kathyjund7212]

Hey there Sharmon..a neat surprise to see another at home with you! Great to see how you treat and display your treasures!

[@222icyyy]

Hello beach friend, Thanks for the method, I'll use that when I find sand dollars!.

[@nickeon2]

Looked up something and got the perfect video! You have a nice personality :)

[@SWFBeachLife]

Aww - thank you so much! I love all things beach and pass along info that I pick up along the way 😃

[@artiejohnson703]

This glue water mixture is great to know. I have one question, Does the glue water mix ever get sticky? Just wondering. Love your channel, I wish I could support your channel but money is tight for us being on a fix income. You do such a great job with your videos. ❤️

[@SWFBeachLife]

Watching my videos and leaving comments is amazing support and I sincerely thank you for that

[@luana1600]

They really turned out nice! 🐚🐬

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thank you!

[@b-utifulbruiser3693]

How would I be able to make the purple sand dollars look more vivid without bleaching those white? I'll bleach the other ones though. Another important question- what type of paint brush is best for applying the water/glue mixture?

[@SWFBeachLife]

The purple color will fade on its own. It's very hard to retain that dark color. Sometimes they will stay gray, but they almost always will fade to a light color. As far as paint brushes, I really just use whatever I have laying around. I don't use anything special.

[@christiespell9061]

I soaked mine in peroxide for a week or so and they came out pearly white! And most of them were that dark color!!

[@SWFBeachLife]

It doesn't work 100% of the time, but boy when it does it's fantastic right?!

[@stinger1756]

Your voice is so nice.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Awe - thank you!

[@denisebatson1612]

I have older sand dollars that have been sitting out for years. They were never sealed. Can I use this method on them to clean them up and seal them without ruining them?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I know that "professionals" use hydrogen but I myself have not tried to resurrect old sand dollars so I'm unsure. Sorry!

[@denisebatson1612]

@@SWFBeachLife thanks anyway. I’m going to give it a try. I’ll come back and let you know if it works.

[@cathleenmerten3729]

Nice vid learned something thanks much

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thank you for watching!

[@dawnadkins1626]

I have many eastern beach ones with no holes. I would love to trade some

[@SWFBeachLife]

Let's chat! Can you send me an email at [e-mail]?

[@carlwilliams6347]

Thanks … how long do you dry them after bleaching?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I don't seal them until I know they are completely dry. Down here in the sun for a few hours will work but I will let them sit a day or two just to make sure.

[@kellyrager3456]

Can you use Mod Podge instead of glue or does that make them shiny?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I have had other people tell me they have used it, but I don't know if it would render the sand dollar shiny or not. The glue/water mixture will not make them shiny if you put the layers on thin enough.

[@nancygrissett6280]

Do you ever sell your angel wing shells? I also live in Florida and are a huge shelter. My daughter and I have never found any angelwing shells. I live in Panama city in North pan handle. My name is Nancy. If you want to sell some pairs of them please let me know. I craft alot and have some great ideas for them.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Yes I do sell some of my shells! Please shoot me an email at [e-mail] and we can work something out!

[@bettyyarbrough1889]

Wear are you ?how are you finding whole sand dollars?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I find all of them on the beaches down here in Southwest Florida.

[@2mickj]

👍🏼

[@user-id7sk5eg5x]

Too many people have killed them in my area so they are rare now. The calcium of dead ones are also good to leave in nature so that living creatures can get those nutrients to build their own bodies.

[@leslypaco587]

Omg nice to know your name charman! Sorry if I spelled it so wrong lol! 😅 and thank you for another awesome video!

[@SWFBeachLife]

No worries! With a name like Sharmon, I am very used to it being misspelled and mispronounced! LOL! Thanks so much for watching!

[@debbieosredkernelson13]

I think they turned out beautifully! I love them when they are cleaned and white. That's what most people think of when they think of sand dollars... beautiful white ones. I bleach everything I take out of the ocean just for the purpose of killing any weird bacteria and stuff off of it. I also love that dish of coral - gorgeous stuff!

