# Care and cleaning of ox bone jewelry

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-cleaning-of-ox-bone-jewelry/507336>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 22, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-cleaning-of-ox-bone-jewelry/507336 "2009-08-22T19:25:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![supergoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-cleaning-of-ox-bone-jewelry/507336/1 "2009-08-22T19:25:25Z")

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I recently purchased a pendant made of ox bone, and it seems to smell rather strongly and unpleasantly. Is this normal for ox bone? How can I safely de-stink it? I was thinking about just sticking it outside to air out. Would heat or humidity damage it?

And while I’m asking, how should I care for it in general? Cleaning, storage, etc. Should I coat it with a finish or something to protect/seal it?

Thank you very much.

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**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-cleaning-of-ox-bone-jewelry/507336/2 "2009-08-23T08:47:04Z")

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Well-cleaned bone is odorless. Smell means there’s fat / assorted soft tissue left in the bone. Not good. I think the jewelry maker should’ve tossed the piece instead of selling it. I have no idea how to get rid of the smell without ruining the piece. Bone cracks readily at high heat and often twists out of shape if wetted and dried. I have never coated my bone works with anything, simply buffed them to a high polish. Lots of the bone available is not of high enough quality to make much anything out of.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-cleaning-of-ox-bone-jewelry/507336/3 "2009-08-23T09:41:57Z")

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[See a taxidermist](http://www.skulltaxidermy.com/)

If this happened you might be SOL

> [@](#):
>
> Most people boil skulls until the meat literally falls off. While cooking, the melted fat soaks into the bone. This results in greasy yellow skulls. Using beetles eliminates this problem.

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**Author:** ![supergoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/care-and-cleaning-of-ox-bone-jewelry/507336/4 "2009-08-23T18:20:35Z")

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Oh ew. I really liked it too. I’ll give the airing out a try and if that doesn’t work, maybe I’ll try making a polymer clay mold of it so I can make myself a non-smelly one.

Thanks guys.