I have quite a few mounted heads that are more than 40 years old. They have been hanging in a smoking household for all that time. So some of them -- especially the pronghorns -- are pretty grungy looking with the white more of a tan.

I read somewhere a while back that plain old Windex would do a decent clean up of nicotine and other grunge. So I tested it it on one tiny area using a dampened paper towel to apply it. Two swipes and the towel was quite yellow, while the spot on the 'lope looked almost white.

Now the question:

Will using the Windex, with its obvious ammonia, do any damage as long as I merely clean the outer surfaces and don't soak the hide?? -TONY

I have used a light spray of Windex before as more of an aid to dusting a mount than for cleaning up really dirty mounts. I have heard that it can make the hair brittle over time but I have not seen this myself. If they are really dirty, I would use something else. Wiping with a damp cloth (water)in the direction of the hair may be better. If the skins have been tanned and not "dry preserved" they can be washed, shampooed and blow dried. Do not try this if you do not know how the skin was treated.

40 years of smoke damage may be impossible to remove.

I would not recommend the windex, but would this for sure
http://taxidermistmagic.com/

Grafton,

I doubt any of the hides are dry preserved, whatever that means. All three taxidermists I've used over the last 45 years have sent their hides to the tanneries. I would assume then that they are tanned in the standard fashion.

I also have a soap called Sport Wash, which is sold by Atsko, Inc. - the same company that makes SnoSeal. It is very concentrated and only takes a small capful to do a wash machine load of clothes.

I'm good friends with the owner of Atsko who is an avid hunter, and he tells me the SW is nothing more than the rebottled version of the bulk solution textile makers use to wash out the oils used during the weaving process. It is non-petroleum based and is actually safe enough to use to wash one's hair or brush one's teeth. No after odor and rinses out completely.

I haven't tried it on a mount yet but will do so before I attempt to do one with the Windex.

bo-n-aro,

The TAXIDERMIST MAGIC doesn't appear to be a cleaning solution but more of something to make already CLEAN mounts look nicer. Comments?? -TONY

Tony, good luck but proceed at your own risk!

Here is how I wash a mount. I take it outside on a mounting stand, spray it down lightly with a water hose and then shampoo with Pert Plus (any normal, mild shampoo should work) rinse with the hose to get all the soap out. Try not to "soak" the skin just get all the soap out of the hair and only use as much water as needed. You do not want to rehydrate the skin or any glues that were used. Towel off, blow dry with a pet blower, hair dryer on cool setting, or reversed shop vac. Groom and retouch any finish work if needed.

If you are going to do this I would start with a mount that is your least favorite and do a test area first.

"Dry preserve" is borax. Some taxidermists simply use this powdered dry preserve on a clean but raw skin. They are not tanned and if these kind of skins ever get soaked they can rehydrate, fall apart, and rot. I would talk with the taxidermist who did the mounts if possible and get their opinion.

I have used Taxidermy Magic to give some shine/luster to hair but never as a cleaning agent. I agree that it is not really designed for that purpose.

Grafton,

Thanks for the info on the complete shampoo. I wasn't aware I could actually get the mount that wet. It just seems the whole process from the first spray to the final rinse would amount to a lot of wetting. I guess the secret is to keep the water to the barest minimum and hope the paint isn't water-based.

The borax thingie is what I thought you meant, thus I know that wasn't used for any of the mounts unless the commercial tanneries would do it, which I doubt.

Thanks again. -TONY

I would consider what you are describing to me as a cleaning /restoration. This may or may not require re-painting in some areas. Again, proceed with care. You may want to shampoo a small area of a dirty white area and see if it cleans it well. If you run into trouble, take them to your taxidermist.

No sweat if they will need some paint touch-ups.

I own an airbrush and usually paint my own mounted fish after someone else gets them to that stage. Reason: most taxidermists do not have the time to spend getting the fish just right. In contrast, I have plenty of time; it's money that's in short supply.

Other than being sort of dingy looking, all the mounts are in excellent shape. I think the shampoo or Windex clean-up will get them looking good again. -TONY

Regular dusting and spray can products for cleaning artificial flowers and plants is the product to use to keep mounts looking nice for a long time. For really dirty mounts you have to to wipe down each mount with a warm water damp cloth from a bowl that has a heafty mix of Tide in it.