My strange and wonderful daughter has an obsession with bones since she was three years old. She even asked me if she could have my bones when I die. I said yes, but since we aren’t at that point yet, right now we are gathering all sorts of animal bones and cleaning them. 🙂
Cleaning and whitening animal bones, for example deer skulls, for display is actually fairly simple. Below I’ll get into the details of what to do in each step of the bone cleaning process.
Guess what? I wrote an entire eBook about cleaning bones. It covers a lot more than I could fit in this article, including lots of expert tips and hacks that amateurs can use. You can buy it here (instant PDF download).
Jump to:
- How to Clean and Whiten Bones
- Before/After Pictures
- Tips for Very Large Skulls or Bones
How to Clean and Whiten Bones
Cleaning small bones is pretty easy. However, it may take some time -especially if the animal is fresh and has lots of soft tissue on it still.
Step 1: Supplies
In order to clean animal bones, you will need the following supplies:
- Gloves
- Buckets or trash cans that can hold the bones being cleaned
- Dish soap
- Scrub brushes
- Hydrogen peroxide
Depending on the type of bones and their condition, you might need some other supplies too, such as as a power washer, muslin sack, pliers for removing teeth, and ammonia for degreasing.
Never Use Bleach to Clean or Whiten Bones
A lot of articles online about how to whiten bones say to bleach the bones. You should NEVER use bleach to get bones white.
Why? Bleach will destroy the structural integrity of the bones.
Likewise, you don’t want to use any laundry detergents for cleaning or degreasing the bones. These detergents often contain bleach or other harsh chemicals which can destroy the bone.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Whiten Bones
Hydrogen peroxide (H2o2) is the safest and most effective way to whiten and clean bones. This is what taxidermists use, including the ones at the Smithsonian and other prestigious institutions.
You can use the 3% hydrogen peroxide found in drug stores to whiten bones. The problem is that this peroxide is very weak. You’ll either need to buy a zillion bottles of it or do multiple soaks to get the bones clean and white. To get good results, you want 12% hydrogen peroxide.
Hair Developer – An Alternative to Hydrogen Peroxide
Unfortunately, not many pharmacies stock concentrated hydrogen peroxide in that concentration. If you can’t find 12% or higher hydrogen peroxide, you can use hair developer instead.
There are two types of hair developer:
- Clear Developer: This is the exact same thing as the hydrogen peroxide you’d get in a pharmacy. It will bubble up nicely and works great for cleaning bones. Get 40 volume clear developer here.
- Cream Developer: This has some emulsifiers added so it is creamy and thick. Some hardcore taxidermists won’t use it, saying the emulsifiers could mess up the bones. It also won’t bubble up like clear H202, so it isn’t as good at getting stains out from deep within bones. However, because cream developer is thick, it can be painted directly ontoo bones for spot whitening or for whitening skulls with antlers. Get 40 volume cream developer here.
Hair Developer Strengths:
Hair developer is listed in strengths by volume. Don’t think that 10v equals 10% though. The actual concentrations are as follows:
- 10 volume =3% hydrogen peroxide. Don’t get this. It’s too weak for good results!
- 20 volume =6% hydrogen peroxide.
30 volume =9% hydrogen peroxide. - 40 volume =12% hydrogen peroxide.
This giant bottle of hair developer (hydrogen peroxide) is 12% and is really affordable for a gallon. Buy it here.
Step 2: Remove soft tissue
If you found a bone that has been sitting in nature for a long time, then it won’t have any soft tissue on it. You will be able to skip this step. But, if you are dealing with fresh kills or roadkill, you’ll have to remove all the tissue before proceeding to whitening.
There are 6 main ways of doing this. I’ll go over them briefly here. For more detailed instructions, read this post on how to remove soft tissue from bones. 
Method 1: Maceration (Soaking)
This involves soaking the bones in water for weeks or even months. The water softens tissue and microbes in the water eat away at tissue. It’s very effective at removing hidden tissue in skulls without damaging them.