[@SWFBeachLife]

Yes, most people don't realize that these skeletons used to be live critters and can be quite dark if they are freshly expired. Luckily most of the shells I find are "clean" but if I see any green on any shell in the bleach it goes!

[@nowvoyagerNE]

thank you for the "how to" video. i see a lamp with a clear glass body next to your sand dollar collection. i saw a crafter / upcycle lady (Canterbury Cottage) take lamps apart and put dried flowers or silk flowers etc inside the body of the lamp and then reassemble the lamp. have you ever tried filling a clear glass body lamp with some of your sea treasures? take care! *:-)*

[@SWFBeachLife]

I actually have 2 lamps full of shells and all I want to do is take it apart to look at the shells! The top of that glass lamp is a stained glass palm tree so I’m probably going to leave it for now. I could always fill it in the future if I change my mind ☺️

[@nowvoyagerNE]

@@SWFBeachLife : you are 100% shell shocked, hehehe! *:-D*

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@nowvoyagerNE LOL!

[@nowvoyagerNE]

@@SWFBeachLife : say...i have earned my 15 minutes of fame! a young gal who has 2 youtube channels just started her second one about book reviews. she asked me to do an illustration for her to use at the end of her videos. Christina ("To Kill a T-Rex" brand new book review channel) put my illustration at the end of her video today. you'll have to click on the hold button to see it as it gets quickly covered by those little mini ads that are at the end of videos. here is the link for the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXmkpXuDZriYd7M

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@nowvoyagerNE You drew that cute little Dino in a library? It was awesome! Congrats on your new found fame!

[@ilonamollema6467]

Hi beach friend, The sand dollars turned out so beautifully! Never thought you could seal them with glue and water. Unfortunately we don't have sand dollars in the North Sea, so I will probably never use this technique. But I will keep it in mind. You never know..... Have a wonderful weekend, just a few more days, and you will post your video for Sunday. Yippee! Sending you lots of love from the Netherlands. ❤

[@SWFBeachLife]

I use the same method with urchins too. You never know - maybe one day knowing about the glue/water mix will come in handy. Hope you have a great rest of your week - see you Sunday! 🥰

[@nataliewilson7423]

How do you enter the giveaway?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I will release a video next week with all the details!

[@michellegibbs2065]

Very cool. I wondered how people saved sand dollars, since they are so very fragile!

[@galenledbetter8014]

Great project! I too use these steps. Remember, sand dollars whiten in nature by sun bleaching. Try adding this step for an hour or two after chemical bleaching and rinse. I have noticed a whiter end result.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I actually stopped bleaching my sand dollars 😃 Now I use hydrogen peroxide and I can leave them for days! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHXGoaZsosiXgtUsi=x1GZSeB3GB9CsIeD I am always trying to find the best method to clean these beach treasures!

[@ismith275]

Have you ever cracked one open and released the “doves”!? Try it, you’ll be amazed! It’s actually the mouth, with dove shaped bones! (Careful not to crush it) 😊 Isn’t nature amazing?!!!

[@SWFBeachLife]

Nature is incredible! Yes, I have opened a sand dollar and I shared a little poem I found about them too 😌

[@lizwaitze8164]

Thanks for your video. I just got back from Exuma and have lots of sand dollars to clean and preserve. I'm going to my beach house in New Jersey today and this looks like a fun craft to do while I'm there.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I have discovered that hydrogen peroxide also works really great for sand dollars. I soak them in 100% HP strength and just leave them until they're white. The HP won't damage the sand dollars!

[@storytimewithunclebill1998]

Cool finds. They came out really good. Have to give it a try. Was fun to watch and very informative. Great video

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@alexdelgado2706]

Hello there . I've recently bought some sand dollar at Estate Sells which have been picked when alive , now they are dead but coverd in hair folical & mold how do I clean them ?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I would try rubbing them with a soft toothbrush to try to remove all the little hairs off. It will probably be easier to do when dry, but I might try soaking them in water and to see if that helps loosen anything off too.

