Bleaching deer skull

It was probably discussed previously and I had read a bit about it but still would like to ask.
Many people suggest never use chloride bleach as it will eventually destroy the skull over the time. I had previously used H2O2 for that purpose several times but it takes a lot of time, you need a lot of H2O2 and as such it cost some money. Chloride bleach at the other hand is very cheap and do the job much faster.
Friend of mine once used chloride for that and the skull seems OK for several years now.
I personally think if you wash out bleach very well after using it then it should be OK.
One downside of chloride bleach for that purpose is that the skull becomes unnaturally white, while when using H2O2 it remains more naturally colored, like ivory.
Any shared experience or suggestions would be highly appreciated.
Thank you!

I do my fair share of euros and use a 40 volume cream whitener from a salon supply store. Brush it on the skull, cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight.

You can get cheap 3% in bulk and reuse it but it only works well if you use it for the second boil, 20 minutes and you are good.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

I’ve only ever used peroxide. It seems to do a nice job. Not too white and gives it a good cleaning.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

cheap bottle of peroxide from the drug store. Put papertowels onto skull and then soak with peroxide. Push towels down to make sure you have complete contact and keep them wet for 24hrs of so has always worked well for me. Straight bleach seemed to make the bone a little chalky on my older mounts but they are nice and bright white, as opposed to more ivory with the peroxide

I've got one that I used chlorine bleach on. After 10 years the bone starts to flake apart. I thought I rinsed it really well at the time.

I go to sally's beauty and get the highest power liquid they sell. You might spend $30 on it. I've been using the same stuff for years, it will do a lot of skulls. Sometimes I'll freshen it up with a new jug. Store it in a dark place and it keeps its power. The paste option is cheaper. I leave it in overnight, I don't call that taking a long time.

Even if you spent $30 on each skull, it is a cheap trophy that will last your lifetime. I'd personally rather hang a skull that hasn't been whitened than risk damaging it with bleach.

I have done a few, peroxide does the trick. This is an interesting YouTube channel demonstrating how to do it, he also does many other animals.

https://youtu.be/sOVbnB1KzFo

Thanks a lot. I appreciate the advises and will follow them.
I only did not get what exactly is this

Quote:

---

40 volume cream whitener from a salon supply store

---

and this

Quote:

---

sally's beauty and get the highest power liquid they sell

---

Are you talking about peroxide?
Thanks!

Sally's Beauty is a supply store that sells hair products. The strongest peroxide commercially available is used for whitening hair. Yes, those are both referring to peroxide. "Volume" is the strength system used in the hairdressing industry. These products are available in liquid or cream formats.

Brown bottle peroxide from the grocery store is usually 3% peroxide.
"20 Volume" = 6%
"30 Volume" = 9%
"40 Volume" = 12%

Stronger products perform substantially better. Hope this helps.

https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair/hai.../SLNCAR67.html

Thanks a lot!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FishHog

cheap bottle of peroxide from the drug store. Put papertowels onto skull and then soak with peroxide. Push towels down to make sure you have complete contact and keep them wet for 24hrs of so has always worked well for me. Straight bleach seemed to make the bone a little chalky on my older mounts but they are nice and bright white, as opposed to more ivory with the peroxide

---

I have been doing the same, it works well.
Also: make sure you keep the peroxide out of the antlers (& protect your eyes /skin of course)

The taxidermist will do it for you fkr about 100$ as well

Gy in my group did it for his bear looms good

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oaknut

I do my fair share of euros and use a 40 volume cream whitener from a salon supply store. Brush it on the skull, cover with plastic wrap and leave overnight.

You can get cheap 3% in bulk and reuse it but it only works well if you use it for the second boil, 20 minutes and you are good.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

---

I second that! I actually find they turn out pretty white using 40 volume peroxide.

Finished these two off with an 8 hour soak in 20 volume.

I have found the boiling part to be far more important, two or three changes of water minimum. I add some laundry detergent to the first two pots and half a box of baking soda to the third.Attachment 39283

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oaknut

Finished these two off with an 8 hour soak in 20 volume.

I have found the boiling part to be far more important, two or three changes of water minimum. I add some laundry detergent to the first two pots and half a box of baking soda to the third.Attachment 39283

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

---

If you can find it Arm & Hammer washing soda does a great job degreasing when boiling. I find I only have to boil them once for 1-11/2 hours and then after cleaning a rinse in clean boiling water. TC

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by trky chsr

If you can find it Arm & Hammer washing soda does a great job degreasing when boiling. I find I only have to boil them once for 1-11/2 hours and then after cleaning a rinse in clean boiling water. TC

---

That's the good stuff! Even the liquid detergent works far better than dish soap.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

I have been cleaning skulls for over 25 years
And The only thing I use is soda ash, I don’t think there are too many people that know about it.
Soda Ash, commonly called Sal Soda, is used to dissolve meat, fat and grease when simmering skulls and antler plates. Simply add Soda Ash to simmering water and immerse the skull or antler plate
Nothing else needed.

Skull, where do you get the sal soda from? Is it something that can be picked up locally?

I simmered a skull cap in oxiclean for a few hours last year. Oxiclean contains soda ash and sodium percarbonate (and other fillers). It worked really good.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Markster

Skull, where do you get the sal soda from? Is it something that can be picked up locally?

---

I get my supplies from McKenzie Taxidermy
Here is the link https://www.mckenziesp.com/Search.aspx?k=Soda+ash
I don’t think there is anything local

So when you boil the skull with soda ash do you need to cover antlers or protect them otherwise from the action of soda ash? If soda ash comes with contact with antlers would they become bleached as from peroxide?

Never used soda ash but peroxide will whiten antlers. If using paste peroxide, don't paint it on the antlers, if using liquid peroxide, wrap a rag around the pedicles and drape it over the top of the skull, then fill the container so that it doesn't come all the way up to the antlers. The rags will wick peroxide up to the pedicles. Leave a little room for the peroxide to foam up too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkD

So when you boil the skull with soda ash do you need to cover antlers or protect them otherwise from the action of soda ash? If soda ash comes with contact with antlers would they become bleached as from peroxide?

---

I wrap the bottom third of the antler with aluminum foil and that seems to protect them really well. TC

Whitebone Creations on YouTube is a good source of info. He has perfected the technique I would say.

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rippin_355

Whitebone Creations on YouTube is a good source of info. He has perfected the technique I would say.

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk

---

He does a nice job, however i think breaking the skull bone at the ear area can be avoided, it just helps him do the job fast.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gbk

He does a nice job, however i think breaking the skull bone at the ear area can be avoided, it just helps him do the job fast.

---

Those little ear nodes can hold quite a bit of material that is near impossible to get out. It's so much easier to pop them out than to explain to the wife why maggots are falling out of your new euro mount.

Anything that can hold brain matter needs a thorough cleaning as the brain is mostly fat and will not dry out like most muscle tissue. Sooner or later the fats will go rancid.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

I always pop those out. Lotta crap in there.

Same with the nose. Make sure you get all that tissue out of the nasal passages.

Unfortunately, 40 Volume peroxide cream didn't work for me.
Unfortunately, I did follow wrong advise from the Net that you can just bury the whole head into the ground, even without removing any tissue etc, and mother nature will do all the job. Yes, the job was done, the skull came out almost without anything on it, however it was badly brown in color. What you can see on the picture is the skull AFTER TWO treatments with 40 Volume cream.
Any suggestion how I would restore the skull color?
Thanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkD

Unfortunately, 40 Volume peroxide cream didn't work for me.
Unfortunately, I did follow wrong advise from the Net that you can just bury the whole head into the ground, even without removing any tissue etc, and mother nature will do all the job. Yes, the job was done, the skull came out almost without anything on it, however it was badly brown in color. What you can see on the picture is the skull AFTER TWO treatments with 40 Volume cream.
Any suggestion how I would restore the skull color?
Thanks.

---

Ah, yes. All the bug crap can stain the skull badly.

I've never had to deal with one that bad but I did one for a friend who found a buck in a lake and the skull looked similar. I boiled it in 3% peroxide for a while, dried it over a cook stove then boiled it in peroxide once again and it came out pretty good.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

Oaknut, thank you for your suggestion. The only problem I see in boiling the skull for long time in peroxide is how to protect the antlers. Any suggestion on that?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkD

Unfortunately, 40 Volume peroxide cream didn't work for me.
Unfortunately, I did follow wrong advise from the Net that you can just bury the whole head into the ground, even without removing any tissue etc, and mother nature will do all the job. Yes, the job was done, the skull came out almost without anything on it, however it was badly brown in color. What you can see on the picture is the skull AFTER TWO treatments with 40 Volume cream.
Any suggestion how I would restore the skull color?
Thanks.

