boiling wont make them white, it just lifts the flesh etc.
give them a scrub and soak in either mild bleach and water or peroxide and water.
hose off and leave in the sun for a day or two where dogs cant reach them.

If there's a bit of dried flesh still on the skull still I usually simmer it for 15-20 minutes, then pressure wash and proceed with peroxiding it.

I usually rip strips of white towel and soak those in peroxide 70/water 30 solution and then wrap the skull in the soaked towel.

Poke screwed up soaked paper towels into eye sockets, nose cavities etc if you're real keen.

Leave it to sit for at least 24 hours, then take the towel off and give it a good rinse and leave in the sun for a few days to dry.

It will come out pearly white.

Where do you get your peroxide from Josh? The only stuff I can find is in little white bottles from the supermarket but it's only 3%.

Ta for that!

You can buy it in small bottles from the chemist too. Comes in 3% and 6% options. One small bottle of 6% will be fine for a red skull. brush it on, and leave it in the sun. repeat until you've achieved the desired 'Whiteness', rinse and dry again.
Don't get it on the antlers though.

1. Skin the head if you didn't in the bush.
2. Get a long thin 'steak' knife up into the brain cavity and smoosh it around in all directions to get ALL the brain material out. Twist and pull the knife out slowly as you go, this will help to wrap the brain casing around the knife & remove it. Most of the brain will just run down the knife blade & out.
3. Boil it in a big rectangular pot, cover it to just up to the coronets, not onto the antlers as the rendered fat gets all stuck in the bases. Once boiling turn it right down to a gentle simmer for 3-4 hours.
4. Pull it out and pull off all the meat, take special care at the back of the skull as there's lots of attachment points that hold meat & cartilage. Use an old wire brush if you've got one.
No need to remove the fine bones inside the nose, the meat in here usually dissolves during the second boil.
5. Clean the water & repeat. Add some of the wifes oxy-action type soap powder or nappysan or maybe dishwash liquid to both boils too.
6. Go to the chemist and buy 1x 100ml bottle of 6% Hydrogen Peroxide. Brush it on the skull and leave in the sun to dry. Don't get any on your clothes or the antlers! Repeat until it's as white as you'd like it. Usually 2 or 3 coats is plenty.
7. To get a professional look, give the antlers two coats of Danish oil. It gives them a 'wet' look and really brings out the colour.
8. Hang on wall, open a beer and admire your handy work! 

Here's some past & present attempts:


Wanganui 12 Boil-Up. Note: Too Deep! don't cover the coronets.


Two from this years Tararua Roar, young 6 & older 4. 12point Wanganui 2012, random Fallow.


This years (Work in Progress, still discoloured), two coats peroxide, but overcast (no sun). Works much better with UV i.e. sunlight.


Finished 12, 3 coats peroxide (in sunlight) & Danish oiled. (Also 3yrs more daylight).


The 12 also carried a much much bigger skull, and was a huge stag.

Try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAwrhMl_azg

A few years ago while out with a mate Sambar hunting, he shot a nice stag. Having never shot one before, he didn't really know what to do with it so hung it in a tree. After 3 years of seeing it hanging up and going to waste, I offered to clean it up for him. It was probably more for my own benefit really, as I hate to see heads left to be destroyed over time by U.V light and the rain. Not to mention the horrible sight of sun bleached antlers!!!

Anyway thankfully he had hung it in a good shady spot, and the antlers were still a good colour, aside from a green lichen that had started to grow on them.

I sat it in a trough for 2 days prior to working on it, so the thick, dried out skin was semi-workable. Luckily, most of the flesh had rotted away, leaving only small areas stinky. There were also many kinds of crawlies nesting inside the head, including ants, flatworms and beetles.

A couple of teeth had dropped out, and one cheekbone had crumbled away a little, leaving a chalky cavity.... Adding to my hate for neglected heads.

Before:


After removing the skin and majority of rotting flesh:


After a gentle waterblast, as well as scrubbing the antlers clean:


And after a light treatment of peroxide, the finished product:


Gave him an unofficial Douglas score also, where he finished up with a score of 188 3/8.

All I can say is I hope he appreciates it, and I better not see it outside!!!

Question, for those using acetone to degrease (to get that bone white look) before you hydrogen peroxide are you using full strength acetone or diluting - and if it's diluted, what strength are you going with?