After the first day of the spill, the clean-up was turned over to Exxon. They had to organize clean-up equipment and hire Alaskans to help ( they paid about $16 dollars an hour ) before the clean-up could actually commence. Exxon also wanted to use chemical dispersants to get rid of the oil, but it was not allowed in the beginning because of the effect it could have on

the animals. After the oil started to spread, they finally got permission to use the dispersant. Unfortunately, a strong sea storm whipped the oil into a thick mousse, which the chemical had no effect on. The storm also helped the oil spread faster. It headed towards the Kenai Peninsula. Two months later, oil washed up on shores 550 miles away. Hot water was used to wash oil off of the 1,500 miles of coastline covered in oil. People even tried burning the oil away in a controlled fire on the water. Some people even took absorbent towels to the rocks covered on oil. A fertilizer, Inipol E.A.P. 22, was sprayed onto the beaches, causing bacteria that dissolves oil to grow faster.

The wildlife was affected in a very negative way. Many animals got oil in their fur or feathers and drowned. About 2,800 sea otters were killed. Over 31,000 birds were found dead, but scientists estimate that 350,000-390,000 were killed total. The animals that were found alive were brought to "Bathing Clinics", which is where they were cleaned. For them to even live though, the oil inside of them that they had swallowed had to be removed. They stuck tubes down sea otters throats and pumped chemicals that dissolved oil, but was harmless to the otter. Then the animals had to be cleaned. They were held in tubs by one person while another person scrubbed them clean. After that, they were kept in cages until the oil was cleaned from their homes and they were healthy enough to be released. Unfortunately, many animals died.