How to Bleach Oyster Shells for Decorating

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Things You'll Need

  • Rubber gloves

  • 2 buckets, 10 gallon

  • Bleach, unscented

  • Long-handled spoon

  • Towel

Bleach oyster shell using basic household supplies.

When you make handmade decorative accents for your home, you can end up spending a lot of money at a craft-supply store on the materials for your project. For example, you may buy bleached oyster shells for a beach-themed home accessory. Instead of buying pre-bleached oyster shells, bleach your own oyster shells using a few basic materials that can be purchased inexpensively from a supermarket. This enables you to make beachy home accents on less money.

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Step 1

Put on rubber gloves to protect your skin from the bleach water.

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Step 2

Fill a 10 gallon bucket halfway full of water.

Step 3

Pour 1 cup of unscented bleach into the water. Stir the solution for 1 minute using a long-handled spoon.

Step 4

Place up to 2 lbs. of oyster shells into the bleach water and push the shells under the water using the long-handled spoon. Allow the shells to remain in the bleach water for 30 minutes.

Step 5

Rinse off the bleached oyster shells under clear water for 2 minutes, then lay the shells onto a towel to air dry for 3 hours.

Warning

Keep bleach out of the reach of children.

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