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How to Clean Smelly Seashells

Many people love to collect seashells at the beach, whether as a form of relaxation on vacation or as a way to collect mementos of your trip. Though shells are pretty and decorative, it is important to remember that they were once the home of living creatures. Clean shells properly cleansed to avoid smells, even if the animal is no longer living within.

Things You'll Need

bleach
water
bucket

Instructions

Cleaning Empty Shells
- 1
  Fill a bucket with one part bleach and 10 parts water.
- 2
  Place the shells inside of the bucket so that they are covered with the bleach and water solution. Soak for at least 24 hours.
- 3
  Empty the bucket of bleach solution. Remove the shells and rinse each one carefully with water and dry.
Cleaning Shells with Animals
- 4
  Add shells to a pot of room temperature water.
- 5
  Bring the water to nearly boiling, then remove from heat. Cool gradually so the shells don't crack.
- 6
  Shake, flush, or pick the animal from the shell with a sharp instrument.

Sea Shell Collecting