Soda Ash

[Bill . S]

I've been looking for a straight yes or no on using sada ash for skull cleaning through the site but havent found what I need . Is soda ash something you can use effectively or will it damage the skull ? If it is useable can you help me out with the proper ratio ? Thanks for any help .

[Dennis Bragg]

Yes it helps. When I used it I would put about one table spoon in the pot to simmer, not boil, the meat off of one skull. Boiling will cause more harm than anything.

[matt dockstader]

I have used it in the past it works good enough... I like to use oxyclean now tho... It whitens skulls very well

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[dog sick]

matt oxyclean helps brake down the meat? or helps whitens the scull

[turkeyjim]

I found soda ash made my skulls want to flake some of the bone off. Baking soda, and dawn dish soap, 40 volume peroxide and ultra white, and a little heat.
Jim

[Bill . S]

I already have soda ash but if it damages I certainly dont want to use it !   
Jim , Whats the ratio you use on your mix , I think I would like to give it a shot !
Thanks everyone for the input and education !

[cyclone]

Your baking soda breaks down to sodium carbonate (soda ash)  when heated in solution...

[matt dockstader]

No the oxyclean whitens... for breaking down meat and grease I use simple green... A lot of guys use dawn but personally I like the way the simple green performs a little bit more than the dawn...

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[whitetailtaxidermist]

I have been using Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda laundry detergent.  I SIMMER for about 45 minutes, with one cup of the powder, then remove meat.  I then re-simmer for 15 minute increments, each tiime adding a bit more powder.  When the meat is off, I soak in a 40% hydrogen peroxide from Sallys beauty supply for about 48 hours, then put out in the sun for a day or two.  That works for me, but I'm interested learning better ways to bleach skulls...Matt, how do you use the Simple Green?

[turkeyjim]

http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,125076.0.html
Try this it works for me. I don't know why, but the soda ash I got from McKenzie always made my skulls flake pretty bad. But the baking soda hasn't. I started putting about 1/4 cup of dawn in with a cup of baking soda during the simmering process. The rest I just do like Mike does. They turn out very nice.
Jim

[matt dockstader]

I use it instead of dawn to degrease I use about a cup or two for about 3 gal of water... And about 2 scoops of the oxyclean it turns the meat and fat to jelly and about 90% of it slips right off in about an hour or so.  then just work the rest off by hand and it comes out great... Then I whiten with vlight hair bleach with 40 vol activator... For about an hour wrapped in plastic wrap either left in the sun or near another heat source (most people go longer but when the bleach starts to dry it stops working) I have had no problems or complaints thus far!

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