Try to get out as much sand from inside the sand dollars. Soaking, rinsing, and air drying sand dollars and sea urchins in the same way also brightens and cleans them up. You may have to repeat this process several times, but eventually the smell will go away. It really does smell putrid, but bleach water will solve the problem. The smell is usually due to a mollusk (animal) dying and then disintegrating inside the shell. In some cases the shells I find are really dirty (e.g., caked with green or black slimy algae) or they have a kiss of death smell (a smell that is so bad it could knock you down). In many cases, rinsing in a 50/50 water and bleach solution for 10 minutes, rinsing with cool or lukewarm tap water, and then letting them dry will solve the problem of shells, sand dollars, and urchins that are coated with algae, smelly, or have a dull color. For many shells, this is all you need to do before displaying them. Be sure to measure all ingredients carefully and follow all safety instructions on the packages.Īfter bringing my treasures home, I rinse them off in hot, soapy dish water, letting them air dry after cleaning. For difficult-to-clean shells, purchase muriatic acid, tongs, a wire brush, a metal pick, and a glass container. Some items you might want to have on hand are dishwashing liquid, chlorine bleach, mineral/baby oil, gloves, eye protection, and mask. When they need a little more help, here are some steps to deep clean and polish up your shells. Sometimes a quick rinse in soapy water is enough to get your shells ready to display.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |