How to Clean Sand Dollars
Learn how to clean sand dollars from the beach using household items! You’ll have clean, sparkling sand dollars to use in crafts and projects. Read on for all the tips.
Until a few months ago, I had never found a sand dollar on the beach in my life. Then we took a trip to Morro Rock Beach in Morro Bay.
Because we were trying to avoid crowds, we only went to the beach in the morning before anyone was there. And I could never have imagined finding so many sand dollars!
Literally, hundreds.
Psst — before you dive in, check out these other beachy posts!
- Make Pannier Bags for Your Beach Cruiser
- DIY Resin Coasters with Sea Glass
- Things to Do in Carmel Beach with Kids
- Lake Day Essentials for Families
And enter your info below to join our VIP group where I’ll send all kinds of new ideas and inspiration straight to ya!
How to Collect Sand Dollars responsibly
The first day we went out, we noticed that there was a variety of colors and textures to the sand dollars. So we did a little research.
The white, clean sand dollars that you think of when you imagine a sand dollar are actually the sand dollar skeletons. They also call these “tests.”
A sand dollar that’s still living is closer to a grayish-purple color, and is covered with lots of little teeny spines and hairs. They have a velvety texture, and sometimes you can even see the hairs moving if you pick them up.
If you encounter a living sand dollar, let it live! You can place it quickly and gently under the water in the sand in the hopes that it will survive.
But because sand dollars can’t live very long without water, you’ll most likely find them on the beach already dead.
In this case, they’ll look anywhere from the light grayish-purple, to brown or tan, to a mossy green, to a bleached white.
Finding a bleached white one is pretty rare.
How to Clean Sand Dollars
After we did the research to know which sand dollars were safe to bring home, we ended up with over 200 of them. Can you even believe that?
And that was with me cutting the kids off and telling them we already had too many.
We have big plans to make some crafts and projects with these, but they were smelly and messy so I did some research on how to clean sand dollars.
Soak. First, soak your sand dollars in a tub of fresh water, changing the water every few hours for a total of about 2 days. This soaks off any spines that might still be attached, and helps remove any fishy smell.
Bleach. Next, make a mixture of 4 parts water and 1 part bleach in a large tub. Submerge your sand dollars in the mixture, agitating them every few minutes so that they’re equally soaking in the mixture. Leave them in the mixture for up to 30 minutes.
Rinse. Remove the sand dollars from the bleach mixture and rinse with fresh water. I recommend allowing the shells to rest for a few hours at this point, as they’ll continue to whiten even after you remove them from the bleach. Too much time in the bleach can weaken or begin to dissolve them.
Repeat if Necessary. If you’d like your sand dollars whiter, repeat the bleach process.
Sun Bleach. This was a final step that I didn’t see much in online tutorials of how to clean sand dollars, but it made all the difference! Lay your sand dollars out on a towel in the sun for a day or two. It equalizes their color and helps rid them of any bleachy smell.
Sand Dollar Craft Ideas
Now we have a whole bunch of beautiful, clean sand dollars just waiting for crafts and projects!
Here’s a great idea to try first!
Be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you would do with a big batch of sand dollars. xoxo
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. This means that I receive a small commission, should you make a purchase via one of these links. There is no additional cost to you. Thank you as always for your support!
How to Clean Sand Dollars
Cleaning sand dollars is easy - it just takes a couple of simple household items!
Materials
- Sand dollars collected from the beach
- Bleach
- Water
Tools
- Tub
Instructions
- First, soak your sand dollars in a tub of fresh water, changing the water every few hours for a total of about 2 days. This soaks off any spines that might still be attached, and helps remove any fishy smell.
- Next, make a mixture of 4 parts water and 1 part bleach in a large tub. Submerge your sand dollars in the mixture, agitating them every few minutes so that they’re equally soaking in the mixture. Leave them in the mixture for up to 30 minutes.
- Remove the sand dollars from the bleach mixture and rinse with fresh water. I recommend allowing the shells to rest for a few hours at this point, as they’ll continue to whiten even after you remove them from the bleach. Too much time in the bleach can weaken or begin to dissolve them.
- If you’d like your sand dollars whiter, repeat the bleach process.
- This was a final step that I didn’t see much in online tutorials of how to clean sand dollars, but it made all the difference! Lay your sand dollars out on a towel in the sun for a day or two. It equalizes their color and helps rid them of any bleachy smell.
