caldigger Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 I can't remember if I brought this subject up before or not. During last years storms I gathered some bones (modern) along the beach that were washed ashore. I would like to find a way to clean out the stench from the rotting marrow so they can be displayed indoors without suffering the vomitous gagging from the smell. I have had them "airing out" in a field for almost a year and Mr. Stink just won't go away. I believe taxidermist usually boil out the marrow to clean bones, but these are a bit too big to fit a boiling pot. I was contemplating soaking them in a diluted bleach solution to hopefully take the smell away. Any thoughts from the peanut gallery? I live in a small apartment so any large scale operation is somewhat out of the question. Have any of our illustrious peers out there had much practice with cleaning modern bone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 An anthill for cleaning small animals. Put the corpse nearby under a flowerpot to deter larger scavengers. I don't think that will help for marrow in large bones unless they are broken. 1 Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Although I've never been in this situation, bleach would be my guess as well, it would kill all the decomposers. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplomado Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Boiling and bleach will both damage bones. Don't do it. To clean bones, you can submerge them in a bucket of water (cold water maceration) for a long time. Afterwards, to get the grease out (which will make it yellow) soak it in ammonia or acetone for an extended period. A soak in hydrogen peroxide afterwards will whiten them up. It is not a fast process. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 http://www.jakes-bones.com/p/how-to-clean-animal-bones.html?m=1 might help. John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 8 hours ago, aplomado said: Boiling and bleach will both damage bones. Don't do it. To clean bones, you can submerge them in a bucket of water (cold water maceration) for a long time. Afterwards, to get the grease out (which will make it yellow) soak it in ammonia or acetone for an extended period. A soak in hydrogen peroxide afterwards will whiten them up. It is not a fast process. Unfortunately, macerating in a small apartment would deem my place unlivable and the amount of chemicals these would require will bankrupt me. Each bone is roughly 36" x 24"x 14" ( this would take huge amounts of chemicals!) On the bleach note, I was thinking more on the lines of dilution more like strong pool water to kill off those nasty bacterium. Not straight bleach, which is more likely what Jake is warning us not to use. Yes, you are correct, I misspoke. I was thinking simmer but said boil. Simmering is the correct verbiage. Either way the soup would be really grotesque. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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