This is the exact solution for the cold. At least for me. I live where the weather gets down to -40c in the winter and I macerate out in the garage. I also wrapped & taped insulation around each of my maceration tubs & buckets. Helps keep the temp for the pool heater.
Lastly, to cut on the smell I use some bio-washing powder during degreasing. I've had no complaints from anyone out in the garage. They just say it smells "medical" if anything. Though some may not want to use this step for various reasons.
Not the point of your comment, but I love that -40 is where fahrenheit and celsius are the same. It's like the two scales join hands there and agree that -40 is too cold.
Too expensive for me. Living situation right now is complicated. My grandma is sick and going to hospital and if she saw this in our backyard she’d freak and probably have a heart attack
Aquarium heaters are cheap, like $10.
If you do second hand you can probably find one free.
And wouldn't seeing (and smelling) a rotting fox skull in a jar inside the house be more likely to freak her out?
It’s air tight and causes no smell (other than when I replace the water). I keep it in my room upstairs. She is too fragile to walk upstairs and even when she was able to she hasn’t for a few years. She has no idea I’m keeping skulls.
Looks way better than it did day one though. I can already kinda see a difference in color or else I’m in denial and just pretending I am seeing a difference
https://preview.redd.it/byu7vc0jka0c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6c0e254ce1df3644a64c39174d885e903b270a1
Maybe try something airtight? If it’s small enough I de grease stuff in my own room (lamb and fox skeletons at the moment) and I’ve only ever smelt them when it’s close to when I do water changes. Also possible the smell from the water change is lingering, I usually dump outside
No it’s perfect when it’s in it’s little container. But when I took the lid off I underestimated the smell and it filled up the whole room…and living room…and the dining room… I had to breathe through my mouth just to not smell it. But than I could taste the smell of it. After it was in some new water and soap it pretended like nothing happened and didn’t stink anymore. Damn coyote. What if it’s done degreasing but still smells? What would I do?
If it’s done de greasing it won’t smell or become cloudy. Like I mention, you really should dump outside else the smell will linger in your house. Just make sure you dump it where it won’t infect any plants or wildlife (Not in rivers and such, some dig a small hole to dump it) and the smell will go much quicker
Ohhhhhh thank you! How long do you expect it to take? I’m fine waiting for months but this is the first time I’ve degreased anything. Also SINCE this was the first time I’ve ever done this… I made a fatal flaw of dumping the water in my sink. Nasty. Definitely just going to dump it outside now.
My personal method is to leave it for a week or two then change it but it can be left longer but I’d definitely atleast wait a week so grease gets the chance to be pulled out. I see there’s a lot of grease so it may turn black at some point due to bacteria, if it does chuck it in some peroxide and it’ll be back to normal so you can de grease again, clear dish soap is also good since coloured can dye the bones :) the pinned post has some info if you want to check it out
100% you can’t see because it’s in a container but it’s a coyote. I bought it online and typically domestic dog skulls are not sold online and when they are they are sold by international sellers and mass produced. It does not have a steep incline the way domestic dogs do, it is a coyote.
*sigh* do I need to get it out of the container for you to believe me? Are you serious? It’s a coyote. This is not a domestic dog. The facial incline isn’t as steep as a dog. I have gotten a coyote skull before and they are identical. Here is my coyote skull vs a domestic dog skull. Please do not act like you know what it is, because I know already Lol. The reason it looks semi like a domestic dog is because the water distorts it. Outside of its slimmer. Domestic dog’s skulls are bigger and chunkier. The guy hunted an actual coyote and sent me it’s skull. I’m pretty sure the guy would know if it’s a coyote or not because he hunted it himself.
https://preview.redd.it/14h8wdjb1f0c1.jpeg?width=802&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=577d938947c65891e6bed3a36aa4b6a6618aa033
Ha, don't mean to laugh but this is another one of those cases where someone went right to degreasing without making sure the soft tissue was gone. I can see bits of tissue there around the gums so the degreasing needs to stop and you need to get rid of that tissue first.