[@CrookedEyeSniper]

Yep. That's right. Those cool shaped rocks at the beach aren't rocks. You've been playing with dead creature carcasses at the beach your whole childhood and never knew it.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I was thinking of changing my channel to, I find dead things, but SWF Beach Life just has a better ring to it.

[@Keeks2295]

Trying this today! My sand dollars are fuzzy on the bottom side though… would that make any difference?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I don't collect those sand dollars because they are so hard to clean! It should make them whiter, but I don't know if it will remove the "fuzz." I actually discovered a better way to clean sand dollars using hydrogen peroxide. You can leave them in the solution for days without damaging your treasures. Again, not sure if it will work on the fuzz but I hope it does! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHXGoaZsosiXgtU

[@seventhguest1]

Can you paint on them before you seal them with glue? Like a happy birthday message?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I don't see why not!

[@kristinevantassel2834]

Great video.. thank you for sharing.

[@westportlife]

I live in the PNW and we have sand dollars all over our beaches here but they dont look like those. The ones here dont have those slits. Can you tell me what kind of sand dollar those are? Awesome Content. New Subscriber. Thanks - Westport Lures.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Welcome aboard! Our sand dollars are called, 5-hole, keyhole sand dollars. They are like yours, just a different species. I am spoiled rotten living here and all the treasures I get to find!

[@westportlife]

@@SWFBeachLife Thank You So Much, Love The Content.... Thanks Again. - WESTPORT LIFE

[@patifagan6774]

Charming,is that your name? Excellent work, magnificent teacher

[@SWFBeachLife]

My name is Sharmon, but it sure does sound a lot like charming!

[@shannonpetersen7172]

Does the glue/water mixture hinder other mediums (painting on them)?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I usually put at least 2 coats on the ones I seal and you can absolutely still paint on them after sealing.

[@antoniaesparza67]

Thanks a lot for your help.👍🏻

[@karenlivengood4027]

Thanks for showing how you clean sand dollars. Can you do a video on how you clean other shells too ?

[@SWFBeachLife]

I will do that with an upcoming video. I'll show you the whole process I go through when I get home from the beach.

[@melanymccann6350]

I've been using clearcoat nail polish to harden.

[@SWFBeachLife]

The possibilities are endless!

[@bearriver6952]

Do you have any sunscreen recommendations I alwys get burned

[@SWFBeachLife]

Wear a long sleeve shirt! I always wear an SPF shirt and use tons of sunscreen on my face and legs. I wear a hat with a flap in the back to protect my neck and I reapply if I've been in the water a lot.

[@philipposvatyliotis4910]

Can you please tell me:) beacuse i use clorine to clean my sea shells but it turns them white and remove the colour:) can you please something else to try and find here in cyprus:)

[@SWFBeachLife]

Try hydrogen peroxide. Someone else suggested it and says it won't destroy the sand dollar and is much gentler than the bleach is!

[@philipposvatyliotis4910]

@@SWFBeachLife ok thanks a lot i will try to find it here in cyprus

[@owendube3692]

Tried the bleach method, some came out white others came out yellow.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I've since changed my whitening method to hydrogen peroxide. You can soak them in 100% HP and it won't damage the sand dollars: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHXGoaZsosiXgtU

[@bethsingletary4798]

Thank you. Going to do it

[@lindac1713]

Yes agree helloooo Charman

[@amydeutl]

Thanks! Gonna try this with my sand dollars and also have some urchins to work on, toO!

[@jackies6358]

Do you ever sell what you find? I would like some sand dollars, clam shells and definitely Angel wings in memory of my daughter that was murdered. If not, do you know of the best shops to buy from?????

[@SWFBeachLife]

Yes I do sell shells! Please email me at [e-mail] and we can figure something out. I am so incredibly sorry to hear about your daughter. xoxo

[@fairy_faylynn9310]

They look so good. Love the vessel they are in as well

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thank you! I knew if I left that out I’d get more questions ☺️

[@viviansherman4519]

I plan on going to sanibel Island with my 2 daughters can I find sand dollars at Sanibel. Love your videos

[@SWFBeachLife]

You sure can! It's not guaranteed, but yes, they are absolutely there!

