No, bleach will not remove mineral deposits. First try scrubbing the wet
shells lightly with scouring powder and a fairly stiff brush, like a
vegetable brush. Use plenty of scouring powder, so it forms a paste. Be
careful near the edges of the shell, so you don't chip them. If there are
thick layers of mineral deposit, this will often remove most of the
outermost heavy deposits. Then just rinse under running water. However, a
brown stain may still remain on the shell - or actually, IN the shell, which
is the real problem. Some iron may have been incorporated into the shell in
place of calcium. If such a stain is deep, there is probably nothing you can
do. If the stain is shallow, you may be able to remove it by brushing the
shell with vinegar.  However, you should be aware that what you are actually
doing in this case is removing the outermost layer of shell, using a weak
acid, so of course any stain on or in the outer layer will also be gone.
This treatment will dull a glossy shell, and will often dull coloration as
well, but on shells like angel wings, Colus, Fusinus, etc., which are
naturally white and not highly glossy, you can often remove stains this way
without significantly altering the appearance of the shell.  Try to keep the
vinegar away from the interior, which is more glossy and may be dulled. Or,
coat the interior lightly with mineral oil or vaseline before cleaning. This
will protect the interior from the vinegar, and can later be washed away
with warm water and dish detergent.





----- Original Message -----
From: "Bev Dolezal" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 10:53 PM
Subject: Cleaning Angel Wings


> Just got back from a shelling trip to Cedar Key, Florida where a number of
> us dug for angel wings.  The specimens we brought back seem to have a rust
> color on their exteriors and  even after days of bleaching (and with
> changing the solution each day) none among the 6 collectors can get a pure
> white exterior.  Any ideas on how to get rid of this rust coloration?
> Bev - Clearwater
>
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