Preserving Halloween pumpkins: With vinegar and hairspray, they won't shrivel as quickly
Created: 10/29/2022, 08:00
By: Andrea Stettner
Carving a scary pumpkin for Halloween is simply a must for many creepy friends.
It's just a shame if the masterpiece spoils quickly.
What helps?
Large Halloween pumpkins are in stores weeks before the actual festival.
Many big and small scary friends are already itching to decorate their apartment with a carved pumpkin grimace to match Halloween.
But if you start giving the big pumpkins a scary face too early, you may be in for a bitter disappointment even before the festival on October 31st.
Pumpkins start to shrivel or even go moldy after a short time.
To prevent this from happening, you can use a few home remedies to preserve the pumpkin.
A scarily beautiful Halloween pumpkin - with simple household remedies such as hairspray or vinegar, it will keep for a long time.
© Jakub Porzycki/Imago
Preserve Halloween pumpkins: Three home remedies protect the beautiful carvings
According to hausgarten.net
, before you start carving, you should
first thoroughly clean the pumpkin to remove any microorganisms from the skin as best as possible.
The best way to do this is with soapy water and a sponge.
Then wash off with clear water and dry well.
Please use clean tools and a sharp knife for hollowing out and carving.
Otherwise, germs will quickly collect on the pulp residues inside and on the cut edges, which promote mold growth.
Once the Halloween pumpkin has been carved, you can use a few home remedies to preserve it.
Hairspray:
Halloween pumpkins quickly lose moisture and then shrivel up unattractively.
To prevent this from happening, you need to provide it with a protective layer.
This works really well with hairspray or lacquer.
Simply spray inside and out.
Vaseline:
You can also use Vaseline to keep the squash fresh.
Vaseline is available at any drug store.
Simply cream the pumpkin inside and out with it - done!
Vinegar:
Acid also protects the pumpkin from spoiling quickly because it kills bacteria.
Everyone has vinegar in their kitchen at home.
But citric acid is also suitable.
Mix half the vinegar or citric acid with water and pour everything into a bucket.
Then place the hollowed-out pumpkin upside down in the mixture and let it sit for at least an hour or overnight.
Don't forget gloves to protect your skin.
Finally, wash off and dry carefully.
Seal the edges with Vaseline.
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How Long Do Halloween Pumpkins Last?
Carved Halloween pumpkins usually shrivel up after just a few days.
With the home remedies mentioned, the pumpkins will keep for about two weeks.
Drying the Halloween pumpkin: Better not in the oven
If you want to keep your creepy pumpkin longer, you can also dry it.
According to
Halloween.de
, this is the best way to protect the pumpkin from mold because it deprives it of moisture and thus the breeding ground for mold.
However, you should not try the quick method in the oven - the pumpkin would only shrivel.
Instead, hang the squash by the stem to dry and poke about 3-4 holes in the bottom with a clean nail.
However, this requires a long preparation time.
An ornamental gourd takes about six to twelve months to air dry.
If you need a quick Halloween decoration, it will of course take too long.
Ideally, dried Halloween pumpkins should last for several years.
Don't like Halloween?
Then you're probably like this neighbor here, where children only get treats instead of candy.