An animal skull can make for a truly unique decorative object and can be used for a variety of art projects. It can also teach you a lot about the animal itself: by examining the bones - and therefore also the skull - it is possible to understand the age of the specimen, what its habits were, and even the cause of death. Before storing it, the skull must be thoroughly cleaned. Here are the steps to follow to clean and preserve it at its best.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Remove the Meat
Step 1. Take precautions against zoonoses
They are infectious diseases that animals can transmit to humans, such as rabies. The bacteria that cause them can remain active even after the death of the animal, so take all necessary precautions:
- Wear gloves and wash your hands, arms and all parts of the body that come into contact with the carcass.
- You should also wear a surgical mask while removing the meat.
Step 2. Macerate the animal's head
The steeping process serves to remove the meat from an animal's carcass. You will need to remove the meat from both the inside and the outside of the skull by placing it in a large enough container (such as a bucket) with active enzyme laundry detergent. There are several ways to do this.
- Cold water maceration is a long process that involves immersing the skull in room temperature water with a small amount of cold wash detergent. This type of detergent contains enzymes that break down organic matter. This is the safest technique for cleaning the skull without damaging it, however it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the size of the head.
- Hot maceration, also called "cooking", consists in immersing the skull in hot water with enzymatic detergent, then simmering it (but not boiling it!). You can use a gas stove or an electric plate. This procedure should be done carefully, because cooking the head for too long or boiling it can cause the fat to penetrate into the bone, damaging the skull.
- Another technique is to leave the head above an anthill, protected by a cage or in some other way to prevent other animals from taking or damaging it. The ants will eliminate any residual flesh present on the bones, leaving the skull intact.
Step 3. Remove the fat
Soak the skull for several days in a mixture of water and some dishwashing detergent. This process is important because if any fat remains on the bone, it can release bad odors or form unsightly build-ups on the surface.
- Wear latex gloves while working with the raw material.
- Change the water every day or when it becomes cloudy.
- The process is finished when the water remains clear after one day.
Step 4. Dry the skull
Make sure it is completely dry before starting the whitening process. Leave it to air dry for several days.
Lay it on top of a towel and several paper towels. Keep it indoors so it doesn't attract insects and scavengers
Part 2 of 2: Whiten the Skull
Step 1. Soak it in hydrogen peroxide
Immerse the skull in a large container filled with water, with only 300-450ml of 35% hydrogen peroxide for about 5 liters of water.
- Do not use bleach as it can damage bones and teeth.
- This process will whiten the skull (the natural color of the skulls ranges from off-white to yellowish).
- Leave it in the water for at least 24 hours.
Step 2. Reposition the teeth in their alveoli
If you used a water-based method to clean the skull, the teeth will have detached from their bony sacs. Keep them and put them back in place by fixing them with some glue.
Step 3. Use cotton on carnivore teeth
Most of the animal skulls that are preserved belonged to carnivores and therefore have canines; these tend to be smaller than the corresponding alveoli.
Use cotton balls dipped in glue. Wrap some cotton around the tooth and insert it into the socket
Step 4. Let the skull dry
Leave it outside for 24 hours so that it dries in the sun and the glue sets. Since it is now devoid of organic matter, you no longer have to worry about animals or insects.
Step 5. Preserve the skull with polyurethane spray
Spray the skull with several coats of polyurethane, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. This finish will leave the skull smooth and shiny.
