Ammonia Percentage

I think the ACE Hardware ammonia I use is 10%. It'll burn your nostrils if you get a whiff of it!

 

I have the hardware store 10%. Can't imagine what 27% would be like. The 10% is fierce.

 

Possibly nothing but, it might also not do a great job helping to get grease out. It emulsifies the fat but you still need water to give the grease someplace to go. If you get a steak with a bone or a raw chicken bone, try cleaning it by your method and toss it in a jaw with some undiluted and leave it for a few months as a test.
I degreased a large, greasy horse skull in a barrel of 10% that was mostly undiluted. About 9 or 10 gallons of it and maybe 3 or 4 gallons of water for 8 months. A bear sat in it undiluted for 6 months with no issues.

 

Most often I use 3-5%. I clean by maceration and is enough. Sometimes I use 25%, but I prefer to avoid if it is posible.

 

I use the 10% ace Ammonia. One round with Dawn then the rest of the degreasing just ammonia. It’s the best I’ve found so far. 3 cups per 5 gal water

 

You guys that use ammonia, do you use straight ammonia or just pour a percentage of it into water?

 

As above. Can be either.

 

Do you have a time limit as far as letting it set in there that may potentially do damage? I see above as you you left animals 4-8 months is that straight time and not coming out? Also how would you compare that to 115-120 w/ dawn vs ammonia not heated? I dont have a good way to yet heat the ammonia from the outside of the container. When you do heat it does it also need to be 115 or does a lower temp suffice it? As always thank you

 

Straight time for 6 months. Lid on and just left to sit. Heating ammonia scares me. The fumes are bad enough with the 10% that I think heating it would be toxic to even be in the same room with it. Heated Dawn vs ammonia seems to tackle different issues. Normally, Dawn is fine. Sometimes with a cup or two of ammonia added. I've had some hellish grease that was cut with ammonia that Dawn had a hard time with. 115 degrees if for most everything. Lower isn't going to really work well. 120 degrees for sheep and deer .. and pronghorns.

Russian grizzly. old skull that was boiled and sat for years stewing in it's own grease. Mold scrubbed off and an attempt to whiten it.
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Same skull, sat in almost straight 10% ammonia for at least 6 months.