How to Prevent and Get Rid of Mold in Jack O'Lanterns
Halloween means lots of things: candy and costumes and carving Jack O'lanterns. Carving a Halloween pumpkin is a great way to bond with your friends and family during Halloween and it is also a great way to show off your artistic talent and encourage creativity in your kids. It will give your house a spooky atmosphere, whether your throwing a party or just preparing for trick or treat.
Unfortunately, many people carve their pumpkins too early and end up having a moldy pumpkin. But here at OneHowTo, we have put together some simple steps that you can take in order to prevent your Jack O'Lantern from going moldy.
Steps to follow:
The first step for fighting off mold in your Jack O'Lantern is to give it a good wipe all over the outside. Take a damp towel or cloth and wipe all the way around the pumpkin. This will help to get any excess dirt and grime off of your pumpkin, ensuring there is less chance of any bacteria finding a place to live.
The next step is to wash your pumpkin in a bleach solution to kill any existing bacteria. To make this solution, you will need 1 tablespoon of bleach and 1 quart of water. Mix the two in a spray bottle and spray the inside of the pumpkin. This will help to kill any germs and bacteria that have made their way into your pumpkin and prevent the formation of mold.
If you rub your Jack O'Lantern with petroleum jelly, this will help keep bacteria and mold out as well. Petroleum jelly works in a way that hydrates your pumpkin thus keeping it looking fresher for longer too!
Make sure that you keep your pumpkin out of the sun. