Cleaning antlers on european mounts

[npaden]

I have a few older European mounts that have been in my barn for a while and the skulls are pretty clean but some of them have some dirt or sticky stuff on the antlers. I’ve tried cleaning them with just a wet rag but it doesn’t come off very well. I’m hesitant to use anything much stronger as I don’t want to bleach the antler color off.





The worst is where the tag was taped on, it is pretty obvious there.

Any recommendations?

Thanks, Nathan

 

[p_ham]

I use dish soap and a brush. Haven't lost any color yet.

 

[noharleyyet]

Try Dawn Nathan.

 

[RockinU]

Weirdly enough, I had a taxidermist tell me to spray a little wd-40 on a rag and wipe them down...it worked.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Weirdly enough, I had a taxidermist tell me to spray a little wd-40 on a rag and wipe them down...it worked.

Weirdly enough, I had a taxidermist tell me to spray a little wd-40 on a rag and wipe them down...it worked.

Thats what I do,works great.

 

[Greyman]

If you ever do bleach the antler color off, brown shoe polish will bring it right back.

 

[npaden]

Thanks. I've used Dawn dishwashing soap in the degreasing process of the actual skull in the past but have always worked to keep everything off the antlers. That skull ended up falling and busting the nose bones so it has sat in the barn for several years but is more deserving of being inside so I brought it up to my office. Now I look at it throughout the day and the spot on the antlers where the tag was bothers me so much I am going to have to do something about it.

I will update once I try the ideas mentioned.

Thanks, Nathan

 

[kmott]

If you ever do bleach the antler color off, brown shoe polish will bring it right back.

or … go all natural. get a nice sappy pine branch an rub it on the antler

 

[Hunter&Huntress]

For my taxidermy I use liquid gold. It really brings of the color in the horns. I don't suggest using dawn it could start to take the color away.

 

[TwistedSage]

Weirdly enough, I had a taxidermist tell me to spray a little wd-40 on a rag and wipe them down...it worked.

Well I'll be damned, another use for WD. Side note wd40 will also get crayon off a TV screen without damage.

 

[RockinU]

...good to know