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A Haunting Experience

How do you preserve a pumpkin after carving so that it stays nice for a few days?

mike
carving pumpkins
asked:

First time carving a pumpkin
want it to stay nice at least until after Halloween.
Please help.

Filed under : Decorating & Remodeling

49 Responses to “How do you preserve a pumpkin after carving so that it stays nice for a few days?”

  1. tonalc1 says :
    October 1st, 2008 at 9:18 pm

    Rub vegetable oil or petroleum jelly onto freshly cut areas to delay aging. After carving your pumpkin, wipe the inside with bleach to deter the growth of mould. After 30 minutes, rub the cut areas and the inside with a dry cloth, then coat with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil. To keep the jack-o’-lantern from drying out, cover it with a damp towel when it’s not on display.

    Another way to keep them fresh is to use a pumpkin dip that is available at most grocery stores or stands that sell pumpkins during the Halloween season.

  2. notyou311 says :
    October 2nd, 2008 at 9:15 pm

    Coat the cut edges with vaseline. It works.

  3. Haggard Hag says :
    October 6th, 2008 at 3:13 am

    I was just reading about this online a few minutes ago, it said that wrapping it with cellophane and putting in your fridge will help preserve it. If its too big to fit in your fridge than just keep indoors.

  4. cherylperk224 says :
    October 7th, 2008 at 11:37 am

    First, don’t carve it until a couple days before you want it. Before you carve, wash it down with a mild bleach solution to kill any mold spores. After you have carved it, rub the areas of cut pumpkin “flesh” with vaseline. This protects it from drying out too fast. If it does start to dry out, soak briefly in a pail of water….about a half hour. Also, protect from rain, and cold…..both will turn a nice jack-o-lantern into a pile of mush in a hurry. Hope this helps!
    Have fun!!

  5. cowgirl says :
    October 8th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

    Keep it cool, but not cold, or hot. don’t carve too soon; wait til closer to Halloween.

  6. Just_gone says :
    October 10th, 2008 at 5:29 am

    Keep it in fridge in a plastic bag in the day when it is warm. Keep it cold.
    Clear spray lacquer or even hairspray inside keeps it from rotting as fast (no candles then-flammable).
    The outside can be left natural. The dryer the inside is, the better.

  7. blaine521 says :
    October 12th, 2008 at 2:10 pm

    spread clear dring glue over the pumpkin

  8. punkd_chick6906 says :
    October 14th, 2008 at 5:09 am

    i heard that if you soak it in the tub in some water maybe overnight

  9. macdoodle says :
    October 16th, 2008 at 2:52 am

    pick a good hard clean pumpkin
    clean out all soft stuff inside well, rinse in cool water and pat dry if you want to be real picky.
    don’t forget to bake the seeds ,umm good.
    don’t do excess carving.
    shade or constant cool dry temp it’ll last longer than in the sun.
    combo of heat and moisture make it rot faster.

  10. jackpotparty74 says :
    October 16th, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    I’ve heard of spraying the outer side of the pumkin with cooking spray, for instance “Pam”

  11. sexyblackmomba says :
    October 18th, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    Maybe keeping it in the freezer will help!
    but then again, when you take it out, it may get even soggier from coming out of the freezer and into room temperature.
    Or maybe you can keep it out side for a while.
    I’ve been trying to figure out a way to preserve my pumpkins during Halloween also.

  12. sherry says :
    October 20th, 2008 at 3:12 pm

    I Think you should put it into the Refrigerator . It will keep fresh that way.
    Best wishes and good luck

  13. oagsoccer says :
    October 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 am

    Carve it the night before halloween. It always works unless your pumpkin has been infected by the new rotting disease.

  14. pam says :
    October 25th, 2008 at 6:43 pm

    Petroleum jelly on freshly cut parts seems to be a popular tip, but I’ve also heard antibiotic ointment (like neosporin) works too.

    Apparently there’s also a spray-on product. See:

  15. L. P says :
    October 27th, 2008 at 7:28 pm

    Wash and dry thoroughly, then rub both interior and exterior with vasaline. Works for me!

  16. squalor_Parlor says :
    October 30th, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    Rub some salt over the exposed parts. Salt is a natural preservative.

