Asked on Jul 14, 2015
Getting gunk off of a seashell
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I have a seashell about the size of a small/medium bowl that has been flattened out a little. On the inside, there is this beautiful mother-of-pearl look and is so pretty. However, on the outside, there is all this hardened gunk--don't know what to call it. But, in spots, I can see the mother-of-pearl on the top as well. How do I get this "stuff" off without damaging the shell?
5 answers
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Soaking in bleach water cleans all the shells I collect, but we do not have mother of pearl here, so do not know for certain if it works on those shells.
Kai
on Jul 15, 2015
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Try soaking in white vinegar first. Less harsh than bleach and will dissolve lime and calcium based spots.
Lane Maeve Alison
on Jul 15, 2015
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Sounds like it is an abalone shell. The exterior is naturally rough and barnacle like with a mother of pearl interior. I would leave the exterior as it is.
Markie
on Jul 15, 2015
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Try using a product called CLR. It's found in hardware stores. It's used to remove calcium deposits and we'll since shells are made up of calcium......I used this trick with a shell I picked up in California. It takes a little work but the results are amazing!
Diane Filipiak
on Jul 16, 2015
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Karen I wet a washcloth and let it sit over parts of the shell. I put mine in an airtight container. Next I went after it with a hard bristled nailbrush. It took some time but my shell is gorgeous! Good luck!
Diane Filipiak
on Jul 16, 2015
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