[@viviansherman4519]

@@SWFBeachLife Hello I plan on going to Sanibel this month with my daughters and my 2 grandsons can you please let me know what beach is the nicest on Sanibel. Thank you so very much

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@viviansherman4519 They are all really nice and parking at all is $5. I would probably recommend Bowman’s Beach. Lots of parking, foot showers, a little play ground, picnic tables and plenty of beach to spread out on. 😀

[@dantheman5745]

This is gold! Thank you for this. I'm going to be strolling the beaches of Sanibel soon, and I am going to use this as my sand dollar preservation guide when I get back. Merci! So well produced & edited too! You absolutely have a talent for this.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I hope you find some when you come!! Make sure you have some sort of plastic container to put them in so they don't break! Pockets are not good for transporting them!

[@dantheman5745]

@@SWFBeachLife Absolutely. I picked up that trick from an earlier video of yours. Brilliant idea. I'm going to put pieces of micro-bubble wrap in it too, so if I get a couple, they don't clank into each other, but have some sort of buffer between them.

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@dantheman5745 And you can use that container to put them in your luggage too! I had to improvise and used a seltzer container 🤣

[@brienfoaboutanything9037]

All you need to know about Sand dollar: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWakoGCggdSFapI

[@kaygoodman3510]

Thanks for the video. I learned so much. so nice to have a middle of week video. I always can't wait to see your videos. Have a Blessed weekend.

[@barryallenflash1]

Wow! So simple. I love the way you do this and the majority of us have ALL the ingredients already in our house. I've had sand dollars for a few years now and am going to paint them, maybe sell them too! I want to try this first, then see how the paint sets on them. Acrylics of course, I also have oils, so maybe I'll do some of each and compare them! Thanks again for the super easy video!!

[@leeoconnor123]

i love this video so much. My daughter plays a game called Roblox and specifically 'Adopt me pets', they introduced a new pet in the game called Sand dollars but being from the UK, we never heard of them and couldn't imagine what they are, so we googled and were amazed.., I bought my daughter some online and we were confused about the very small shape we got and missing holes, but seeing your video makes sense on how they were probably over prepared for sale. I like your ones! Thanks for a very informative video.

[@SWFBeachLife]

You are very welcome! And there are different types of sand dollars all over the world. Our have those keyholes in them, but some don't have any. They're so interesting! Thank you for watching!

[@bconsilio3764]

Hi! Charmin! Did you know vinegar or hydrogen peroxide neutralizes bleach. Put I cup of vinegar OR hydrogen peroxide to 1 gallon of water and soak for 20 minutes or so. This will stop the action of the bleach. It will stop the bleach from eating away at the shells immediately. Might even allow your shells to bathe a bit longer in the bleach if needed, because the immediate neutralization stops the on going effect of the bleach. BTW it works on all other surfaces or things you bleach too. I wipe down any surface bleached even if I use a wipe containing bleach with either solution to prevent accidental bleaching of any fabrics like clothes or towels. Especially in the kitchen and bathroom.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I've recently wrecked a few shirts with bleach spots so its definitely tricky to work with! I didn't know about the vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and I'll definitely keep that in mind! Someone else suggested just using hydrogen peroxide to whiten the sand dollars. I'm going to try that next!

[@ChocoTurkey]

Do i have to seal them to preserve them?

[@SWFBeachLife]

You don't HAVE to seal them, but I like to give them a little extra "oomph" or strength by giving them that coat of glue and water.

[@sheilapinoski2447]

TU!MY Daughter filled glass with sand+ shells from Miami she collected sticking head under water being knocked by waves 2 bring me souvenir .