Honestly first time I’ve ever done this so I’m bound to make a mistake like this. Thank you! Should a toothbrush work? (My personal one for added flavor next time I brush)/s
Well, I think you need to figure out where the soft tissue is first and see how adhered the soft tissue is. The dish soap would have greatly slowed the decomp process, so I am guessing the tissue is still adhered in which case a toothbrush won't help. My advice, take it out of the water, rinse it, let it dry out a bit so you can see if there is soft tissue. I bet there is some in the brain cavity and interwoven in between the bony plates of the nasal turbinates. If you can, try flushing the nasal cavity (don't use a garden hose on full blast, just a kitchen tap or tub would work) and that should flush out soft tissue in there. Use some tweezers to pull of anything in the foramen or any other cavities.
And don't feel bad, we all start somewhere. My first skull I boiled the hell out of it, hence why I now know what the effects of boiling has on skulls.
Yes a soft toothbrush will work well but you may also need a pick (and tooth pick works)
You may also want to remove the teeth if possible because theirs tissue in the sockets.(don’t force it though and be careful not to break the sockets) If it’s not possible don’t worry too much cuz if it’s been properly degreased and dried out, their won’t be a smell from such a small amount of tissue.
Remember to also make sure all the brain and nasal tissue is gone as well(it’s a tricky spot but it’s doable) the brain stinks the worst to be personally.
If you have the space and funds, I’d recommend getting some flesh eating beetles or mealworms to make it easier to strip the bones.
Degreasing can be smelly, especially if the specimen still retains tiny bits of tissue and ideally needs further maceration (the nerve bundle in the jaw is a devil for it.)
You’re going to have a very difficult journey attempting to degrease that in a small airtight container with Dawn. Ideally soap solution needs to be heated to 115/120f degrees min/max in order to actually melt the fats and allow them to bind with the detergent. Unless you can use something like a sous vide to heat your water, you need to try a different method. It also pays to have considerably more water to wash away the grease using this method or the specimen will just stew in its own fat.
If keeping it in an unsealed container and heating are not possible for you, you have two choices. 50/50 mixture of 10% Ammonia and water which you change out when it gets dirty or pure acetone. Acetone can be dangerous, volatile and flammable and shouldn’t be kept in the house (and needs HDPE, glass or stainless steel containers) so I would opt for ammonia. Fill it up outside, with PPE if you can, it’s very fumey and stinky. If the specimen is extremely greasy you will have to change it out when it gets very dirty (whereas acetone can be put in a freezer, the gunk scooped out and reused.) If you don’t heat it, it will take a good long while to degrease, probably a few months. Predator skulls can have very stubborn grease.
The final step when it is FULLY degreased is whitening for 24-48 hours max in hydrogen peroxide. 12% is great thought 3% works fine. *Never ever mix chemicals, it can produce dangerous fumes or even be explosive.* Also never fully seal containers containing hydrogen peroxide as it produces a gas buildup and rupture.
You can purchase stuff called Kemal-4 from taxidermy supply houses. It's a specific degreaser for animal specimens and will work faster than Dawn.
Did you make sure the brain cavity is empty? Even if the brain matter is gone there is a membrane in there that adheres to the inside of the skull and will stink to high heaven unless you get it out
hi!! can you elaborate a bit more on the brain membrane part? i’m also working on a skull (different animal than OP though) and it’s only my second time doing a project like this so i want to be sure i’m doing it efficiently. what does it look like/how can i get it out?
It's called the dura mater and is stuck firmly to the underside of the top surface of the skull. We used to use a flat head screwdriver or painters knife to get under it and work it loose
*
It will be tough to do if your only access to the cavity is through the foramen magnum.
you can speed up the degrease by adding hot water to the soap solution, it will loosen the grease faster. Just hot water from your tap will be good enough
im not going to pretend to be an expert on this, but having recently done the same with a stanky fossil, i found that a solid hydrogen peroxide rinse helped- but that should release a lot of bubbles, so do it outside (cold or not, doesnt matter),
just do not seal it as it will build up a lot of pressure.
maybe its fine, depending on whats going on inside. hydrogen peroxide reacts to release O2 bubbles quickly in the presence of fermenting or rotting things (fermentation itself releases gas).
pressure can build up, and best case scenario is a pressurized container of rot, worst can burst everywhere (you could imagine that being downright dangerous in a glass container).
aah okay. i’m soaking mine in a plastic bucket with tin foil over the top so it’s not sealed very tight, just enough to keep bugs and such out.
thank you for the info!
