Hugh: Here are Some Last-Minute Pumpkin Carving Tips

If you’re a person who LOVES celebrating the Halloween season, there’s a decent chance you’ve already picked out a pumpkin and carved it up into a Jack-O’-Lantern. There’s also a decent chance you’re down to do another one. So, just a few days away from the 31st, let’s get into some pumpkin carving tips

Want to keep your carved pumpkin fresh all week? Prevent your creation from collapsing into mush with these tips!

Professional pumpkin sculptor Szimonetta Zombori shares her tips. First, choose a healthy pumpkin. Next, give it a bleach bath…while wearing gloves, of course. Zombori recommends using one tablespoon of bleach in one gallon of water to wash your gourd with.

Dry your pumpkin, and store it outside. Storing pumpkins inside will cause it to collapse faster. You can also spray your spooky carving with lemon water and give it a coat of Vaseline for extra protection

Another great idea I’ve come across is to open up your pumpkin from the bottom. That way, your pumpkin maintains its stem and shape and it also makes cleaning the insides easier, as pulp and seeds fall to the bottom over time.

After cleaning out the pumpkin, thinning the walls of the gourd with a potter’s loop tool allows for easier carving once you get started, and also helps light shine through better.