How To Clean Pearls From Oysters. In commercial oyster farms, people need to forcibly open the shell and insert an irritant, usually a piece of tissue from another oyster. Locate the pearl inside the oyster.
Most opal jewelry and pearls in earrings or other pieces without drill holes can be cleaned with warm water, mild soap, and soft brush, just like many other gemstone jewelry pieces. There shouldn’t be any open shells. Saltwater oysters will only produce 1 to 2 pearls per typical nucleation.
It is recommended that you use your finger rather than a knife to avoid damaging the pearl.
You can wash pearls in warm, soapy water, but it's important to use a mild detergent. Make sure you don’t spill too much of the clear, tasty ocean water inside of the oysters when you shuck them. 30% of the oysters die in this process only! Look for pearls that are blemish free, allowing the full reflection of light.