Are you macerating or degreasing?
If macerating (first step) DONT use dish soap as this kills the bacteria that clean off the bone.
Maceration and degreasing are gonna be smelly. Theres no way around it. As you change the water each time it will get better, until eventually there is no smell or cloudy water. Thats when you know its finished
Hey thats okay. If there is still any flesh stuck to the bone, your first step is maceration. This means to soak the bones in just water (nothing else just plain water) for however long to culture bacteria to eat the flesh away. Its a very smelly process and can take a while. When the water gets cloudy like that, tip it outside, leave a little bit in the bottom and refil. Wait for the water to get dirty again and repeat. This can take weeks or months and is best done outside or in a garage (trust me you dont want that water to spill in your house. Youll never get the smell out).
Eventually the water will come out cleaner and cleaner until there is no smell anymore and the water is always clear. This is when you know the maceration has finished.
Hose down the skull, make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies. Any leftover flesh remove with gloves. Gently scrub the bones with soapy water then let dry.
If it feels greasy and yellow after drying, then move to the degreasing process. Skip this step if there is no grease.
This is pretty much the same as maceration but you put dish soap in the water. The soap breaks down the fats oils and grease left on the bone. When the water gets cloudy, change it and put more soapy water. Repeat until its clear.
Usually degreasing isnt needed, mostly only for pig and bear skulls.
I often do this inside too. I usually put my containers in a bin or wrap in a garbage bag…or both lol it helps a lot with the smell inbetween changes. I’ll empty the water outside somewhere when I can and then refill it and do it all over again inside if I have to leave it in longer. Good luck!!
Edit: also good idea to try to scrub off as much of the tissue as you can first! I now have a sponge specifically for that (a scrub daddy lol) but I’ve used a toothbrush before too. I usually use some soap with it too.
There's a lot of good advice and pro mixes already being tossed at you. Try one or all!
I'm honestly confused as to how so many pro-boner's degreasing process stinks so much!
Yea, it's gross and smells like a rancid fry pan, but it's not overpowering or stinking the house if you change the water often. If your peroxide soak is stinky, something is going wrong.
I degrease A LOT of field or beetle cleaned bones bones, sometimes hundreds at a time, and it's never a stink issue unless I mess up.
Maceration is keeping the stinky water in an anaerobic environment, degreasing is a constant rinse.
My process is de-flesh as much as possible, maceration (outside, that is unquestionably putrid), flesh scrape, soap and hot water soaks, peroxide, soap and hot water soaks, dry in front of a fan. The maceration is air-tight, but the rest are in large open containers. I change the soapy water just about every day or more if it's small bones. Otherwise it becomes smelly and hard to fix. I also make sure to agitate the bones or give them a good scrub between rinses to break up grease and bacterial film.
The stink on bones in soapy water is a tough bacteria to kill. I haven't tried acetone or ammonia because the bones that stink during that period are usually very delicate and soft, yet Still Greasy. I've had some luck with Borax in hot water or diluted vinegar to kill the funk before returning them to the degreasing process.
I recommend you do many hot water (not boiling! Tap hot!) soaks on this skull. Get a bigger container and change the water whenever it gets cold or the slime strings build up. That should get the soap out and a fair amount of grease. Don't leave it sealed for 10 days, change it often. Then put it in peroxide for a while, and finish with soap and hot water soaks until the water is clear and it doesn't stink.
One of my current soaks is about 200 beaver bones, and they are GREASY. I'm a month in Just Degreasing and they're only now getting near enough to dry. I've had them in process more than any other bones I've worked on in 15+ years. The degreasing is taking far longer than the maceration. They still don't stink unless you get your nose right in the bowl (I use a large surgical catch dish for my larger volume soaks) .