Method 2: Burying
When you bury bones, microbes in the dirt will eat away all the tissue. This is great for rotting carcasses, or if you are squeemish and don’t want to deal with stinky, gross tissue. The only main problem is that you can easily lose bones in the dirt, especially from small animals .
Method 3: Insects/Leave in the Open
You can just put the carcass outside and insects will eat away the tissue. You have to put the carcass in some sort of cage to protect it from scavengers.
Method 4: Corpse in a Box
With this method, you put a small corpse in a box that has holes in it. Insects will get to the carcass and eat away the tissue.
Method 5: Simmering
If you have a fresh kill with all of its tissue on it, simmering (not boiling) will loosen tissue so you can scrape it off.
Method 5: Steaming
Small carcasses can be put in a steamer. The steam will loosen tissue without damaging the bones.
Method 6: Boiling: NOT Recommended
Despite what a lot of websites say, you shouldn’t boil bones to remove tissue. Boiling can damage bones and trap fat inside of them.
Isabel got this pig skull as a gift. It was boiled so got all gross, yellow and shiny from the fat that got trapped in it. It was HELL to degrease!!!! Lesson? DON’T BOIL BONES!
Step 3: Pre-clean the bones
This applies to bones you have found which do not have any soft tissue on them, but are caked with dirt and maybe have moss growing on them.
Use soapy water and the toothbrush to SCRUB the bones clean. The cleaner they are when you start, the better the hydrogen peroxide will work.
This gives a new definition to brushing your teeth!
Step 4: Degreasing
Degreasing is one of the most confusing steps in cleaning animal bones. It involves soaking bones in a solvent (like dish soap) to remove fat.
How do you know the bones need to be degreased? You\’ll need to degrease if:
- The bones are yellow, clear, or shiny
- The bones stink, even after all tissue has been removed
- If the bones are from certain animals like: bears, pigs, boars, possums, or seals.
It can take months for all the grease to get out of bones. If you skip this step though, the fat can slowly leach out of the bones and turn them yellow over time. They might even start to rot!
For more detailed instructions, read this post on How to Degrease Animal Bones.
Check out how greasy this possum skull is! It had to be thrown away because the fats started rotting the bone.
Step 5: Whiten with Hydrogen Peroxide
Once the bones are completely free of tissue and have been degreased, you are ready to whiten them. You’ll need hydrogen peroxide for this. As I said before, never use bleach for whitening bones. It will destroy them by making them flaky and brittle.
Here’s how to do it:
- Put the bones in your bucket.
- Pour in your hydrogen peroxide.
- Then top it with water.
- The bones will start foaming, which means the hydrogen peroxide is working. Hydrogen peroxide also heats up when it is working.
- Loosely cover the bones while they soak. The H202 will stay active longer this way.
- Let the bones whiten for about 24 hours. Repeat if necessary.
How much hydrogen peroxide to use?
I usually use a ratio of 1:3 hydrogen peroxide to water. However, the higher the concentration of hydrogen, the faster and whiter your bones will be.
Tip: Try to find a container which fits your bones exactly. Then you won’t have to use as much H202 to cover the bones. If you can’t find a suitable container, you can use this pro trick:
- Line the container with a heavy-duty trash bag
- Put the bone in the trash bag
- Fill the container with water. The water will fill the space around the bone in the bag.
- Now pour the hydrogen peroxide into the trash bag.
Remember that hair developer works just the same as hydrogen peroxide. You can buy it in bulk here.
The peroxide is starting to foam!
How long to let bones whiten?
In general, I soak bones in hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours. This is usually long enough to get them white to my liking.
It’s important to note that I’m not going for pure white. If you want your bone specimens to be realllly white, then you’ll have to do several rounds.
*Note about Cleaning Very Dirty Bones
I once made the mistake of not adequately cleaning a very dirty bone. The hydrogen peroxide went crazy on it! It started steaming and got HOT. I thought it was going to melt the plastic bag it was in!!! You can see in the picture all of the steam coming off the bone.
