Community Corner

5 Steps to Make Your Halloween Pumpkin Last Longer

You probably already have all the ingredients you need to preserve your pumpkin in your house right now.

By Vanzetta Evans

Halloween is coming. Is the scariest thing in your house a moldy, rotting jack o'lantern? We have some tips to help your pumpkin survive until the last ghouls and goblins come knocking at your door.

Here are the five simple steps:

  1. Clean the carved pumpkin's exterior with a damp cloth.
  2. Mix one tablespoon of bleach with a quart of water and put it in a spray bottle and spray inside the pumpkin and in the cut areas with the solution. This will kill surface bacteria and mold.
  3. Let the pumpkin dry for about 20 minutes. 
  4. Rub the interior and cut surfaces with petroleum jelly. This will keep out bacteria and prevent the pumpkin from dehydrating.
  5. Keep the pumpkin out of direct sunlight and keep it in as cool a place as possible.
Do you have tips to make a pumpkin last longer? Tell us in the comment section below.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Acworth