For years I have cleaned skulls as a hobby by burying them. The soil here in the northeast leaves iron oxide (rust) stains in the bone. Most of it can eventually be eliminated, but somet staining often remains. Hydrogen proxide, chlorine bleach, washing soda, 'Zud' and 'Iron Out' (stain removers), and sun bleaching have not worked. Any ideas?
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I would suggest you stop burying them, for you will not get all the stains out no matter what you do. There are other ways much better to do skulls, just punch in skull cleaning in the orange search button.
Depending how deep the staining goes - a light scouring can do the trick. Super fine sand papaer or steel wool. If you are serious about skull prep and insist on burying - you can use a tool that I use for fossil prep - an air abraitor... (sp?). It's essentially a mini sand blaster that shoots backing soda of various hardnesses. It can be used to mildly sandblast the surface celar of rust if it is superficial only.
Dilute (10%) Hydrochloric acid will eliminate rust, and won't harm the bone. You can buy the solution at Target or Big Lot's or your favorite expensive store ready made in a product called "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner. It runs around $1.00-$2.00 a liter. Place skull in a plastic or glass container and cover with the liquid. Dip in a soda bath to stop or neutralize and then rinse will with clean water and wash in Dawn. Repeat as necessary. Ammonia too may remove some stains.....DO NOT use chlorine bleach with the HCL or ammonia, or the HCL and ammonia in combination. In fact, do not use chlorine bleach at all.
try CLR. u can pick it up in any hardware store. it worked wonders on a old coon skull for me.