I am sure there is something on here about but I just kept finding flesh removal threads. I found a skull behind the house a couple weeks ago and I want to clean it up and re darken the antlers. How would one go about cleaning it up? It's got green stains in several places on the skull and through the rack. I tried some household cleaner and a scrubrush but that didn't touch it. Any ideas?
A peroxide from a beauty supply place is the best. The horns can be stained with a light application of a wood stain. OR you can use taxidermy supply house peroxide cleaners and horn stain kits.
Volume 40 peroxide will clean up the skull. To darken the antlers I'd use any combination of dirt, oil paint, or minwax stain pens. Good luck!
You can get the 40 volume peroxide at a decent price at a beauty salon. If you can get the gel. You will need a plastic bin big enough to put the skull in. I usually tape up the antlers to keep peroxide off. Then coat the skull with a good coating of the peroxide and let it sit overnight. Then if you can set it out in the sun. Then rinse it clean. Repeat until you get the whiteness you want. I usually get oak stain on brush it on the antlers. Try a lighter one first. The darks can go dark quick. Brush it on then wipe off. Repeat until you get the desired color. I usually use a little darker stain in the bases. tape up the skull you just clean to so you don't get any stain on it.
Can I use the peroxide to get the green off the antlers as well. Or just don't worry about them and just stain over it?
Sand the antlers with a light grit sandpaper and use a Dremel, with a wire wheel to get into the Tight places.
