Things You'll Need:
- Vaseline
- Sink with a drain plug -OR- a plastic tub large enough to fit the Jack-o-lantern inside
- Bleach
- Spray Bottle -OR- Pumpkin preserving spray like Pumpkin Fresh®
- Newspaper
- A Carved Pumpkin that you want to preserve!
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Step 1
Make a solution to preserve the pumpkin by mixing 2 teaspoons of bleach with each gallon of water, placed in a sink with a drain stopper or in a plastic bin that's large enough to accommodate the pumpkin, which will be submerged in the pumpkin preserving solution.
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Step 2
Immediately after carving is complete, place the carved pumpkin Jack-o-lantern inside the sink or plastic basin containing 2 teaspoons of bleach for every gallon of water. The pumpkin must be completely submerged in the water.
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Step 3
Wait 8 hours (leaving the carved pumpkin submerged in the Jack-o-lantern preserving solution) before removing the pumpkin. Allow it to air dry atop newspapers.
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Step 4
Use a preserving spray like Pumpkin Fresh to prevent mold in the carved pumpkin. If a pumpkin preserving spray is not available, substitute with a homemade spray of bleach and water (one teaspoon per each gallon of water) and prevent mold in the Jack-o-lantern by spraying the pumpkin (inside and out) once daily.
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Step 5
Use Vaseline or a similar petroleum jelly to coat the cut edges of the carved pumpkin. Wherever the pumpkin's skin has been cut, a coat of petroleum jelly must be applied to prevent the carved pumpkin's skin from shriveling, puckering and appearing dried out.
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Step 6
Keep the Jack-o-lantern out of the sun and rain to prevent mold in the carved pumpkin and to prevent shriveling.
Comments
tnpos said
on 8/23/2009 I love carving pumpkins! It's getting close!
mattgoetz said
on 8/23/2009 Interesting article! I'll have to try this with my pumpkins this year. 5*