Stinky Starfish

I used stinky starfish for my placecards at my AHR. When they were all together in the boxes, they stunk really bad. After they were put on the tables, nobody noticed (I know this because we commented about it a little, and people said they didn't notice at all).

Amy

Hi,

I found this at: How to Clean Seashells | eHow.com

I've done this with conch shells and sand dollars in the past (wash, soak with diluted bleach, rinse and lay out in the sun to dry). My mom lived in Hawaii as a child and used the same process. I haven't done it with starfish, but I am sure that the cleaning process would probably be something similar (perhaps, skip the mineral oil step and reduce the amount of bleach).

Step One:

Wash the shell out with a garden hose or in the kitchen sink. You want to remove whatever is still inside or you will likely smell your mistake later.

Step Two:

Mix a solution of 50 percent household bleach and 50 percent water. Soak the shell in the solution for 24 hours to remove any remnants of the inhabitant.

Step Three:

Rinse the shell thoroughly in running water. Scrub gently with an old toothbrush and mild dishwashing soap.

Step Four:

Allow the shell to dry completely.

Step Five:

Use a soft rag to rub mineral oil onto the shell and let it soak in for a few hours.

Step Six:

Wipe the excess oil off and enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

Some collectors spray their shells with WD-40 or silicon spray (which isn't wiped off).

Keep in mind that many varieties of seashells - cowries, for instance - are naturally shiny and never need polishing.

Do not use vegetable oil, which can become rancid.

My wedding is not until 5 weeks from now. I wanted to get my placecards completed within the next couple of weeks. However, after reading all of your advice, do you think I can do this now and still be okay for the wedding? Or should I do it right before the wedding (closer to the date)?

Has anyone come up w/ a way to remove the smell of the stinky starfish?

here try this thread:

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...-starfish.html

lol -- I just bought a bunch of different types of starfish at the beach this weekend. When I got home and started to package them up in tissue paper so they don't break -- phew! Talk about stinky!

I purchased some starfish for my decor and they kinda stink! Has anyone had success in ridding them of the smell? Any tips would be great!

Thanks!

Allison