How to Clean a Taxidermy Mount

Taxidermy mounts require a certain amount of maintenance and care to ensure that they will always look good.  Moths and cockroaches can infest a mount. To prevent this from happening, keep them indoors, well dusted and cleaned regularly. Following some tips can give you ideas on how to clean a taxidermy mount.

• Keep the mounts in a good location.  The location of where you store your mounts is important.  Do not keep them in direct sunlight; otherwise, they will fade.  Avoid storing them near direct sources of heat.  This can cause the skin to crack and dry out and the hair to become brittle. Tobacco smoke can cause the mount to discolor, turning it yellow.


• Dust your mount. Dusting is important because it can prevent discoloration of the fur.  Do this about every two weeks. 


• Clean the eyes.  Eyes can be cleaned using a cotton swab and glass cleaner.


• Clean the hair or fur.  Some people prefer to use furniture polish to remove dust while others prefer an upholstery attachment on a vacuum or a can of compressed air.  Whichever you choose, work in the direction of the hair and do not go against the grain of the hair.  You can also use a soft-bristled pet brush to lightly brush the mount.


• Clean the horns, antlers and hooves.  Wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust.  Hard to remove stains may have to be treated with Dawn dish detergent. 


• Clean fish mounts.  Remove dust using a can of compressed air.   A cotton swab dampened with water may have to be used to clean the crevices of the fish. 


• Clean bird mounts.  Dust can be removed from bird mounts using dampened cotton swabs.  It is important to wipe them in the direction of the feathers.