[@SWFBeachLife]

What a great daughter! We are lucky over here and don't have to really worry about the waves knocking us over :)

[@soniacook66]

I'm frustrated as I've left my sand dollars in bleach and left them in the sun for weeks on end and they still have brown on them. Should I try hydrogen peroxide and if that doesn't work muritic acid? I have one that is bigger than my hand that I want white. I've almost thought about painting them but haven't seen anything here about that. Any suggestions for me? Thank you.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I would let them soak in hydrogen peroxide. It worked great for the ones I found. You can leave them soaking for days without harming them. I definitely wouldn't dip them in acid. That only really works on the shells. If they still have color you don't want on them, you might consider painting them. I've put the ones that I can't get white to the side to paint gold or silver for xmas ornaments. Good luck!!!

[@newtguy]

Do not all sand dollars have the 5 oval holes in them? Mine don’t have any holes

[@SWFBeachLife]

There are all sorts of different sand dollars and not all of them have those keyholes. I have some from Oregon and there are no holes in them. I think the ones you can find in Maine also lack those keyholes.

[@newtguy]

Yeah, mine are from Oregon too! Good to know, thanks!

[@bonniegiebfried278]

Thanks for the tips. Agree, be careful with breaching. Agree, Natural is better look. Cool display and organizing.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@claudiastewart1116]

Thanks. I will use your technique!

[@lindawellinghoff5432]

Thanks

[@imaglo52]

Thanks very helpful found one yesterday.

[@djwilliams2622]

I found a sand dollar on Jekyll Island, GA today. I've bleached them before, but never used glue on them. Definitely gonna give it a try.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Good luck!!

[@dorothypettijohn6228]

Thanks! I love sandollars and have hundreds. The sanddollars from the west coast dont have the large slits the one you have in Florida. Ours have just little indents where your slits none go through all the way. Who knew!? Florida has alot of beautiful shells.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Yup! There are different types of sand dollars. Our have those "keyholes" in them. Florida has the best variety of shells in the US!

[@danielhill7701]

Thanks for the video. I have some sea urchins that I want to clean and strengthen. They are quite fragile so I was wondering if the glue coating would be the best solution to preserve my sea urchins.

[@SWFBeachLife]

You bet it is! I don't even bleach my urchins because I'm afraid they'll get even more delicate. I just seal them with the glue/water mixture after I've let them soak and dry and soak and dry and scrubbed a few times for good measure :)

[@susanbates9746]

Thank you for sharing. I am going to try it.

[@jacruick]

So why do you need to glue them ?

[@SWFBeachLife]

You don't HAVE to glue them, but it gives them a little extra oomph.

[@lorraineespinoza593]

Thank you for sharing your video it’s nice to see another video in the middle of the week. Thanks again and I’ll be seeing you on Sunday. 🐚

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thanks for watching - even if it wasn't a shelling video!

[@nunyabiznez6381]

I have never tried this before. I usually just rinse sand dollars under water and so mine are no where near nice enough to display unless I find near perfect ones. We all know how rare that is. I think I've got maybe 20 decent sand dollars in the last decade. I'm definitely going to take home some that I normally would reject to see how this works out for me. I've bleached shells before and find that it often removes desired colors. So then I will sometimes dip them in acid which removes a slight amount of material just enough to expose the color underneath and make the texture smooth. This of course is taboo for specimen shells but works great for craft or decorative shells. I have done this with some of my horse conchs and they turned out beautiful for display.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Yes, finding those perfect sand dollars can be a challenge :) I have another sand dollar video releasing tomorrow. I tried hydrogen peroxide to "whiten" the sand dollars without the risk of damaging or weakening them. I love bleach for green shells and there are some I wouldn't dip because I like the natural shine. I keep trying different methods and sharing what I find works :)

[@soniacook66]

@@SWFBeachLife I am frustrated as I've tried bleach and leaving my sand dollars for week in the sun but they won't turn white. They're still discolored with brown on them. I have a very large one that I really it to turn white. Should I try acid as a last resort if the hydrogen peroxide doesn't work?

[@vIEL-ge1ke]

I’m bleaching my sea potatoes today using your method hopefully it worked out

[@SWFBeachLife]

I hope that works out for you. 😂

[@annjohnson543]

Thank you so much for this video! Now all I need are the sand dollars. :-D

[@SWFBeachLife]

Well when you do find them, you'll know just what to do with them :)

[@YourFavoriteRedhead]

We found some sand dollars on a recent visit to Imperial Beach, CA. and I was wondering if you could also use matte modge podge to seal the sand dollars instead of the glue mixture?