  17. judyblue_pa says :
    November 1st, 2008 at 5:24 pm

    After you have cleaned and carved it. Blot it dry with a paper towel.

    Then get a bottle of pure lemon juice and wipe it down really well with lemon juice soaked paper towels.

    The lemon juice will act as a preservative for days

  18. agriesinger2u says :
    November 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    you can put it in the freezer

  19. Alli Cobra says :
    November 5th, 2008 at 5:34 am

    It’s easy.

    Don’t carve it until a few days before Halloween. =/

    If you wait til then, it will stay good until after Halloween easily.

  20. Eric says :
    November 6th, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    im thinking freezing it in your freezer would preserve it, great question i shall give it a thumbs up.

  21. Linh says :
    November 7th, 2008 at 9:35 pm

    put it into the freezer for a few nights after carving it

  22. proscunio says :
    November 10th, 2008 at 1:45 am

    irradiate it with gamma radiation

  23. Mr.Do Right says :
    November 10th, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    put it in ther refrigerator .LOL

  24. Miss Mina says :
    November 13th, 2008 at 9:24 am

    Coat all cut edges with vaseline to prevent bacteria from forming and store in a cool, dry place so bacteria cannot grow.

  25. Bunny says :
    November 15th, 2008 at 1:51 am

    Keep the pumpkin in a cool place or put a plastic bag over the pumpkin for 1 to 2 days to keep the moister in the pumpkin.

  26. jim says :
    November 16th, 2008 at 9:21 am

    Coat it in fiber glass. Oh sure, it’s a pain and the resin is dangerous, and the fumes are toxic and flamable… but you will be left with a nice, heavy, glass-hard jack-o-lantern that will be about as heavy as a bowling ball, but will be much easier to pick up and club some one with if they break into your house at night.

  27. Heather b says :
    November 17th, 2008 at 10:26 am

    keep it in the fridge

  28. goddess says :
    November 18th, 2008 at 7:39 pm

    Rub oil on the inside and out. Then either freeze it of put a moist , warm cloth on it. It works.

  29. ibaneztool says :
    November 20th, 2008 at 4:28 am

    rub it with lemmon juice inside and out it acts as a preservitave and is very inexpensive

  30. Miss_DELTA_DIVA says :
    November 20th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    try spraying with acrylic….or try submerging it in lemon water….but if you carved it today i don’t think it will last until the 31st.

  31. BECKBY says :
    November 20th, 2008 at 5:58 pm

    I just paint mine. I use acrylics and copy pictures from magazines or internet. Then I use a clear spray varnish to keep the paint on well.I add textured yarns for hair,scarves,or vines.They keep well and then you can use the pumpkin insides for later.I also put felt hats on some. I painted a green frankinstein the other day and it was too cute. I made one for my granddaughter that was pink with purple flowers and green and orange polka dots! Thinking outside the box can make some unusual pumpkins!It is safer to paint than carve also! Have fun!

  32. chubster says :
    November 21st, 2008 at 10:26 am

    An hour after carving, rub cut areas inside with a dry cloth and apply vaseline, clear furniture wax, or brush on vegetable oil.

  33. johnny j says :
    November 23rd, 2008 at 7:01 am

    Unless you just HAVE to have a carved pumpkin, go to your local dollar store and buy a nice plastic one, with the face already on it. Use that one for display, and just set the real one near-by, uncut. Uncut pumpkins will keep for several weeks in cool places, and make great fall displays with some corn stalks arranged around it, tee-pee style. Even after Halloween, it should last through Thanksgiving season. When Halloween is over, turn the face of the plastic one around and it will look great with the display.
    …jj

  34. Sherri M says :
    November 24th, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    Keep it out of the rain, snow and any moisture off it! Keep in dry spot. Complete hollow it out, Leave no pumpkin gut inside scrape it good and hard! Want all white inside! Scrape hard on the belly of the inside the lumb!

    Then put it in a plastic bag with all air removed, got that reversal air pump for to preserve food a longer time? Use the air pump for the jars. **** out all the air, twisty tie it or tie the bag in a good hard not! Use a glow in the dark plastic thingy neon. choose purple, green, blue. and place inside the pumking prior to **** out the air!

  35. lore says :
    November 26th, 2008 at 1:47 am

    Keep in a cool area.
    Rub petroleum jelly along cut edges to prevent the pumpkin from drying out
    Vent if you use a candle to light it up by cutting a small hole in the lid. This keeps the pumpkin from starting to cook.

  36. Lindsey says :
    November 26th, 2008 at 9:50 am

    I live in the desert, and after my first Halloween, found that after two days, my pumpkins were sagging. I’ve found that if you use a solution of 1 galon of water and one teaspoon of unscented bleach, it will help prevent mold from growing. Also, if you bring your creations in after displaying them in the evening, wrapping them up in a plastic grocery bag or small trash can liner and leaving them in the fridge (or at least a cooler, dry place) when they’re not in use will keep them fresh for much, much longer.

    If you just put the solution into a mister, apply a small coating, and wipe or allow to dry before lighting the candle, it makes it a cinch.

    For an added treat, you can rub cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves (or pumpkin pie spice) into the lid before lighting your jack-o-lantern, it’ll smell like freshly baked pie. : )

    Good luck!

  37. Panther says :
    November 27th, 2008 at 6:31 am

    To keep a pumpkin from drying out, cover it with a damp towel when it is not on display. To make your pumpkin last longer, wait for half an hour after you finish carving, then rub the cut areas and inside with a dry cloth and apply a protective coating such as petroleum jelly, clear furniture wax, or vegetable oil painted on with a brush. Some expert pumpkin carvers use several coats of lacquer or hair spray, which gives it a nice glossy finish.

  38. center of the universe says :
    November 29th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    pumpkins last a long time without any special care.
    It should last until Halloween if you carve it now

  39. Jerry says :
    November 30th, 2008 at 7:38 am

    I think you carved too early, but try keeping wrapped in plastic wrap and in the frig.

  40. Ichigo says :
    December 2nd, 2008 at 3:20 am

    You could keep it in the fridge to keep the bacteria at bay.

  41. selfboy123 says :
    December 2nd, 2008 at 6:13 pm

    let it dry under the sun, so it wont get rotten and it make the pumpkin harder

  42. sunbunnie72 says :
    December 2nd, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    ok I can tell you I have heard about the veg oil and the Vaseline trick. I also know that if it starts to wilt before it’s time you can soak it in a mix of lemon juice and luke warm water. this should plump it back up. But I would only do it once.

  43. Resume Expert says :
    December 2nd, 2008 at 11:44 pm

    You can help make your pumpkin last longer if you follow any of these steps:

    Wash your hands and tools with anti-bacterial soap before carving. This keeps out nasties that rot the pumpkin.
    Cut the bottom out of the pumpkin instead of the top. This helps retain moisture, and makes it easier to put on top of your light/candle.
    Spray the finished pumpkin with Lysol spray, also the kill off the nasties.
    Keep your pumpkin in a cool, dark place. A refrigerator is great if you have room…
    Keep the pumpkin covered in plastic wrap when not being displayed, or better yet, recycle a plastic grocery bag.
    Coat the cut and peeled areas of the pumpkin with Vaseline. Be careful not to get it too gooey, or picking up your pumpkin may be an adventure!
    Don’t keep your pumpkin lit unless you’re using it. Otherwise the pumpkin can “cook” from the inside out from all the heat.

    Regards,

    Edmund Ng
    CEO, Founder
    Infinique Technologies
    The No.1 Professional Resume Provider with 200% Money Back Guarantee.Guaranteed Job Interviews with Fortune 500 Companies.

  44. alfonso r says :
    December 4th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    Carve it two days before Halloween! Because kids will kick them.

  45. lkraie says :
    December 5th, 2008 at 5:23 am

    Add salt all over the cut and exposed flesh of the pumpkin, large amounts, and leave the pumpkin in the sun to dry. After a day of exposing the pumpkin to sun, rub petroleum gel on the insides. Then wrap the pumpkin in cling wrap totally and keep in a cool dry place.

  46. Ha Ha! says :
    December 7th, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    Put in saran wrap and stick it in the fridge.

  47. scruetheworld says :
    December 9th, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    don’t carve it till Halloween then i put oil on mine and it worked for me 🙂

  48. that'sBS says :
    December 12th, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    Coat it with a thin coat of wax.

  49. fastily1 says :
    December 14th, 2008 at 9:22 am

    the fridge or soak it in a bathtub

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