7 Ways to Give Your Halloween Pumpkin a Longer Life
Pumpkins face a lot of adversity at this time of the year. From pranksters who smash 'em to destructive weather conditions to animals looking for a snack, there are a lot of challenges.
Woman's Day to the rescue. The magazine and website has some awesome tips for giving your pumpkin a longer life, so it can make it all the way to Halloween (and beyond) still looking great. Here are some of the ideas:
1. Clean the inside
Coat the surface and interior with a spray featuring a teaspoon of bleach per one quart of water.
2. Give it a bath
After carving, hit it with bleach again by submerging it in a bucket filled with water that has 2/3 cup of bleach. Let it soak up to 24 hours. You can also add ice cubes to the mixture.
3. Petroleum jelly
Apply Vaseline on the carved edges. Vegetable oil or WD-40 also works.
4. Store it in the fridge
When your Jack-o'-Lantern is not hard at work on your porch, put it in a plastic bag in your fridge or in the basement overnight.
5. Don't use real candles
Try flameless candles or glow sticks.
6. Keep it cool
But avoid leaving it outside in freezing temperatures. Ideal pumpkin temps are in the upper 50s to lower 60s.
7. Don't carve it
Or at least wait until the big day (Halloween), because an uncarved pumpkin will last longer.