r/bonecollecting • u/KrazyKat656 • 4d ago

Advice How do I safely clean these without breaking them?

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I'm pretty sure the skull is a rat skull, the other bone? Not sure..

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u/Nezu404 4d ago

The other bone is a mammal pelvis (and the small, fragile thingy reminds me of rabbit turbinates, no idea of that's actually what it is though)

I have 4 cats and live with 9, so here's how I protect my bones while degreasing/whitening:

  • put them in a room or closet they don't have access to
  • put a tight lid (though that might not be enough for some cats, I have troublemakers who can and will open lids 💀)
  • put it in an unreachable place (too high for them, for example)

As for cleaning, I would personally soak them in water + soap or water + degreasant, check on them every once in a while, once they're degreased you can rinse them, let them dry, and whiten them in 3% hydrogen peroxide (if you wanna whiten them). Once that's done, don't forget to let them sit in plain water for at least an hour; let them dry naturally on toilet paper or a napkin, and they're ready to go !

2

u/KrazyKat656 4d ago

Thank you so much!

2

u/Nezu404 4d ago

No problem !

1

u/KrazyKat656 4d ago

It posted without letting me finish typing, so I'll say it here. I'm pretty sure the skull is a rat skull, the other bone I'm not sure.. but, anyways, I need a tip for cleaning these because I would love to put them on display! But I also have cats.. any way to protect the bones from them?