---

I had a similar one a few years ago. Ultimately I ended up painting it with enamel paint. It turned out surprisingly well. I did several very light coats and when finished you had to look very hard to see it was painted. TC

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkD

So when you boil the skull with soda ash do you need to cover antlers or protect them otherwise from the action of soda ash? If soda ash comes with contact with antlers would they become bleached as from peroxide?

---

Yes you need to protect the antlers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkD

Unfortunately, 40 Volume peroxide cream didn't work for me.
Unfortunately, I did follow wrong advise from the Net that you can just bury the whole head into the ground, even without removing any tissue etc, and mother nature will do all the job. Yes, the job was done, the skull came out almost without anything on it, however it was badly brown in color. What you can see on the picture is the skull AFTER TWO treatments with 40 Volume cream.
Any suggestion how I would restore the skull color?
Thanks.

---

Let it sit in some clean water for a few days, it should help remove a lot of that dark stuff..... The thread below might be able to help in the future...

https://www.oodmag.com/community/sho...-Mount-is-done

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkD

Unfortunately, 40 Volume peroxide cream didn't work for me.
Unfortunately, I did follow wrong advise from the Net that you can just bury the whole head into the ground, even without removing any tissue etc, and mother nature will do all the job. Yes, the job was done, the skull came out almost without anything on it, however it was badly brown in color. What you can see on the picture is the skull AFTER TWO treatments with 40 Volume cream.
Any suggestion how I would restore the skull color?
Thanks.

---

Get a slow cooker set it at 80/90 Celsius DO NOT BOILED skulls
Put in 2 cap full soda ash with a 1/4 of bottles liquid dish soap
For a few days, you may need to repeat the process

Maybe I’m doing it wrong but atm have 8 point and 7 point in same pot.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7f3ecda084.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b6d4e47c88.jpg

You should never lean the antler on the metal pot,the metal will transfer heat,and you may "burn"the antlers, they may even break.
Put a stick across the antlers,tie it to the antlers, and let the stick sit/lean on the bucket.
Also wrap tight the area of the antlers,sitting in the water, with rags,so to avoid discoloration.Same-fistfull rag on the nose,so the heat from the bottom of the pot does not disintegrate those nose bones.

This good enough
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b3f1c4a357.jpg

S

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by js4fn

Maybe I’m doing it wrong but atm have 8 point and 7 point in same pot.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7f3ecda084.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b6d4e47c88.jpg

---

Yup you are absolutely right
the worst Way to clean skulls

[COLOR=#000000]This good enough



Excellent

Also wrap tight the area of the antlers,sitting in the water, with rags,so to avoid discoloration.Same-fistfull rag on the nose,so the heat from the bottom of the pot does not disintegrate those nose bones.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...43181da69a.jpg

Just had a fox run by must be smelling good to it lol

I just burry the head in the garden with a drum over the antlers so the critters don't chew on them.
Works great burry now dig up mid June.
No mess no fuss

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MarkD

Oaknut, thank you for your suggestion. The only problem I see in boiling the skull for long time in peroxide is how to protect the antlers. Any suggestion on that?

---

I just wrap mine in plastic wrap as tight as I can then add some tape for good measure. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...613c19f571.jpg

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

I think these turned out ok

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...467887d993.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b2f7a05cbd.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0df12c038e.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JUDGE

I just burry the head in the garden with a drum over the antlers so the critters don't chew on them.
Works great burry now dig up mid June.
No mess no fuss

---

It seems that you didn't read the thread from the begging.
This is what the thread is about now: yes, no mess no fuss to bury a skull into the ground but it comes out badly brown and so far I not able to bleach it out with 40 Volume cream.
I would like to ask you to post a picture of the skull from the ground and let us know how did you bleach it.
Thank you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by oaknut

I just wrap mine in plastic wrap as tight as I can then add some tape for good measure.

---

Oaknut, thanks!
js4fn,
yes, looks pretty good. As I understand, you boil it just in water, not in peroxide, correct?

Nope water and 1.5 pound oxy clean
Roughly 4 hour hard boil then let it sit on fire in pot over night

Full head intact. Fell right off this morning

Looking nice...good job

Not sure of the guys process so can’t help out on the how too but here is my buck from this year done up.........nice and white!

I only did one deer skull European mount and used bleach/water to boil. Looks as good today as it did then.

PP

What some say is that deterioration may occur as late as seven years later...

It's been about that long for mine and still looks good. I may have gotten lucky.

PP