If you use a lot of shells for craft projects, you should collect as many by yourself as possible, as they can get expensive over time if you buy them at the craft store often. Many craft projects use shells, like shell wreaths and other sea themed projects. Shells can be used in art projects as well, like for sculptures or collages and assemblage art. If you use a lot of shells in your crafts, you will know that natural shells are often dirty and smelly if not prepared correctly. There are also ways to enhance their shine and beauty. This article will describe the best ways to clean and prepare your sea shells for craft projects.
If you live near enough to the beach to go there often, you will end up collecting many shells for your craft projects. Don’t just throw them into a bag or bucket on top of each other, as that will ensure breakage of many of the shells that you took time and effort to collect. Instead, protect your shells as much as possible. One way is to provide some sort of padding so the shells are not banging into each other. Stuff a canvass bag with shredded newspaper, and layer the collected shells in the stuffing. This will also provide a way to soak up any moisture from the shells.
When you get your shells home, you should clean them properly to remove any beach debris, critters, sand or encrustations. You will also need to remove the unpleasant sea odors. If you want, you can first shake or wipe the shells off outside before bringing them into your home, to remove loose sand and any creatures that have tagged along.
To remove tough encrustations and sea odors, you will need to soak the shells in a bleach solution. In a plastic bucket, add equal parts bleach and warm water. Remember to wear gloves to protect your hands from the bleach. After the shells have soaked for a while, you can start to scrape off any hard encrustations on the shells. Check the shells often in the bleach water. Remove any shells where the surface appears to be becoming dull. Next, wash and rinse all your shells in warm soapy water. You can scrub with a stiff brush to remove any left over grime or encrustations.
Sometimes you may want to enhance the color and shine of the shell. That is easily achieved with a quick process at home. Choose a lint-free type of cloth for this process. Dampen the cloth using a bit of mineral oil, or you can use baby oil as well. Rub the oil over the shells that you want shined. Softly buff the shells with a soft, dry cloth. When they are buffed, you can use the shells to display how they are, or in your various art and craft beach themed projects.
