I washed some seashells with soap and water and let them dry in the sun, but there is a terrible smell coming from them. What can I do?
Although your shells appeared “empty”, there were clearly some animal remains deep within the shells. If a bit of animal remains in the shell after cleaning, the odor will get quite strong. There are several things that can be done. 1) Soak the shell in water, changing the water daily or twice daily until the animal rots. It can then be removed by shaking the shell vigorously. 2) If the shell is large, an attachment to a hose nozzle, which makes a strong, narrow stream of water, can be inserted in the aperture of the shell. The strong blast of water will cause the animal remains to “shoot out.” 3) If you are unable to get the remainder of the animal out, you can buy spirits of anise (at a health food store). With a dropper, release a drop in the aperture of the shell. The shell will smell like licorice for awhile – but it sure beats the alternative.
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