# What's the best way to whiten a deer skulls?



## Justin Spies

Got a nice ten point to mount and don't really know how to whiten the skull, any help is appreciated


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## CAS_HNTR

Beauty supply store and get the 40% peroxide they use for bleaching hair...coat as many times as you like. Do not use bleach though as it will eat the bone and end up damaging it in the long run.


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## woodsbaby

CAS_HNTR said:


> Beauty supply store and get the 40% peroxide they use for bleaching hair...coat as many times as you like. Do not use bleach though as it will eat the bone and end up damaging it in the long run.


yeah. this is what I use. Its also called Developer. I help the process by wrapping up in saran wrap and setting in front of a heater. the heat really makes the stuff work and work fast.


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## LL710

Degrease it in Dawn soap and Hot water first to get out as much grease as possible ...otherwise it will eventually yellow.


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## useyourbow

I am assuming you have removed all skin, meat, boiled it, etc....

No need for the beuaty supply peroxide. Common off the shelf stuff works great. 
Get a aluminum roasting pan. Wrap the the skull with cotton rags so as to make contact with all the surface of the skull. Saturate the cotton rags with peroxide. Place in the roasting pan and cover with a dark bath towel or cloth. Light breaks down peroxide that is why you cover it. Let sit. Next day resaturate the cloth and cover. Repeat for a couple of days and it will be done. Note it will not be bright white until after it sits a day or two and the moisture evaporates.


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## Rich-VA

Same 40% peroxide as mentioned above, when you are done seal it with a 50/50 mixture of Elmer's White Glue and water.


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## mez

I see you are in TX so can soak the skull. 

Skin the head and remove as much meat as possible. Submerge the skull in a bucket of water and leave until all of the meat has fallen off. Will take about a month and it will STINK but is the best way to remove and keep a white skull. Boiling and burying actually causes the bone to yellow, will never be as nice/white and one that has been soaked. It is usually done with the teeth start to fall out. Keep track of them and glue them back in with super glue if needed. Take it out and hose it off. 

After the water you need to degrease the skull. Put back in the bucket and soak for three days in white gas (Coleman lantern fuel). Obviously don't put it anywhere it can catch fire. Take it out and let it dry in the sun. Will look like it doesn't even need the peroxide at this point. Then use the 40% peroxide solution on the bone and it will be snow white, dry and stay that way forever.


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## joehunter8301

Some good advice on here. I like the soak in water idea I am going to try that next yr


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## Hammer0419

As far as removing meat and such. Find someone in your area with beatles. Well worth the $.


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## petrey10

try oxyclean...


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## mez

Lived across the street from a taxidermist in TX and that was his method. I did some pig skulls and they turned out really nice.


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## BubbasDad

I use the generic oxyclean from the dollar store. It works just as good let soak overnight.


petrey10 said:


> try oxyclean...


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## Rothhar1

Let a taxidermist do it ........... Duh --- lol


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## steeld3_4

I use volume 40 peroxide and mix with bleach white powder and make a paste. Smear all over the skull, place in a plastic bag for couple of days, then rinse off with a water. Place in sun for a day or two to whiten.


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## andyhunter3

mez- you mentioned "your from TX" why does his location matter? Only asking because I am in PA and looking for a good method! You also said the Peroxide solution...what exactly is the "solution"? other then that I will be using your method tomorrow


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## mez

Location in that it is warm all year in Texas so the meat will rot off a lot faster. You tried that in South Dakota right now you would just have a skull frozen in a bucket of ice! 

The 40% peroxide solution from a beauty shop.


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## andyhunter3

haha very true, didnt think of it that way. So basically keeping this skull in regular water works well though.


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