Cleaning, storing and shipping marbles without wrecking them

Cleaning

Warm water, a drop of mild dish soap, fingers, then a soft cloth. That is the whole safe list.

• Never use abrasives, scouring pads or polishing compound. They flatten the surface and are visible forever.
• Never put marbles in a dishwasher or in boiling water. Thermal shock cracks glass.
• Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on marbles with existing fractures.
• Polishing or buffing is a permanent alteration and should always be disclosed when selling.

Storage and display

Keep marbles from touching each other. Marble-on-marble contact is the most common source of new chips.

• Individual compartments, foam trays or small bags inside a case.
• Stable temperature, out of direct sunlight.
• Riser stands rather than piles for display shelves.

Shipping

Each marble wrapped individually, then packed so nothing shifts, then boxed. Bubble mailers alone are not enough for glass.

• Wrap each marble separately in tissue or bubble.
• Pack tight in a rigid box so nothing rattles when shaken.
• Use a box, not a padded envelope, for anything valuable.
• Tracked service for anything you would be upset to lose.

How Just Marbles ships

Every order is wrapped marble by marble and boxed. Rates are calculated at checkout and we ship worldwide from Canada. Orders over $100 CAD ship free.

Questions collectors ask

Can I polish a scratched marble?

You can, but polishing removes original surface and permanently changes the marble. Most serious collectors prefer an honest worn example over a polished one, and any polishing should be disclosed.

How should marbles be packed for shipping?

Wrap each marble individually, pack them so they cannot move, and use a rigid box rather than a padded envelope.