How to clean a mounted deer head?

I just got married and my husband have a mounted deer head on the wall...never been clen before , it has a lot of dust and cigarrets smoke...any sugestions?How to clean a mounted deer head?
Took a bit of looking - thanks for the challenge!!





';Dusting - Mounted trophies, like furniture, will collect dust. Therefore, periodic dusting is necessary. Remove from the wall and place the trophy on a table or bench low enough to allow you to reach all parts. Trophies can be dusted with a vacuum attachment or they can be wiped off with a soft damp cloth, always moving in the direction of the grain of the hair. Never vacuum or wipe a trophy head going against the grain of the hair. The eyes and nostrils can be cleaned with a damp cloth also.





Cleaning - Some trophies become soiled to the point that they need additional cleaning rather than just dusting. When this occurs they can be washed with soap and water. When washing trophies, take a bucket of mild soap powder or chips, and wash with a soft damp sponge. Always remember to wash with the grain of the animal's hair. The following day, when the trophy is dry, the hair should be brushed with a soft brush or comb, once again in the same direction as the grain of the hair. Don't saturate the trophy or soak the head or skin in water. Sometimes portions of the hair may get messed up and seemingly impossible to brush or comb back down. This bit of hair can be laid back down with thick soap suds, or wave set, rubbed into the palms of the hands and then applied to the hair and rubbed down with the grain of the hair. After the hair is dry it can be combed or brushed. Goats, white sheep and polar bear often turn rather yellow. Fur Rugs can be cleaned in the same manner. The brushing of a fur rug is not as critical as brushing he hair of a mounted head having bristle hair


Insure Your Trophies - They are valuable!';





As for the smoke smell, I've heard that vinegar is the cure-all there, so maybe you can add it to the water if you are going to do the heavy cleaning. Or try Febreze. I hate the smell, but most people don't mind it. I'd recommend that if you *are* going to do the heavy cleaning, you do a vacuum first to get off as much dust as possible, then do the heavy clean.





What a lucky guy your husband is to have a great wife like you to do this for him. Tell him I said so!!How to clean a mounted deer head?
Vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment will help.
Dusting - Mounted trophies, like furniture, will collect dust. Therefore, periodic dusting is necessary. Remove from the wall and place the trophy on a table or bench low enough to allow you to reach all parts. Trophies can be dusted with a vacuum attachment or they can be wiped off with a soft damp cloth, always moving in the direction of the grain of the hair. Never vacuum or wipe a trophy head going against the grain of the hair. The eyes and nostrils can be cleaned with a damp cloth also.








Cleaning - Some trophies become soiled to the point that they need additional cleaning rather than just dusting. When this occurs they can be washed with soap and water. When washing trophies, take a bucket of mild soap powder or chips, and wash with a soft damp sponge. Always remember to wash with the grain of the animal's hair. The following day, when the trophy is dry, the hair should be brushed with a soft brush or comb, once again in the same direction as the grain of the hair. Don't saturate the trophy or soak the head or skin in water. Sometimes portions of the hair may get messed up and seemingly impossible to brush or comb back down. This bit of hair can be laid back down with thick soap suds, or wave set, rubbed into the palms of the hands and then applied to the hair and rubbed down with the grain of the hair. After the hair is dry it can be combed or brushed. Goats, white sheep and polar bear often turn rather yellow. Fur Rugs can be cleaned in the same manner. The brushing of a fur rug is not as critical as brushing he hair of a mounted head having bristle hair. Fur rugs have a soft hair and can be brushed or combed either way after cleaning. Many fur rugs look very good when fluffed up after cleaning. Also, fur-bearing animal head mounts look better with hair fluffed after cleaning. Don't walk on your rugs.
use one of them wet vac's with the hand held attachment
i'd wipe it down with a damp rag with a dish detergent and water solution and wipe it again with a damp rag with clean water...





DAMP only dont wet it the adhesives can release from the foam form under the deer's skin and distort it as well.
I'd try vacuuming it with the brush attachment. To get rid of the smell of smoke, maybe put it outside for a few hours.
I would maybe try the ';canned air'; for dusting keyboards and a spraying of ';Fabreeze'; to get the smell out.





Maybe check the phone book for a dry cleaner that specializes in fur? They might recomend something? Or a Taxidermist(sp)?