The message? Make sure you do a really good job of scrubbing dirt off the bones before soaking in hydrogen peroxide!
Check out the steam coming off this dirty bone!
Before/After Pictures
These pictures should give you an idea of what realistic results you can expect when whitening bones with hydrogen peroxide. As I mentioned, you can do multiple soaks in H202 to get them whiter.
Dog Skull
Here’s a giant dog skull that a friend found for me. It had been sitting in the woods for a long time and was very dirty. I did one soak in 40v hair developer to get it whitened.
Greasy Pig Skull
This pig skull was given to us as a present. It had been boiled to remove the tissue (which is a bad idea!) so there was tons of fat trapped in the skull. I had to degrease it for 2 months and then whiten it before it got to this state.
A Very Dirty Hip Bone
This hip bone was found in a river and was covered with dirt and moss. Considering how dirty it was when I found it, the bone came out nice and clean.
Cat Skull
This old cat skull was found in the woods and soaked in 40v hair developer for 24 hours.
Vertebrae:
This vertebrae stunk like crazy from all the fat trapped in it (notice the shiny parts on the before photo). I degreased it in acetone and then did a hydrogen peroxide soak. It came out nice and white.
Want more tips on how to clean bones?
Have questions about antlers, horns, beaks?
Want to know how to glue together bones?
These are all things I talk about in my eBook. Get it here!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Cleaning and Whitening Animal Bones
1. What supplies are needed to clean and whiten animal bones?
To effectively clean and whiten animal bones, you will need:
- Gloves
- Buckets or containers suitable for the size of the bones
- Dish soap
- Scrub brushes
- Hydrogen peroxide (preferably 12% concentration)
- Optional: Ammonia for degreasing, pliers for removing teeth, and muslin sacks for small bones
2. Why should bleach be avoided when whitening bones?
Bleach should never be used to whiten bones because it can destroy their structural integrity, making them brittle and flaky over time. Instead, hydrogen peroxide is recommended as it effectively whitens bones without causing damage.
3. How do I remove soft tissue from animal bones?
Removing soft tissue is a crucial step in cleaning bones. Methods include:
- Maceration: Soaking the bones in water to allow bacteria to decompose remaining tissues.
- Burying: Placing the bones in soil to enable natural decomposition by microorganisms.
- Insect Cleaning: Allowing insects to consume the soft tissues.
Each method has its advantages, and the choice depends on factors like the size of the specimen and the amount of tissue present.
4. What is the process for degreasing bones, and why is it important?
Degreasing removes fats and oils from bones, preventing them from becoming yellow, clear, or shiny over time. To degrease:
- Soak the bones in a solution of dish soap and water.
- For particularly greasy bones, an ammonia soak may be necessary.
- Repeat the process until no grease spots are visible.
Skipping this step can result in fats leaching out and potentially causing the bones to rot.
5. How do I whiten bones using hydrogen peroxide?
To whiten bones:
- Place the cleaned and degreased bones in a container.
- Pour hydrogen peroxide (preferably 12% concentration) over the bones, ensuring they are fully submerged.
- Loosely cover the container and let the bones soak for about 24 hours.
- Once the desired whiteness is achieved, rinse the bones thoroughly with water and allow them to dry completely.
This method effectively whitens bones without compromising their structural integrity.
6. Can I use household hydrogen peroxide for whitening bones?
Yes, household hydrogen peroxide (typically 3%) can be used; however, it may require longer soaking times and larger quantities to achieve the desired whiteness. For more efficient results, a 12% concentration is recommended.
7. How should I handle bones during the cleaning process to ensure safety?
During the cleaning process:
- Wear gloves to protect against pathogens and chemicals.
- Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling fumes from cleaning agents.
- Use appropriate tools for defleshing and cleaning to prevent injuries.
- Properly dispose of any waste materials according to local regulations.