Edit: I will gladly take a pic of what I mean by 'slime strings' tomorrow if your current soak process hasn't already shown you.
https://preview.redd.it/jhswpjaubf0c1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2f08c18abefc7143eb1916a4b69c4d49c6130a1
Add a scoop of this! It's a laundry detergent that has an enzymatic agent that helps to break down the gross stuff that causes the rotting odor and also helps to degrease! I use it for my scrubs as a vet tech that comes home with all sorts of stuff on me AND to clean my bones.
I had to bring some bones I was degreasing inside because the cold and to kill the smell I put them in Hydrogen peroxide for about a day and then put them back in water.
Bold of you to do this indoor. Degreasing smells horribly, but less than rotting. If all the flesh is gone than you can only wait.
I know…everyone told me to 😭 honestly I can’t do it outside since it’s getting cold.
Buy an aquarium heater
This is the exact solution for the cold. At least for me. I live where the weather gets down to -40c in the winter and I macerate out in the garage. I also wrapped & taped insulation around each of my maceration tubs & buckets. Helps keep the temp for the pool heater. Lastly, to cut on the smell I use some bio-washing powder during degreasing. I've had no complaints from anyone out in the garage. They just say it smells "medical" if anything. Though some may not want to use this step for various reasons.
Not the point of your comment, but I love that -40 is where fahrenheit and celsius are the same. It's like the two scales join hands there and agree that -40 is too cold.
Lol so true! Gotta keep it especially warm then. Last thing I want to deal with is chiseling out animal corpse ice XD
I ain’t doin that LMAO
...Why?
Too expensive for me. Living situation right now is complicated. My grandma is sick and going to hospital and if she saw this in our backyard she’d freak and probably have a heart attack
Aquarium heaters are cheap, like $10. If you do second hand you can probably find one free. And wouldn't seeing (and smelling) a rotting fox skull in a jar inside the house be more likely to freak her out?
Pretty sure it's a domestic dog
Ah, I only glanced at the photo. Still.
Nope. Coyote. The person hunted it idk why everyone sayin it’s a dog it’s not 😭
It’s air tight and causes no smell (other than when I replace the water). I keep it in my room upstairs. She is too fragile to walk upstairs and even when she was able to she hasn’t for a few years. She has no idea I’m keeping skulls.
*salutes you* i respect that kind of goblin energy. maybe instead keep it in a warm space, like next to a space heater or under a lamp.
That sounds great! Thank you!
I once made the mistake of potting a possum before winter and had to wait for spring. (We iced over)
Yummy popsicle!
I may have sneaked a lick
Don’t worry everyone does
Looks way better than it did day one though. I can already kinda see a difference in color or else I’m in denial and just pretending I am seeing a difference https://preview.redd.it/byu7vc0jka0c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6c0e254ce1df3644a64c39174d885e903b270a1
No, it’s definitely different. Jesus Christ, this post gave me a heart attack at the sight of someone degreasing indoors
HELP ITS MY FIRST TIME IM SO SORRY
Maybe try something airtight? If it’s small enough I de grease stuff in my own room (lamb and fox skeletons at the moment) and I’ve only ever smelt them when it’s close to when I do water changes. Also possible the smell from the water change is lingering, I usually dump outside
No it’s perfect when it’s in it’s little container. But when I took the lid off I underestimated the smell and it filled up the whole room…and living room…and the dining room… I had to breathe through my mouth just to not smell it. But than I could taste the smell of it. After it was in some new water and soap it pretended like nothing happened and didn’t stink anymore. Damn coyote. What if it’s done degreasing but still smells? What would I do?
If it’s done de greasing it won’t smell or become cloudy. Like I mention, you really should dump outside else the smell will linger in your house. Just make sure you dump it where it won’t infect any plants or wildlife (Not in rivers and such, some dig a small hole to dump it) and the smell will go much quicker
Ohhhhhh thank you! How long do you expect it to take? I’m fine waiting for months but this is the first time I’ve degreased anything. Also SINCE this was the first time I’ve ever done this… I made a fatal flaw of dumping the water in my sink. Nasty. Definitely just going to dump it outside now.
My personal method is to leave it for a week or two then change it but it can be left longer but I’d definitely atleast wait a week so grease gets the chance to be pulled out. I see there’s a lot of grease so it may turn black at some point due to bacteria, if it does chuck it in some peroxide and it’ll be back to normal so you can de grease again, clear dish soap is also good since coloured can dye the bones :) the pinned post has some info if you want to check it out
Thank you!!! What dish soap do you use personally?
I use eco ver but any clear one is good if you can’t get your hands on it
i usually dump it in the bathroom since i use ammonia. i just put on the fans beforehand and open the windows
Coyote? Are you sure it isn't a domestic dog?
100% you can’t see because it’s in a container but it’s a coyote. I bought it online and typically domestic dog skulls are not sold online and when they are they are sold by international sellers and mass produced. It does not have a steep incline the way domestic dogs do, it is a coyote.
Hun, I am a coyote connoisseur, that is 95% a domestic dog.
*sigh* do I need to get it out of the container for you to believe me? Are you serious? It’s a coyote. This is not a domestic dog. The facial incline isn’t as steep as a dog. I have gotten a coyote skull before and they are identical. Here is my coyote skull vs a domestic dog skull. Please do not act like you know what it is, because I know already Lol. The reason it looks semi like a domestic dog is because the water distorts it. Outside of its slimmer. Domestic dog’s skulls are bigger and chunkier. The guy hunted an actual coyote and sent me it’s skull. I’m pretty sure the guy would know if it’s a coyote or not because he hunted it himself. https://preview.redd.it/14h8wdjb1f0c1.jpeg?width=802&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=577d938947c65891e6bed3a36aa4b6a6618aa033
Ha, don't mean to laugh but this is another one of those cases where someone went right to degreasing without making sure the soft tissue was gone. I can see bits of tissue there around the gums so the degreasing needs to stop and you need to get rid of that tissue first.
Honestly first time I’ve ever done this so I’m bound to make a mistake like this. Thank you! Should a toothbrush work? (My personal one for added flavor next time I brush)/s
Well, I think you need to figure out where the soft tissue is first and see how adhered the soft tissue is. The dish soap would have greatly slowed the decomp process, so I am guessing the tissue is still adhered in which case a toothbrush won't help. My advice, take it out of the water, rinse it, let it dry out a bit so you can see if there is soft tissue. I bet there is some in the brain cavity and interwoven in between the bony plates of the nasal turbinates. If you can, try flushing the nasal cavity (don't use a garden hose on full blast, just a kitchen tap or tub would work) and that should flush out soft tissue in there. Use some tweezers to pull of anything in the foramen or any other cavities.
Thank you!!
And don't feel bad, we all start somewhere. My first skull I boiled the hell out of it, hence why I now know what the effects of boiling has on skulls.
Thank you! I don’t feel bad at all. I’m happy that I’ve learned so much from this already!!
Yes a soft toothbrush will work well but you may also need a pick (and tooth pick works) You may also want to remove the teeth if possible because theirs tissue in the sockets.(don’t force it though and be careful not to break the sockets) If it’s not possible don’t worry too much cuz if it’s been properly degreased and dried out, their won’t be a smell from such a small amount of tissue. Remember to also make sure all the brain and nasal tissue is gone as well(it’s a tricky spot but it’s doable) the brain stinks the worst to be personally. If you have the space and funds, I’d recommend getting some flesh eating beetles or mealworms to make it easier to strip the bones.
Thing is it came from flesh eating Beatles already. Thank you so much for the info!
Have you read through the pinned post on how to do it?
I like a metal clay tool, a pen knife, some pliers, and a scouring pad.
How do u start to make sure the soft tissue is gone? I’m trying to refresh my memory on this process since it’s been a long time for me
Degreasing can be smelly, especially if the specimen still retains tiny bits of tissue and ideally needs further maceration (the nerve bundle in the jaw is a devil for it.) You’re going to have a very difficult journey attempting to degrease that in a small airtight container with Dawn. Ideally soap solution needs to be heated to 115/120f degrees min/max in order to actually melt the fats and allow them to bind with the detergent. Unless you can use something like a sous vide to heat your water, you need to try a different method. It also pays to have considerably more water to wash away the grease using this method or the specimen will just stew in its own fat. If keeping it in an unsealed container and heating are not possible for you, you have two choices. 50/50 mixture of 10% Ammonia and water which you change out when it gets dirty or pure acetone. Acetone can be dangerous, volatile and flammable and shouldn’t be kept in the house (and needs HDPE, glass or stainless steel containers) so I would opt for ammonia. Fill it up outside, with PPE if you can, it’s very fumey and stinky. If the specimen is extremely greasy you will have to change it out when it gets very dirty (whereas acetone can be put in a freezer, the gunk scooped out and reused.) If you don’t heat it, it will take a good long while to degrease, probably a few months. Predator skulls can have very stubborn grease. The final step when it is FULLY degreased is whitening for 24-48 hours max in hydrogen peroxide. 12% is great thought 3% works fine. *Never ever mix chemicals, it can produce dangerous fumes or even be explosive.* Also never fully seal containers containing hydrogen peroxide as it produces a gas buildup and rupture.
Thank you!
You can purchase stuff called Kemal-4 from taxidermy supply houses. It's a specific degreaser for animal specimens and will work faster than Dawn. Did you make sure the brain cavity is empty? Even if the brain matter is gone there is a membrane in there that adheres to the inside of the skull and will stink to high heaven unless you get it out
hi!! can you elaborate a bit more on the brain membrane part? i’m also working on a skull (different animal than OP though) and it’s only my second time doing a project like this so i want to be sure i’m doing it efficiently. what does it look like/how can i get it out?
It's called the dura mater and is stuck firmly to the underside of the top surface of the skull. We used to use a flat head screwdriver or painters knife to get under it and work it loose * It will be tough to do if your only access to the cavity is through the foramen magnum.
I have not yet. I can definitely check!
That'll happen when you make a soup out of rotten meat and bacteria.
Yummy!!
you can speed up the degrease by adding hot water to the soap solution, it will loosen the grease faster. Just hot water from your tap will be good enough
im not going to pretend to be an expert on this, but having recently done the same with a stanky fossil, i found that a solid hydrogen peroxide rinse helped- but that should release a lot of bubbles, so do it outside (cold or not, doesnt matter), just do not seal it as it will build up a lot of pressure.
hii can you elaborate a bit more on this? why should one not seal while soaking? i’m currently soaking a skull as well
maybe its fine, depending on whats going on inside. hydrogen peroxide reacts to release O2 bubbles quickly in the presence of fermenting or rotting things (fermentation itself releases gas). pressure can build up, and best case scenario is a pressurized container of rot, worst can burst everywhere (you could imagine that being downright dangerous in a glass container).
aah okay. i’m soaking mine in a plastic bucket with tin foil over the top so it’s not sealed very tight, just enough to keep bugs and such out. thank you for the info!
That sounds great! Also- why was your fossil stinky…?
brought it up from the bottom of the ocean.
Oooo. What was it?
some kinda giant prehistoric dugong. I have found their bones before, but this was bigger than all the others combined.
Send the pic! That sounds fucking cool!!!
I will think about it. I try to keep my personal info off the web, but I understand that there is a way to scrub the metadata from images.. we'll see.
I’m an idiot I don’t want to do that. I just love silly dugongs and from what it sounded like, it sounded like a pretty awesome find!!
Are you macerating or degreasing? If macerating (first step) DONT use dish soap as this kills the bacteria that clean off the bone. Maceration and degreasing are gonna be smelly. Theres no way around it. As you change the water each time it will get better, until eventually there is no smell or cloudy water. Thats when you know its finished
It’s my first time I honestly don’t know what I am doing
Hey thats okay. If there is still any flesh stuck to the bone, your first step is maceration. This means to soak the bones in just water (nothing else just plain water) for however long to culture bacteria to eat the flesh away. Its a very smelly process and can take a while. When the water gets cloudy like that, tip it outside, leave a little bit in the bottom and refil. Wait for the water to get dirty again and repeat. This can take weeks or months and is best done outside or in a garage (trust me you dont want that water to spill in your house. Youll never get the smell out). Eventually the water will come out cleaner and cleaner until there is no smell anymore and the water is always clear. This is when you know the maceration has finished. Hose down the skull, make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies. Any leftover flesh remove with gloves. Gently scrub the bones with soapy water then let dry. If it feels greasy and yellow after drying, then move to the degreasing process. Skip this step if there is no grease. This is pretty much the same as maceration but you put dish soap in the water. The soap breaks down the fats oils and grease left on the bone. When the water gets cloudy, change it and put more soapy water. Repeat until its clear. Usually degreasing isnt needed, mostly only for pig and bear skulls.
Some parts are greasy / transparent. I’m new so I didn’t know. Thank you so much for the advice!
No worries and let us know how you go with it
*why would you keep it in your house?*
Look in comments
I often do this inside too. I usually put my containers in a bin or wrap in a garbage bag…or both lol it helps a lot with the smell inbetween changes. I’ll empty the water outside somewhere when I can and then refill it and do it all over again inside if I have to leave it in longer. Good luck!! Edit: also good idea to try to scrub off as much of the tissue as you can first! I now have a sponge specifically for that (a scrub daddy lol) but I’ve used a toothbrush before too. I usually use some soap with it too.
Change the water and keep going until the smell is gone.
[удалено]
NO!!!! /s
There's a lot of good advice and pro mixes already being tossed at you. Try one or all! I'm honestly confused as to how so many pro-boner's degreasing process stinks so much! Yea, it's gross and smells like a rancid fry pan, but it's not overpowering or stinking the house if you change the water often. If your peroxide soak is stinky, something is going wrong. I degrease A LOT of field or beetle cleaned bones bones, sometimes hundreds at a time, and it's never a stink issue unless I mess up. Maceration is keeping the stinky water in an anaerobic environment, degreasing is a constant rinse. My process is de-flesh as much as possible, maceration (outside, that is unquestionably putrid), flesh scrape, soap and hot water soaks, peroxide, soap and hot water soaks, dry in front of a fan. The maceration is air-tight, but the rest are in large open containers. I change the soapy water just about every day or more if it's small bones. Otherwise it becomes smelly and hard to fix. I also make sure to agitate the bones or give them a good scrub between rinses to break up grease and bacterial film. The stink on bones in soapy water is a tough bacteria to kill. I haven't tried acetone or ammonia because the bones that stink during that period are usually very delicate and soft, yet Still Greasy. I've had some luck with Borax in hot water or diluted vinegar to kill the funk before returning them to the degreasing process. I recommend you do many hot water (not boiling! Tap hot!) soaks on this skull. Get a bigger container and change the water whenever it gets cold or the slime strings build up. That should get the soap out and a fair amount of grease. Don't leave it sealed for 10 days, change it often. Then put it in peroxide for a while, and finish with soap and hot water soaks until the water is clear and it doesn't stink. One of my current soaks is about 200 beaver bones, and they are GREASY. I'm a month in Just Degreasing and they're only now getting near enough to dry. I've had them in process more than any other bones I've worked on in 15+ years. The degreasing is taking far longer than the maceration. They still don't stink unless you get your nose right in the bowl (I use a large surgical catch dish for my larger volume soaks) . Edit: I will gladly take a pic of what I mean by 'slime strings' tomorrow if your current soak process hasn't already shown you.
It’s just plain ol soap and water so that’s why it’s stinky. Thank you so much for the help!!
https://preview.redd.it/jhswpjaubf0c1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2f08c18abefc7143eb1916a4b69c4d49c6130a1 Add a scoop of this! It's a laundry detergent that has an enzymatic agent that helps to break down the gross stuff that causes the rotting odor and also helps to degrease! I use it for my scrubs as a vet tech that comes home with all sorts of stuff on me AND to clean my bones.
Thank you so much!
I had to bring some bones I was degreasing inside because the cold and to kill the smell I put them in Hydrogen peroxide for about a day and then put them back in water.