Cleaning and Preserving Sand Dollars
Sand Dollars– Sand dollars are white in color, and when whole have a rounded coin like appearance. Varying in size from an inch to several inches, the sand dollar is actually the skeleton of a type of sea urchin. Sand dollars can be found typically on the southern beaches of Florida in shallow water where sand is present. They can either be flat, like the sand dollars closely connected to the story of Jesus, or bulging on the top, commonly called a sea biscuit or sea cookie for its shape. Never take fuzzy-looking Sand Dollars, because they are still alive.
CLEANING AND DRYING SAND DOLLARSThere are two methods of cleaning sand dollars. Both methods involve being extremely careful with the sand dollars, as these are quite brittle and fragile objects.
- Bleach Method: Soak sand dollars in clear water. When the water becomes cloudy or brown, change the water and continue soaking the sand dollars until water remains clear. Remove the sand dollars from water and pat dry. Then dry the sand dollars completely by laying them on a bed of silica gel without disturbing them inside an airtight container for eight days or leaving the sand dollars out in the sun. Prepare a solution of 50% bleach, 50% water. Place the sand dollars in this solution for twenty minutes, but no longer or they will start to disintegrate. Remove them from the solution and allow them to dry in the sun. The longer the sand dollars are in the sun, the whiter they become, and likewise the more brittle they become.
- Regular Method: Place a tablespoon of Woolite in a gallon of warm water. Gently wash the sand dollars in the solution. Pat the sand dollars dry and allow them to finish drying completely in the sun.
PRESERVING SAND DOLLARS – Paint dried sand dollars with Elmer’s glue that has been watered down (1/1) for a dull natural finish or with hard as nails polish for a shiny finish. Sand dollars can also be painted with watercolors if allowed if completely dried and preserved with glue afterward.
The Nauti Shell 