I would love to see some of your sand dollar projects, I have hundreds of them as well. Also after they are clean I read to make a thin paste equal amount of Elmers Glue and Water and then brush them on the sand dollars, this prevents them from breaking (or at least makes it harder for them to break)
Hi! Thanks for this tutorial! I’ve been collecting SO MANY sand dollars from Morro Bay and plan on creating shadow boxes with them. Question: after soaking, bleaching, and rinsing, they still seem brown on the inside. I think this is from packed sand (maybe?). I’ve found that there is a tiny separate hole on the back that the sand spurts out of when you pour the water directly in the center hole, but still see the dark spots on the inside. Full disclosure: I only soaked them in water for a couple of hours before bleaching them. I wonder if soaking them for a full 24 hours will help loosen that up in there. Trying that now but just thought I’d check with you. Also, what do you think about applying a layer of glue to preserve them and/or apply a shine? I’ve seen some people suggest this and others that don’t. Again, thanks for the info!
Hey there! Definitely soak longer if you’re experiencing that. Also, you’re right — sometimes it’s sand that’s stuck inside. You can often shake a lot of it out, I also vacuumed some out of the ones that I really liked and wanted to be super clean. Also, I think you could maybe test some glossy ModPodge on one to see if you like the sheen that it would provide!
Yes, I’ve heard that as well! I’ll test it out on some of ours.
I just got back from a week in San Francisco, CA, and I had a great time. I met my man there and we had a great 3 days there. I dropped him off, then swung back around to arrivals SFO, and picked up my oldest son. We tooled all ovet SF, and had a fun time as well. I picked up my very first 6 sand dollars on Ocean Beach. I also have about a dozen sand dollar pieces. My hope is to fill a cylindrical glass vace, and I’d stack them up as one might do when stacking a batch of cookies, lol. For now, I will be looking for a pretty glass plate until my collection gets bigger.
That sounds like a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
I cut my sand dollar in half and pour out the bones that look like a flying bird and place 2 halves side by side at an angle with the birds or bones looking like they are flying away.
Look up,”Pittsburgh Treasured Rocks.” I did that with a couple of sand dollars and put on them,” Where they were from and the date.” I contacted,”PTR,” and asked them if I could do a couple of sand dollars they said,”Yes.” I am waiting to find a few more to complete a,”Wind chime.”
I first cleaned mine then, got some ,”Elmer’s white glue,” and mix it with water and brushed it on the SD with a Lil brush to get a clear coat. Then I drew different pics on them.
I love that you found your sand dollars in Morro Bay because that’s where we found ours! We didn’t get quite as many as you, though. Thanks for sharing your cleaning techniques!
We go to Morro Bay a few times a year, collect roughly two to three hundred sand dollars (and place the purple living ones back in the ocean) to use primarily for crafts. After I have hardened them off, we also use them as graveyard honorarium. My daughter and I like to visit old graveyards, and we leave sand dollars on graves that have no flowers and seem forgotten. We also place them on ghost bikes.
thanks for such an simple and easy way to clean and seal/harden sand dollars. It’s so funny when I read that you have never have found a sand dollar on any beach you have been on until visited Morro Bay. We have a beach house in Rio Del Mar Beach CA and we have had it since 1985 and never have I ever seen a sand dollar in all those years. I too just visited Morro Bay and was amazed and beyond excited to see and collect so many sand dollars. I couldn’t walk 5 steps without seeing at least 10 sand dollars within inches from one another. I just thought it was so funny that up until going to Morro Bay Beach we both have never seen or found a sand dollar on any beach we had been on or to.
Thank You for your post on how to clean and preserve sand dollars.
“Your tips for cleaning sand dollars with household items are so helpful for craft projects! It reminds me of how Cookingdom makes cooking accessible too – both turn everyday activities into creative outlets. Love how you make beach treasures sparkle just like the game makes virtual dishes shine!”
Treasures in hand! With a collection of pristine sand dollars, the possibilities for shell craftsare endless. Exciting creative ventures await!
Hi and thank you for the cleaning tip. I grew up and live near the beach in SE Texas and it’s true that in late summer, early fall if you go to the beach right when the sun is coming up in the morning the beach can be covered in sand dollars. I have picked up so many over the years, especially on Port Aransas and South to Padre beaches. I have given most of them away but kept enough for a framed art project.
We just got back from Morro Bay, I picked up 82 sand dollars , I had to stop myself , there were so many sand dollars , I didn’t even have to look ! I just shopped for the best ones ! I was so excited . We went on a Monday so hardly any people and it was low tide . I have the same problem with the sand stuck in them .
What did you make with your beautiful sand dollars?
