Hi,
I've used the microwave to clean Cepaea nemoralis by the hundreds.
It makes a chore into nothing.
It's so easy...the animals all just pop out of the shells, and
the microwave seems to do less damage to the perios than boiling.
The shells come out all nice and glossy...I don't care about the smell.
Peter Egerton, Vancouver, Canada
 
 
 
 
 
>I have found that submerging the specimen in water usually gives as good a
result and avoids the
>smell.
>
>Marlo
>Florida
>
>Edward T. Schelling wrote:
>
>> Dear Scott,
>>          In answer to your question about using microwave for cleaning
>> shells...it works great as long as you either 1)not married or have an
>> extremely understanding wife or 2) you have a spare microwave that you never
>> want to use for cooking again!  It does clean {pop out the animal} very good,
>> especially if the shell is still fresh and hasn't been sitting around drying
>> out.  The best way to do it, is to put the shell in a zip-lock bag with as
>> much of the air pushed out as possible or put the shell in a paper bag...this
>> keeps the animal from exploding all over your microwave...however, nothing
>> that I have found keeps the odor from stinking up the microwave [or the
house,
>> if you try it indoors!...which is the reason for item #1!
>> Sincerely,
>> Ed Schelling
>
>