The Search for the Perfect Shell & Cleaning

One of the great things about living in Naples is with all that beach you have to explore, you also have plenty of opportunities for shelling. When I first moved here, I collected all kinds of shells everytime I went to the beach. Over time, I became more selective with the shells I took home.

That's how my Mom and I can up with the shelling phrase "a perfect." A perfect shell is one that is whole, has little to no erosion or defects. Although you can find some really interesting shells along the beach that are far from perfect, the perfect shells are more challenging to locate.

One of my favorite things to find along the beach is shell hash. Shells hash is a mound of shells dumped together by the tide. You can literally shift through hundreds of shells in one place, often finding the elusive perfect.

Cleaning: When you get shells home as a memento of your day at the beach, it's important that you take the time to clean them properly. Otherwise, your shells will create an unattractive stink.

Here's two helpful hints on cleaning shells from the beach:

1. Boiling: Boiling is a great technique to use if you have colorful shells. It cleans the shell while maintaining the color quality. Just place your shells in a pot and cover them with fresh water. You will want to have enough water in the pot to allow for evaporation. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a rolling boil. Keep the water boiling for 15 minutes, then turn off stove. Allow the pot to cool before draining water and removing shells. Please be advised that the water and boiling may have a stink, but once your done it will go away.
2. 50/50 Water & Bleach soak: This technique is great for white shells or shells with little color. Also, this is a popular technique when cleaning Sand Dollar shells. Take a rubber container and fill it with 50% water and 50% bleach. Place shells in liquid and allow to soak. The length of time will depend on the number of shells and the thickness of the shells. For example, in the case of a conch shell, you can leave it soaking overnight; with sand dollars you probably only want them to soak for 3-4 hours. Please be advised that if you soak thinner shells for too long, they may become brittle and fall apart.

After cleaning, you can rub your shells with mineral or baby oil to make them shine.

Please never collect live shells. Live shells will have animals still living in them. When you do this, you remove an element from the ecosystem of the beach which can have a negitive affect. Plus, many living shells are a food source for other wildlife on the beach which is necessary for their survival.