Halloween is next week and if you’ve already carved your pumpkin, it may already be starting to wither.
Weather, mold, and bacteria all threaten your Jack-o’-lantern, so how do you keep it from rotting before Halloween?
Keep your carved creation looking good with these tips.
- After you carve, give it a bleach-water bath - Submerge your carved pumpkin in a bucket filled with water and ⅔ cup of bleach and let it soak for up to 24 hours.
- Rehydrate daily - Pumpkins will shrivel without moisture, so spray it every day with water mixed with a few drops of bleach.
- Give it an ice bath - If your gourd starts to wilt, try an ice bath overnight. And dry it completely so it doesn’t get moldy.
- Skip the real candles - They heat the pumpkin up, so try flickering flameless candles or glow sticks instead.
- Don’t carve it - It may seem anti-Halloween, but it’ll stay fresh for much longer if you opt to paint the pumpkin instead.