DuckSouth.com

I have a pintail mount that has been hanging on the wall for about 6 year and has collected quite a bit of dust. What do I need to clean it with? I don't want to damage the feathers in any way. Any expert advice will be greatly appreciated.

I saw some dude on tv one day cleaning mounts with glass cleaner(i think) on a rag, he said use the kind that doesnt have ammonia in it. I bet some compressed air like you use to clean your keyboard would probably knock most of it off. Hope that helps



Lazy Drake

Use a feather duster! DUH!
In all seriousness, that's what I use, and it works really well. Brush with the flow of the feathers, and it won't look like it's been electricuted.

Just a damp rag, and brush with the grain. It's always done the job for me.

take it outside, get your air compressor hose, and the blower attachment and blow all the dust off it. DONT blow directly into the feathers, but just skimming the surface, gradually getting closer. feather duster works well too, but all the dust you dust off the mount will get recirculated unless you take the mount outside to do the "dirty" work.

I have a deer tail that has been put on a coathanger. Sounds odd but, it works great! The feather dusters work well too.

Use a swiffer, dust clings to it...it's the thing your wife or maid dusts the wood floors with..

DON'T PUT ANY KIND OF FLUIDS ON BIRD MOUNTS! Use either a lambswool duster or ostrich feather duster GENTLY. The best thing for preserving bird specimens is to put them behind glass.

the air in a can for blowing out computers will also work and not be too much pressure that it will hurt anything

Okay guys, I know this is going to sound crazy, but a taxidermist told my dad to just use a piece of white bread and wipe the mounts with the grain. For whatever reason this works great, and it's harmless and cheap. Hope it helps.

Wes

ok i get alot of old mounts in my shop to be cleaned.all you need to do is
use a small amount of windex on a paper towel and wipe it gently with the grain of the feathers.then
If you have a small steamer you can steam any out-of-place feathers back to normal.If you dont have a steamer, use a steam iron on them but dont press hard.
also to restore the shine to the feathers you can put a small amount of furniture polish on a towel and lightly wipe after you do the above.
hope this tip helps..good luck....

now i have a question. haven't got to hunt alot yet this year but are you guys seeing more birds this year than last year? i have taken in twice the ducks to be mounted this year than i did last. hope it stays this way

mike morgan
Morgan Taxidermy
Vicksburg

Were not killing more birds this year, But if all the mounts looks as good as the 2 mounts you did for me last year then you should have a great year. Thnx everybody at work keeps asking who did it

I can't believe only one of you said to dust with bread. I thought everyone knew that. The bread is gentle on the feathers, the pores grab the dust, and the oil in the bread shines the feathers. Works better than anything I've tried.