How to Clean Clams in Just 4 Easy Steps Learn how to clean fresh clams and pick the best ones for classic dishes, including linguine with clams and clam chowder. By Wini Moranville Wini Moranville Food, wine, and travel writer Wini Moranville is the author of "Everyday French Cooking: Modern French Cuisine Made Simple." Over the past 25 years, she has written hundreds of articles, covering everything from Christmas Cookies to Cognac for Better Homes and Gardens, Bonjour Paris, Relish Magazine, and other national publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on June 4, 2025 Close Credit: Grant Webster Learning how to clean clams before cooking—steamed garlic-butter clams, anyone?—is easier than you think. If you can scrub, tap, soak, and drain them, then you’re set to make clam chowder and other classic recipes. Here’s how to clean clams to get the sand and grit off them. Credit: Grant Webster How to Choose Fresh, Live Clams Clams are bivalve mollusks found in varying sizes and varieties in coastal regions. The most popular are hard clams, which include little neck clams. Like mussels and oysters, clams are sold live, with tightly closed shells to guarantee freshness. Avoid any clams that have broken or cracked shells. Refrigerate live clams, covered with a moist cloth, in an open container up to two days. Credit: Grant Webster Test Kitchen TipRazor clams require a different kind of cleaning than hard clams, which is described here. How to Clean Clams for Cooking The shells of clams need to be scrubbed before preparation. Clams also need to be soaked to remove grit and other bits that are in the clam’s system. Here’s how to clean the clams: Step 1: Scrub Credit: Grant Webster Using a firm brush, scrub live clam shells under cold running water. The goal here is to remove any sand, barnacles, or other oceanic cling-ons. Step 2: Tap Check each clam while you’re scrubbing—the shell should be free from cracks and tightly closed. If the shell is gaping slightly, tap it gently on the counter. The clam should react by shutting its shell. If it doesn’t (which means it’s already died and is possibly spoiled), throw it away. Credit: Grant Webster Step 3: Soak Soak the clams: In an 8-quart Dutch oven, combine 4 quarts of cold water and ⅓ cup salt; add clams. Soak for 15 minutes. As they soak, the clams will filter out sand and much of the salt from their systems. The sand will sink to the bottom of the pan. Credit: Grant Webster Step 4: Drain Use a slotted spoon to lift the clams out of the water and into a colander. (Avoid draining the clams by pouring the water and clams together in a colander—doing so will pour all that grit right back onto the clams.) Discard the soaking water. Repeat the soaking, draining, and rinsing steps twice. Your clams are now ready to cook in recipes that call for fresh clams in the shell. Be sure to discard any clams that remain unopened after cooking, as they had likely died before cooking and are therefore not safe to eat. Once you’ve learned how to clean a clam, you’ll be hard-pressed to buy canned clams again. And maybe you’ll be ready to tackle other great shellfish, too, such as lobster. Frequently Asked Questions How do I choose the best clams to buy? When you’re buying fresh clams, look for ones sold on ice in breathable bags that include a harvest date, where the clams were harvested, and a “best by” date (or ask the seller for this information). The clams should smell briny and clean. Are clams good for you? Clams are a good source of protein and low in fat. They contain micronutrients such as zinc and vitamin B12. Can you freeze clams? Yes, you can freeze clams in the shell. Scrub them first under cool water and freeze them as soon as possible in a zip-top bag or plastic container with a lid. Explore more: Recipes & Cooking How to Cook Cooking with Fish Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. “How to dig razor clams.” Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. “Farmed Clams.” Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. “Seafood selections that help your heart—and our planet.” Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School. “Clams.” Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC).