If you come across a starfish on the beach, wait to touch it. Look at it closely. Is there any movement? Is there any bubbling from the sand underneath? If so, do it a favor by returning it into the water. Watch closely for several minutes to look for signs of life before picking it up. If the starfish is brittle and unmoving, it’s dead and safe to take home for preservation and decoration.
If you want to do a pre-soak, dilute a tiny squirt of liquid detergent in several cups of water and soak the starfish to get it clean. Don’t scrub or otherwise over-handle the starfish, which is fragile. Dry the starfish thoroughly in the sun, taking care to weigh down each arm of the starfish. They tend to curl up some as they dry, so it’s important to flatten them gently between two plates to maintain a uniform flatness.
Alternatively, some choose to soak their starfish in formalin, one part formaldehyde and five parts water. If you do this, be warned that the starfish will maintain a fairly strong chemical odor for a while until it dissipates somewhat. It might not matter if you’re going to put it behind glass, but be aware. The process for this method is the same.
Weigh them down with plates (you shouldn’t need to weight them with books or any extra weight) to ensure that the arms stay flat and even. Check on them regularly to make sure it’s drying in the shape you want, if you want it to look a certain way for display purposes. [1] X Research source
The salt crusting can work to suck any moisture out of the starfish and dry it out, preserving it quite nicely. You might consider doing this outside in the sun to avoid any smell and to dry it out more quickly.
Glue starfish to napkin rings for a nice livening up of the place setting. Ornament wine glass stems with starfish by tying them gently to the glass with ribbon. Make sure you remove them before washing the glasses.
