A gentle scrubbing with soapy water should do it.  Works on my clothes
and hair when I've been around a smoker.
Karlynn
NC - USA

Fabio Moretzsohn wrote:
> Dear Conch-lers
>
> I recently received some shells from someone who seems to be a big
> smoker. I don't smoke, and I don't care if someone does, but I don't
> want stinky shells in my house. I quickly closed the ziplock bag and
> container in which the shells came, and put them away. I'm sure some
> of you already experienced this problem, so I ask what is the best way
> to get rid of the smell? I supposed that just letting the shells sit
> in the open will improve the smell, but I wonder if there is any
> simple solution like rinsing the shells in something like ethanol.
>
> A similar problem is that of improperly cleaned shells, with pieces of
> the rotting animal still inside. The solution to get rid of the smell
> may be to rinse the shell and remove all of the tissue. However, since
> specimens with dried tissue are very useful for radular studies (and I
> use them often in my research), I prefer to keep the animal (or
> whatever is left) in the shell. Again, soaking the shell in ethanol
> and let it air dry may improve the smell, but not get rid of it.
>
> I would appreciate any suggestions.
>
> Thanks,
> Fabio
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> Fabio Moretzsohn, Ph.D.
> Assistant Research Scientist
> Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
> Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
> 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869, Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5869
> Phone: (361) 825-3230; Fax: (361) 825-2050
> mollusca [at] gmail.com <http://gmail.com>
> Please consider the environment before printing this email.  Think Green!

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