I used a knife, pliers, wire brush and a long shank, flat head screwdriver to clean the skull. I did get some of the 40 volume peroxide from a beauty supply store. It is very cheap and I used a cheap foam paintbrush to apply. I only used two coats and as you can see it bleached it out very white. I was very pleased overall with the way it turned out but it did require a lot of work and I learned a lot from this first experience. I did not skin the head originally; I just placed it in a 5 gal bucket. Next time, if there is a next time, I will skin it before placing it in the bucket. I had frozen the head and didn't take the time to thaw it out before placing it in the bucket.