Skull Whitening

[sendmethem]

Hi there,
Just cleaned a skull from my first moose last fall. It turned out okay but was a bit more work than I anticipated. Anyway I had a hard time finding peroxide due to the pandemic so thought I would just use solar to whiten the skull up. I don't need it bleach white but there are a few dark spots I would like to lighten up. How long to guys normally leave them in the sun to whiten. Is this a few weeks type of deal or an all summer mission?
Thanks in advance

[Rvsask]

Wow, nice moose!!!!
If you boiled the skull you may not get rid of the dark spots with just the sun as boiling tends to cook a little bit of grease into the bone in my experience.

[Pathfinder76]

I would avoid the sun with that like the plague. Wait until you can get the proper stuff to do it and do it right.

[Stinky Coyote]

Get some of that peroxide paste from a hairdresser, brush on, let dry in sun, rinse and repeat. Each application will get you closer to what you want, I’d bet a couple days of a few times a day And you’ll be a lot happier. Helps if you know a hair dressed to get that bottle of the good stuff.

[jason crozier]

Strong peroxide is the best to whiten with, 40v is 12% from the hair dresser. 30v is 9% and Brown bottle stuff is only 3% and will take forever as it’s basically just water. But you need to degrease before you whiten or it will always be discoloured. Grease will continue to show up if you do not remove it all

[rhope]

soak the skull as best you can in water and green dawn just like the green peacers use on the little creatures caught in the oil spills give it a week or so then rinse and soak for day in clean water then use peroxide the lower strength the longer it takes if peroxide is real strong ( like 32% ) it can damage the bone and you must be very careful then seal when you are happy with its appearance NICE moose congratulations

[big zeke]

Did a deer skull last fall. Did a fairly poor job of cleaning, fair bit of brain left in (thought I had it all, didn't know how much to expect). Boiled X3 with tons of dish detergent, minor dark spots which lightened a lot by soaking on soapy water for like a day. Pretty happy with the results, put it in the back yard in about March and it's snow white at the moment.

Did buy a bottle of 40v, never used it. Pick it up in SW Calgary if you want.
Zeke

[sendmethem]

Thanks for the tips.
Chuck is there a reason to avoid solar aside from maybe the antlers fading a bit?

Zeke I would take you up on the offer but I don't think I will be in Calgary anytime soon.

The peroxide is also a pain for the moose, I used a galvanized garbage can and cut slots for the antlers but that is a big volume to fill plus the top or back of the skull sticks out.

[jason crozier]

I modified a tote or Rubbermaid tub to fit them
With slots for antlers. Just sent 4 - 50+ Racks back to their owners. They are a giant pain in the rear end to do.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by sendmethem

Thanks for the tips.
Chuck is there a reason to avoid solar aside from maybe the antlers fading a bit?

Zeke I would take you up on the offer but I don't think I will be in Calgary anytime soon.

The peroxide is also a pain for the moose, I used a galvanized garbage can and cut slots for the antlers but that is a big volume to fill plus the top or back of the skull sticks out.

Your antlers will bleach at the same rate as the skull.

[270person]

Originally Posted by sendmethem

Thanks for the tips.
Chuck is there a reason to avoid solar aside from maybe the antlers fading a bit?

Zeke I would take you up on the offer but I don't think I will be in Calgary anytime soon.

The peroxide is also a pain for the moose, I used a galvanized garbage can and cut slots for the antlers but that is a big volume to fill plus the top or back of the skull sticks out.

Buy strong enough hydrogen peroxide and just paint it on with a thick brush. Any h202 over 29% and you'll have to fill out some government paperwork.

[jackalope]

Just go to the dollar store and buy some poroxid cheap and works excellent just spray on wait one day spray it on again done unless you want it Snow White give it another spray