[@SWFBeachLife]

Someone said that you could indeed use it, but I am unsure if you use it straight or mix it with water. Sorry!

[@aprilhill333]

You can even dye them with food coloring in between cleaning and sealing. I dyed them to make Christmas ornaments one year as a souvenir.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Cool idea! My husband likes to put gold leaf on them and just bought some enamel paint and painted some silver and gold. Getting ready for xmas decorations already!

[@amandacurrier8450]

They all came out fantastic! I love the collection in the purple bowl! 😍

[@rubyrohrig9494]

Can I still seal a sanddollar if it’s a few years old

[@SWFBeachLife]

Why sure you can! If I find one that's white enough for me I just let it dry and seal it.

[@rubyrohrig9494]

@@SWFBeachLife thanks

[@MermaidTalesCo]

Wow!! They turned out beautiful! Hoping to find a couple sand dollars while beach combing down there in October 🤩

[@SWFBeachLife]

Oh I hope you do too! I found my very first one in November the first time I came here. It was a little preview of things to come for me :) I hope you find some too when you come!

[@charliestrong6230]

Be sure to take only the dead ones. Just Google how to tell them apart.

[@karenandtim1040]

Thank you so much for sharing this! Loved it and it seems very easy! Hopefully I get that sand dollar i am hoping for when I visit! ❤️❤️

[@SWFBeachLife]

I hope you find one too! I found my first one here on Fort Myers Beach. I was totally blown away and we treasured it!

[@cdecola]

This was a great video. I have a few sand dollars local to my coast that would probably use some cleaning like this. Do you think this would work with urchins as well? ♥️Hope you're doing well, Sharmon!

[@SWFBeachLife]

I do! I used to bleach my urchins but they're so delicate to begin with I stopped and I only seal them with the glue mixture. And I only do one coat. I tried doing more but it started looking shiny from too much glue. So soak, scrub and glue/water mixture is what I do with the ones I have. I found over 80 of them not too long ago. I have yet to get them sealed. What a project! So nice to hear from you!

[@cdecola]

@@SWFBeachLife thanks! I do apologize for not being as active on your channel, I've been busy. Recently took a trip up north to Glass Beach and found some amazing treasures a bit south of the actual glass beach. I even found a couple of glass gemstones. 😊♥️

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@cdecola That’s awesome! I’ve heard Fort Bragg has great glass. Finding gem stones must have been amazing! I’m great and hope you are too!

[@cdecola]

@@SWFBeachLife I think one is a glass ruby and the other may be a real diamond. I'm gonna take it in to a jeweler to find out for sure. It scratched glass and the water test seemed to lean towards real. Fingers crossed. 😊

[@maryreinhardt4306]

I like the before the after looks fake

[@nowvoyagerNE]

would you just clean them with a clean tooth brush?

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@nowvoyagerNE You could, but it wouldn’t change their color at all. You probably wouldn’t need to bleach a really clean one ☺️

[@SWFBeachLife]

They will continue to fade if I left them in the sun but I like to seal them to make sure they don’t break.

[@duaalikhan4feb]

Wow, sanddollar it gorgeous and beautiful love it😍❤

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@sallya.2412]

That is really a great tip. I think that is a great way of cleaning them and then using the glue and water ratio to preserve them. I also like it a matte look and not so shiny. I would give this a try if I found a lot of sand dollars here. 😞 But I could do some seashells that way like you did with the angel wings.

[@SWFBeachLife]

The bleach works great on green shells. I just am more careful about how long I soak the more delicate ones like angel wings and sand dollars. The more hearty shells like tulips and Florida Fighting Conchs I could leave in straight bleach for days and they'd be fine. Thanks for watching Sally!

