How to Preserve Halloween Pumpkins

1. 1
   Mix 1 teaspoon bleach per gallon of water to create enough water to dunk the pumpkin into. You'll need a vat and a good amount of bleach/water, depending on the size of the pumpkin.

   • The idea is that bleach is an antimicrobial, and that water will hydrate the skin of the pumpkin like a moisturizer would on human skin.
2. 2
   Dunk the pumpkin into the bleach solution, covering completely. Soak the pumpkin in the bleach solution for approximately 8 hours.
3. 3
   Remove the pumpkin from the bleach solution and pat dry with paper towels or sponges.
4. 4
   Every day, moisturize the pumpkin with the bleach solution. Spray the outside and inside with the bleach solution used to treat the pumpkin initially. Soak up any excess moisture after spraying. Moisture is the ally of mold.
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1. 1
   Purchase a pumpkin preservative. Pumpkin preservative, like Pumpkin Fresh, are available online and at Halloween specialty stores. Pumpkin preservatives may contain water, sodium tetraborate decahydrate (borax), and/or sodium benzoate (a preservative and fungicide). They act as fungicides.
2. 2
   Spray the pumpkin with the preservative or dunk the pumpkin into the preservative. Spraying is more convenient, but dunking may be more long-lasting.

   • If choosing to dunk, be sure to pat the pumpkin dry. Remember that mold hits where moisture fits.
3. 3
   Continue to spray the pumpkin with preservative every day. Spray the outside and inside with the preservative and watch as it fights off mold and decay. Pumpkin preservatives help the pumpkin last relatively mold-free for up to 14 days.
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1. 1
   Do not use white glue to preserve a pumpkin. The idea is that white glue is supposed to create a seal around the inside of the pumpkin, preventing moisture from developing into mold. Sadly, white glue just hastens the demise of the pumpkin.
2. 2
   Do not use petroleum jelly to preserve a pumpkin. The idea here is that the petroleum jelly is supposed to keep the pumpkin from dehydrating, thereby staving off decay. Unfortunately, this method also hastens the production of mold.
3. 3
   Do not use acrylic spray to preserve a pumpkin. Again, this method is supposed to seal a pumpkin's inner flesh, creating a barrier that keeps out mold. The idea is better than its execution: pumpkins sprayed with acrylic do not outlast pumpkins that aren't treated at all.
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