Bleaching agent on euro mounts

I had a buddy do one this year. He wrapped the horns in tinfoil and sprayed the skull with hydrogen peroxide periodically throughout the day. He kept the skull outside and let the sun bleach it out. The skull is definitely whiter than others we've had done "professionally" although I don't know what was used to whiten the others. I also don't know if this skull he did will yellow as it ages or stay a brilliant white like it is today.

try this thread

I did my first one this year and it turned out great. I'd post pics if I could figure out how to get them on here.

If I can do a euro mount that turns out well, then anyone can. Here are the tips that I thought were most helpful.

1. Get a cheap pot to boil in. My wife picked up a $20 pot somewhere on sale, nothing fancy but worked perfectly and it is now my Euro pot.

2. Use a whole bottle of dawn dishwashing soap in the first two soaks, both just under boiling and lasting about 30 minutes each. Pull out and scrape.

3. Once the majority of your meat is off use a couple of scoops of Oxyclean detergent. Make sure to tape or tin foil the bases of your horns. The Oxyclean will add a light bleach to your skull. The big thing is that is melts the meat off which was great, turns it into jelly for a lack of a better description. Careful not to overflow with the Oxyclean, because it will bubble like crazy and turn everything chalky white when it dries.

4. The brain and the sinus cavities are the only really difficult parts. I kept it in the Oxyclean cooking and used a coat hanger/screwdriver to clean out. Really was easier than I expected.

5. I pulled it out and hosed it down. Set it up in front of my space heater in the garage. Then I used Clairol Creme #40 (I think it was around $20). Get a small paintbrush and coat the skull, every nook and cranny. Once you have it on set up in front of the space heater and leave it for an hour or so, come back and rotate it. Apply 2 or 3 coats.

That's it. I left my horns natural, with my tag still wrapped around it (North Dakota) and am very happy with the result. All in it took an afternoon to do 90% of the work, with the extra time dedicated to letting the bleach dry and reapplying.

I made a pot like in bootleggers thread. Found the warmer it is outside the better it works.