How to Clean Deer Head Mounts

Table of Contents:

You Will Need
Steps to Clean the Mounts
Additional Tips and Advice

Diane asked: How do I clean deer head mounts? Can you tell me how to clean complete deer head mounts with fur? They have dust and smoke from the wood stove in the house. Is there a product to buy or something to wash the fur? Thank you.

The key to keeping head mounts clean is regular maintenance, but even if they’re overdue for a good cleaning you can have them looking great in no time. Simply follow these steps.

You Will Need:

A paintbrush or other soft bristle brush
A sponge
Water
Mild dish soap
A bucket
White vinegar
Clean cloth
Cotton swabs
Glass cleaner

Steps to Clean the Mounts:

Begin by brushing off as much dust and debris as possible with a soft bristle brush. One if our site users wrote in (Thanks!) to say that a paintbrush works well for this.
Mix a few drops of mild dish soap with warm water in the bucket. Agitate it to get a slightly sudsy solution.
Dip the sponge in the soapy water to saturate it, then squeeze it out so it’s damp (not wet). Wipe the animal following the lay of the hair, not against it.
Rinse the sponge frequently as you work.
Once you’ve wiped down the entire head, deodorize it by wiping it down with a cloth dampened with vinegar. The vinegar smell will dissipate as it dries, taking unwanted odors with it.
Finally, clean the eyes with cotton swabs dipped in glass cleaner.

Additional Tips and Advice

Although it’s possible to remove dust with a vacuum attachment, do so at your own risk. There’s no way of knowing ahead of time whether the suction will cause damage to the mount.
Only use a damp sponge to clean. If you soak the deer head with a wet sponge, it may affect the appearance and/or cause damage.
To dry dust the head mount, wipe it periodically with a microfiber cloth. Always work with the lay of the hair, not against it.