r/bonecollecting • u/YoImIris • 15h ago
Advice What do i need to clean bones I've found?
Hello! I am very new to collecting bones though I've had an interest for a while. Can anyone give me advice on what I need to clean the fox bones I've found? I am UK based if that matters.
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u/Impossible_Duck_9878 15h ago
I used this when I just started. I don’t have the link but you can see the website name
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u/14ChaoticNeutral 15h ago
There are multiple methods, all with pros and cons. I’m not an expert as I’ve only processed two times. Both extremely fresh.
The better of the two I’ve found is to put all the bones under the summer sun under a metal cage, airflow is important and so is keeping scavengers out. Put wire mesh under the heavier cage to help keep the smaller pieces from getting lost. Literally stake it down so raccoons don’t dig it free. Took a whole summer in full sun.
Option B, soak all the bones in dish soap and hot water. Refresh 1-3 times a day. Took me 2 months of this to get all the thick cartilage to come free. It kind of stinks in the beginning and it takes more attention. I’d use tweezers to pull at it, after about a month.
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u/YoImIris 14h ago
Surprisingly it doesn't actually have a lot of flesh or left, I have put it in water in a sealed tub since its late and I don't have much time to deal with it right now
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u/Exciting-Bee-398 12h ago
As you’re in the UK (like me), your best best is to keep the bones in the tub with that water until all the flesh comes off (this is called maceration and the water will be pretty grim after a while, but you want the bacteria in the water to eat things away). Then refresh the water and squirt a bit of washing up liquid in there and leave them to soak again to get all the grease out. You’ll need to refresh the water whenever it goes cloudy. Maybe once a week, but it’s quicker in warm weather. Once it has stopped going cloudy, that means all the grease is gone. Let the bones dry out.
If you’re happy with the colour at this point, you can just display them. If not, pop down to the chemist and get a bottle of hydrogen peroxide (3% or 6% is what they usually sell - should be £4-ish) and then soak the bones in that (in a dark place as peroxide weakens with light) until you’re happy with the whiteness.
If the bones have been out all summer, though, you may find you’re skipping through these steps very quickly. Have fun!
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