OOPS, sorry folks. I don't know how that last message got out of my computer?? It sure surprised me when it arrived! Hello Christine, Glass jars are fine, subject to the considerations Jordan mentioned. Even then, the shells will probably not fade if they are kept away from direct sunlight. Also, ordinary glass filters out a lot of the harmful UV that causes fading. Glass jars will do as long as you are only interested in using the shells as decorative items - which is fine if that's what you want to do. But if you venture much further into the hobby, you will want to start identifying your shells and organizing them in some way, and you will need a system that allows you to keep the name and other information with each shell. At that point you will probably find bulk storage in jars unsuitable, and will have to switch to some sort of cabinet, or at least compartmentalized boxes. Bleach is the usual means of cleaning most shells. It can be harmful though to some thin, poorly calcified shells. As for shells you find on the beach, if they look clean and don't smell, you don't need bleach. Just wash them as you would dishes (by hand, not in the dish washer). But if they smell, or have algae or other adherent material on the outside, then bleach is the most effective thing to use. If a formerly glossy shell has been dulled by rolling around in the sand, there is really no way to make it look like it did. But mineral oil or baby oil, with or without some solvent to dilute it, often improves the appearance somewhat. Apply it, rub it in a bit, then wipe off all the excess. You don't want the shells to appear or feel oily. Regards, Paul M.