Thank you,
Susan
The beach there is so beautiful! Sitting on the beach and surfing space waves is awesome!
The sun bleaching tip is genius! I tried this method last summer and was amazed at how white they turned. Have you experimented with adding a touch of hydrogen peroxide to the bleach mixture for extra whitening?
“These sand dollar cleaning tips are so helpful for beach craft projects! While waiting for them to dry, I love passing time with Brainrot Clicker – its quirky characters like Bombardino Crocodilo keep me entertained. Who knew cleaning treasures could pair so well with meme gaming fun?”
“These sand dollar cleaning tips are so helpful for preserving beach treasures! Just like the explosive chaos in Crazy Cattle 3D, it’s amazing how household items can transform something ordinary into something special. Now I can display my cleaned sand dollars while taking breaks from the hilarious multiplayer battles!”
“These beach cleaning tips are so helpful for preserving sand dollars for crafts! I bet teachers could use bouncy balls to make learning about ocean treasures just as engaging as your cleaning methods. The multi-display feature would be perfect for showing before-and-after sand dollar photos during marine biology lessons!”
this is super helpful! I always wondered how to clean sand dollars properly. I’m gonna try this next time I go to the beach. Hopefully, I’ll find some like Speed Stars! Thanks for the tips!
I appreciate the depth of research and clarity in your writing. This piece provides a fresh and compelling take on the subject.
“These beach cleaning tips are so helpful for preserving sand dollars! I can imagine using flux.1 kontext to create beautiful digital art with the cleaned shells – the AI could generate ocean-themed backgrounds to complement these natural treasures. Perfect for craft projects and coastal decor inspiration!”
If you purchase through one of these links. You will not pay any additional costs. Thank you as always for your support!
Whether you’re preserving them for display, crafting, or educational purposes, following a gentle italian brainrot cleaning method ensures your sand dollars stay intact and brighten up beautifully.
This craft tutorial is a game-changer—so well-explained that even I, a total beginner, nailed the project!
So, we’re cleaning sand dollars like they’re fine china now? I mean, who knew a beach walk could turn into an episode of ‘Clean House’? Love it! 🏖️✨
[Cognitive behavioral therapy Colorado](https://driftbehavioral.com/therapies/cbt/) can help shift the way we perceive everyday experiences, much like how a simple change in routine led to unexpectedly finding so many sand dollars on the beach. Just as going early to Morro Rock Beach opened up a new world of discoveries, therapy can help you see your thoughts and challenges from a fresh perspective, uncovering opportunities for growth and healing you might not have noticed before.
Love this! Thank you for sharing it. BTW, Our love calculator is guiding you through the complexities of the heart to find your true direction in love.
Okay, so furikake *and* Rice Krispies? This is either genius or a culinary daredevil. I’m cautiously optimistic – my taste buds are intrigued!
The method of cleaning sand dollars on the beach with household items that you shared is very good and worth learning. The method is really effective. If you want to relax, you can play eggy car.
Great informative article, incredibly insightful. I speculate the additional pros with the business usually do not observe that. You ought to last your own writing.
I love that you included the note about collecting sand dollars responsibly — I had no idea the darker ones were still living when I was younger, so that part was really helpful.
The sun bleaching tip is such a great addition too! I’ve only ever done the soak + bleach method, but laying them out in the sun to even out the color makes so much sense.
I’m curious — have you ever tried sealing them with a light glue mixture afterward to make them less fragile? I always worry about them breaking once they’re fully dry.
Thanks for such a clear and practical guide — this makes me want to plan another early-morning beach trip!
Thank you for this detailed guide on cleaning sand dollars! I’m curious, do you have any tips on how to preserve their color after cleaning?
I like how detailed this guide is, especially the soaking and sun-bleaching steps that many tutorials skip. It feels very hands-on and based on real experience, which makes it trustworthy. The focus on preserving natural materials while preparing them for crafts is also a nice touch. That kind of practical creativity reminds me of tools like nano maker AI, where multiple functions come together to help users create and experiment more easily.
We can learn how it will provide the right ideas and the solutions that the people need to know. So I used it and got the issues resolved. People are searching for these options and when they find them, they love to use them. To use shed installation ground anchors I saw people are getting the best options, and it always brings the desired results.
So I just learned how to clean sand dollars, which is surprisingly more involved than I thought. Now I’m wondering if I should start a side hustle cleaning beach treasures for people.
My brain is currently trying to process all this data and wondering if there’s a secret handshake for unlocking its full potential. It’s a lot to take in, but definitely seems like a powerful tool.