# Cleaning bone.  Er, human bone.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-bone-er-human-bone/774662>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 14, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-bone-er-human-bone/774662 "2016-12-14T03:45:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-bone-er-human-bone/774662/21 "2016-12-15T17:02:57Z")

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Google “preparing a European mount” . A European mount is the de-fleshed skull of an animal. Lot’s of amature taxedermists do it with deer that they don’t want to spend big money on. Ants, yellowjackets, sea lice, boiling, pressure washin have all been tried. The key is in bleaching the bone a pretty white when your done

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**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-bone-er-human-bone/774662/22 "2016-12-15T20:07:18Z")

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> [@Trinopus](#):
>
> I’ve had decent luck cleaning skulls by simply burying 'em for a while.
> 
> They’re still yucky after a month, but they’re clean enough that soaking in water & bleach is all that is needed.
> 
> (Did I mention these aren’t human skulls? Cattle, horse, dog, coyote, skunk.)
> 
> (Gosh, that looks like I’m calling someone a bunch of rude names!) 😉

OP, if you decide to try this, just make sure your wife doesn’t suddenly disappear. I can see the headlines already.

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**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-bone-er-human-bone/774662/23 "2016-12-16T03:07:30Z")

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Lots of cheerful advice…thanks, all.

I did consider boiling it, but…well, not sure I really want the kitchen full of the smell of human meat, cooking. I mean, I like pork, but still.

Calibre’s link to the article on cleaning bones seems to be telling me what I need to know. Thanks!

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