[@alondracovarrubias7008]

Wow what a difference! Thank you for sharing 🤍

[@SWFBeachLife]

You’re welcome 😊

[@Maddenuser]

Wow this was so helpful. We have sand dollars we found last year that we haven’t cleaned now I know exactly how to do it. Thank you so much.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Glad it was helpful and you're so welcome! Hope they work out great for you!

[@mlgauss60435]

Thanks! Now I need to find some sand dollars! LOL!

[@SWFBeachLife]

LOL! Well, when you do - you'll know exactly what to do with them!

[@rochelleconrad7150]

I agree nice to know your name. You are my link to Florida all year until I can get back for my yearly trip. I leave in two days to come To fort Myers! I can’t wait!

[@SWFBeachLife]

YESSSSS! It's been hot, but beautiful here! If you're not finding any goodies on the beach, feel around in the water! They shells are out there!

[@rochelleconrad7150]

@@SWFBeachLife yep, we snorkel as well and this year are adding the Nemo blu snuba! Hope to run into you while I’m there it would be great fun to meet someone I watch all year!

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@rochelleconrad7150 I tried snorkeling today and the water was too cloudy to really see anything so I stuck to the scooping in the water technique. The water quality is different from beach to beach so I hope it cooperates for you and your snuba! I had looked into those but am sticking with my full-face was for now :) Safe travels! PS - I'm the lady with the gray hat with a back flap and an orange shell bag!

[@chrisbgifford7387]

Thanks for this how to. Do you use this mix on the coral?

[@SWFBeachLife]

Nope. The coral is perfect just the way it is :)

[@denisem6754]

Sweet bonus video this week! I appreciated the sand dollar display idea.

[@SWFBeachLife]

Thanks for watching! Happy to share anything I've learned along the way!

[@gingermackeen5741]

Great job! I've never done the glue part, but I know a lot of people do. Some even dip them in the glue mixture. Always amazed at what bleach does! ❤️

[@SWFBeachLife]

I know me too! You could doo 100% glue but I personally don't like that layer of shine on them. I like them more "natural" looking :)

[@lauram5195]

Thanks for the great idea!!! 🤗🐚🐚🐚

[@SWFBeachLife]

You are so welcome!

[@gailyahodnett6743]

Thank you for showing us the process. I always enjoy your videos.

[@SWFBeachLife]

You are so welcome! Thank you so much for watching!

[@Valerieknitterhands]

Loved this video, thanks for showing us your before and after, also love the way you display the sand dollars

[@SWFBeachLife]

It's hard to believe I only found my very first one in 2017 on a trip down here. I'm currently making up for lost time - LOL!

[@jennifertroupe8711]

Awesome job! The sand dollars look spectacular. My question is: how do you get your sand dollars home without breakage? I have found some and broke them before getting them home. So delicate.

[@SWFBeachLife]

I show in a previous video my super beat-up, but trusty shell bag and the little container I keep in it to carry the delicate shells and sand dollars: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5TNnHxjbcqnkJY I always have that container in my shell bag, just in case.

[@jennifertroupe8711]

@@SWFBeachLife awesome. I have a mesh bag too. Will start bringing the plastic containers just in case. We used to find lots of whelks and other shells. Last year they restructured our beach in St. Augustine. Now the shells are slim pickings

[@SWFBeachLife]

@@jennifertroupe8711 Oh bummer! I am going to make it up there one of these days to check the city out. I was hoping to check out the beaches too but I'll keep in mind I might not find much :)

[@jennifertroupe8711]

@@SWFBeachLife if you come up, go to Vilano Beach and Porpoise Point.

[@dianeburton9969]

Awesome video!!! What a smart way to display the sand dollars! Now I want to go looking for them!

[@SWFBeachLife]

Do you ever find any out your way? I wonder if they would be the same once since there are a few different types.

[@dianeburton9969]

Yes! We have a secluded beach they love. Occasionally they wash up on shore and I pick them up, on super calm days you can walk in 4 ft of water and those bright white circles are so visible! Ours are exactly like yours. ❤️.

[@lesamonroe2355]

Thank you for the extra video made my day

[@SWFBeachLife]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching!

[@candykelly3401]

Great idea!❤️