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If you want a DIY white SKULL MOUNT, the step that is often skipped is DEGREASING! I provide various degreasing steps below which pertain to many large game skulls. When a skull isn't degreased properly, it will still retain an unpleasant odor, appear yellow over time, and will have a wet texture when dry. How do you guys degrease a skull/do you think you have to degrease them?
Simmering Soap and Water Degreasing - 1 Hour
Simmering skulls for an hour in soap and water is a common degreasing method that does a good job pulling out grease for DIY skulls, however, it won't pull out all the grease, therefore, you won't have a perfectly white skull that will remain perfectly white over time. Simmering with soap and water for 1 hour is not as effective as the methods mentioned below. It is, however, an acceptable option when you have only one day to degrease a skull, or you don't want to put in the time required for the other methods, mentioned below. When employing this method, fill up a pot of water and bring the pot of water to a simmer since boiling can damage a skull. Add in enough soap to get a soapy mixture (no set amount required). Some people add in other products to their soap and water such as a couple tablespoons of Borax and/or Oxiclean Free.
It's often debated in the mounting skulls community as to whether you'll get a fully degreased skull using this mixture. Add your skull to the pot, ensuring the entire skull is submerged in the mixture. If simmering a skull to degrease it, be sure to only use soaps that won't stain a skull, such as Dawn Blue or Clear. After an hour, rinse off your skull with water and allow it dry for 24 hours. If it's not degreased to your liking, run your skull through this simmering process again with fresh water and soap and let it dry again.
Soap and Water Degreasing - 4 to 8 Weeks
Soap and water is the most common method but it's not usually done properly. If using soap and water, choose a soap that won't discolor the skull such as Dawn Blue or Clear. Fill up a 5-gallon bucket of water and add enough soap to get a good soapy mixture. Place the skull in the bucket, ensuring the skull is fully submerged in the water. Place an aquarium heater in the bucket and set it to its highest temperature (not exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit). Every seven days, dump out the water and replace it with fresh water until the water is no longer turning cloudy. If it's turning cloudy, that indicates that there's still grease being drawn out of the skull. Each skull is different in how long it takes to degrease with this method, but it will generally take 4-8 weeks for a deer skull to be fully degreased. When dumping out the water, dump it into a strainer to catch any loose teeth or nose pieces. When filling the bucket back up with water and soap, place any loose teeth or nose pieces in the bucket with the skull to degrease since they will be glued back onto the skull with Elmer's glue after whitening. It's best to degrease at 120 degrees, however that requires a larger heating element and a temperature regulator, so if you're only processing a couple personal skulls, an aquarium heater will do the trick!
Ammonia and Water Degreasing - 4 to 8 Weeks
Ammonia and water will degrease a skull better than soap and water; however, hand and eye protection must be worn when using ammonia. When degreasing with ammonia, standard household ammonia (usually 3% strength) can be purchased at a big-box stores such as Walmart, or a Dollar General or Dollar Tree. Only use clear ammonia since others, such as lemon scented, may stain a skull. Fill up a 5-gallon bucket with water and add 4-5 cups of ammonia to the bucket.
Place the skull in the bucket, ensuring the skull is fully submerged in the water/ammonia. Place an aquarium heater in the bucket and set it to its highest temperature (not exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit). Every seven days, dump out the mixture and replace it with fresh water and ammonia until the water is no longer turning cloudy. If it's turning cloudy, that indicates that there's still grease being drawn out of the skull. Each skull is different in how long it takes to degrease with this method, but it will generally take 4-8 weeks for a deer skull to be fully degreased. When dumping out the water, dump it into a strainer to catch any loose teeth or nose pieces. When filling the bucket back up with water and ammonia, place any loose teeth or nose pieces in the bucket with the skull to degrease since they will be glued back onto the skull with Elmer's glue after whitening. It's best to degrease at 120 degrees, however that requires a larger heating element and a temperature regulator so if you're only processing a couple personal skulls, an aquarium heater will do the trick!
Acetone Degreasing - Time Varies
Acetone is less commonly used when degreasing deer skulls due to the high costs, dangerous fumes, and flammability. This is more often used on smaller skulls or extremely greasy skulls such as hogs and bears. When using acetone, you'll need a container that's rated to hold acetone, a respirator, gloves that can handle acetone, and goggles. To employ acetone, soak the entire skull in acetone for roughly two months or until fully degreased. Do not mix or dilute acetone with water or anything else and do not heat acetone. When using acetone to degrease a deer skull where the antlers stick out of the bucket, place plastic wrap, or something equivalent, to cover the bin/bucket to prevent the acetone from evaporating.
How to know a skull is fully degreased
You'll know whether or not a skull is fully degreased once it dries. If the skull has a wet texture when it's dry, or has dark spots on the skull when dry, it is not fully degreased. After degreasing, whiten the skull with peroxide (not bleach).
Hang your skull to dry after degreasing and hang your skull to display after whitening
A Skull Mount Kit or Skull Hanger, like Skull Bracket's Buck Bracket is perfect for your final skull mounting needs. Since this deer skull mount is made of American steel (and a veteran owned company), there's no risk of the bracket or the skull breaking.
Reach out!
We hope this degreasing process helps someone who has previously skipped the degreasing step and had a skull turn yellow and smell bad over time. Wear hand and eye protection for every step. We can't list every shortcut/scenario here so please comment if you have any questions!!