I have had some success removing these final bits of animal with an
ultra-sonic jewelry cleaner.  My youngest gave me one a few years back.  It
it basically a small tub (pint-sized maybe) that you fill with soapy water
and then hit the switch.  The machine sends sonic vibrations through the
water an onto your jewelry, or in my case, shells.  After soaking to be sure
water gets all the way into the spire and then a few minutes in the machine,
the offending mass will often wash out under the tap.  MOST marine shells
are thick enough that there is no possibility of harm, BUT land snail shells
and freshwater shells, especially those that are from older collections and
have dried and become brittle, should not be subjected to even this level of
cleaning.  I had a number of old Jantina janthina that I thought might be
too fragile to clean in this manner - so I decided to test one.  It did fine
for about 20 seconds, and then it turned into small blue calcium bits.   On
the other hand, I have lots of shells with matter left in the spire and
sometimes yu just have to accept it the way it is...

Tom Eichhorst in chilly but sunny New Mexico

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Steve Rosenthal" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 8:52 AM
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      [CONCH-L] Shell-Cleaning Question

> I found a nice dead pale Cepaea nemoralis...up in the largest spire whorl
> is what looks like a dark something stuck inside the shell, you can easily
> see it through the outside of the shell, I think its part of dead dried
> animal that is stuck to the inside...does anybody know anything that will
> soften it up or break it up or loosen it without destroying the shell
> itself? I've soaked it in soapy water for a few weeks and used water under
> pressure, but nothing happens.
>
> Thanks
>
> Steve
>
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