# Seashells: Enhancing color? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260 "2014-05-26T01:52:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jones\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Jones\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jones_1)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/1 "2014-05-26T01:52:17Z")
I have heard there are methods of enhancing (lightening, darkening, etc) the original color of various seashells. My wife does not feel such a thing is plausible but has some shells in her collection that she would like to experiment with. Does anyone know of such a method, or compound or any agents, that could get her started? We thank you in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/2 "2014-05-26T02:07:02Z")
As long as the shells are somewhat porous, any kind of dye will work. From food coloring with vinegar as a mordant, to more toxic cloth or wood metallic dyes. Shellac will work to make glossy. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/3 "2014-05-26T05:23:16Z")
Dip them in a muratic acid solution. Rinse. Let dry. Rub mineral oil on them. Takes the whitish coating and any mineral or animal deposits off. Brightens them right up. ---
**Author:** ![Jones\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Jones\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jones_1)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/4 "2014-05-26T20:07:39Z")
Thanks for the great replies (you two)! She has bags of shells so unafraid to experiment. Thanks again for getting her started. Further tips, suggestions will be much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/5 "2014-05-26T21:58:38Z")
I used to have a pendant, Abalone I believe -I really miss that. Anyway, I did some reading about it to care for the material. Apparently there is water content in the material that helps it have the colorful effect it does. So I was instructed to not let it be exposed to the sun if I could help it so it wouldn’t dry out. I wore this for years, it’s the only thing other than a watch I would consider as decorative or a jewelry item on me. When I gave it away, I did more reading and came across an article describing how to rejuvenate such a material. The secret? Acetone and just in case I have that name wrong it’s the same stuff the ladies use to remove their nail polish. I was scared, but thrilled afterwards, it really did make the colors pop back out again. It even made the lady that I gave it to comment on it’s colors (she was hard to impress). You could probably google “how to care for shells” and come across some good stuff. What I found was a “How-to” article, if I find it, I’ll post again. Mind you, it probably won’t AUGMENT the colors of the shells, but it could give them better contrast, possibly make the colors easier to see. The point being, if it wasn’t there to begin with, it probably won’t happen with this. Good luck to your wife. ---
**Author:** ![Jones\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Jones\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jones_1)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/6 "2014-05-27T22:38:11Z")
Awesome information, Thinktank! Not surprisingly, she has nail polish remover on hand and is going to experiment with your idea (as well as the others) sometime later on today. I will post the results soon after. As an aside, Acetone is pretty gnarly stuff. Relatively low flashpoint and dissipates quite rapidly. So probably not as good of a _cleaning solvent_, per se, as Xylene (IE) which seems to be more of a cross between Acetone and mineral spirits. That is more of a guess than anything, but just something to consider if you need an industrial type cleaning solvent going forward. The wife says thanks for the well wishes! ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/7 "2014-05-27T23:43:56Z")
btw, I’m remembering there was a step with mineral oil in it as well. Amazingly, I ran across that print-out in my room not too long ago… but I think those two ingredients pretty much summed up the instructions, haha ---
**Author:** ![Jones\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Jones\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jones_1)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seashells-enhancing-color/689260/8 "2014-05-28T00:46:05Z")
Thanks again TT. She’s experimenting now. Earlier, I incorrectly said I believed Xylene was like a combination of Acetone and _mineral oil_. I meant to say Xylene is (like) a combo of Acetone and mineral **spirits** …not mineral oil. I think the mineral spirits influence in Xylene slows evaporation characteristic to “hot” solvents like M.E.K, lacquer thinner or acetone…thus making it better for cleaning.