Wear gloves and thoroughly wash your hands, arms or any other body part that comes into contact with the carcass. You may also want a surgical mask during the flesh removal process.
Cold water maceration is a long process that involves letting the skull soak in room temperature water with a small amount of cold-water laundry detergent. These detergents have enzymes that will break down organic matter. This is the safest way to clean the skull and leave it intact. This can take from a few days to a few weeks to complete, depending on the size of the skull. [3] X Research source Hot water maceration, also known as “cooking” the skull, involves placing the skull in hot water with the enzyme detergent and simmering (not boiling) it. You can use a stove top or hot plate. The animal skull needs to be watched carefully, since simmering it for too long or boiling it will damage the skull by cooking the grease into it. [4] X Research source Another method of removing flesh from bone is to put the skull on top of an anthill be sure to put it in a small cage or otherwise protect it from being damaged or taken by animals. The ants will clean every bit of flesh from the skull without damaging the structural integrity of it.
Use latex gloves when working with the raw material. Change the water every day or when it gets cloudy. This step is done when the water is clear after a day.
Leave the skull on a towel and several sheets of paper towels. Keep it inside so it doesn’t attract scavenging animals or bugs.
Do not use chlorine bleach, because this can damage bone and teeth. This turns the skull a bright white. Skulls are naturally an off-white to yellowish color. Leave the skull in the water for at least 24 hours.
Use some cotton balls soaked in glue. Wrap a bit of the cotton around the tooth and insert it into the socket.
