Okay, so, I got it in my head that I wanted to try something new. I’ve always been fascinated by bones and natural history stuff, so I decided to try cleaning and preserving a horse jaw bone. Yep, you heard that right.
Finding the Starting Point
First, I needed a bone. Luckily,I managed to find one from the animal, which is perfect for this little project.
The Dirty Work Begins
Step one: Get rid of the big, obvious chunks of… well, you know. I used a good, stiff-bristled brush, some old knives I didn’t mind ruining, and a lot of running water from the garden hose. My goal: stripping off anything that wasn’t bone. It was messy, and it definitely didn’t smell like roses, I started scrubbing, picking, and rinsing. And rinsing. And rinsing some more.
The Long Soak
- I got a big, sturdy bucket – one I definitely won’t be using for anything else, ever again.
- Filled it with water. Plain old water.
- Plunked the jaw bone in.
The point of this is to let the water do its thing – loosen up any remaining soft tissue and start the decomposition process. I changed the water every day. Every. Single. Day. It was gross, but I kept at it.
Degreasing
After a few weeks of soaking, I figured it was time to tackle the grease. Bones are naturally greasy, and that grease can cause discoloration and a nasty smell over time. So, I switched to a degreasing bath.
- New bucket (thank goodness!).
- Water, again.
- A generous squirt of dish soap. The kind you use for really greasy pans.
I let the bone soak in this soapy water, and same deal – I change the water daily.
Whitening (Optional, But Nice)
Once the bone seemed grease-free, I thought it was a good time to consider whether to whiten * you want that super-clean, white look, this is where it happens. I decided to go for it.
- Yet another clean bucket.
- Water.
- And here’s the key: hydrogen peroxide. Not the super-strong stuff, just the regular kind you get at the drugstore.
The Final Touches
After the whitening bath,I did a lot more washing. I let the bone dry completely in the sun and fresh air. It took a few days, but eventually, it was bone-dry, clean, and a whole lot less smelly. And it actually looks pretty darn cool!
So, there you have it. My adventure in bone cleaning. It was a bit messy, a bit smelly, and definitely a learning experience. But, I ended up with a pretty awesome (and slightly creepy) piece of natural art. Would I do it again? Probably! Maybe with something a little smaller next time, though…
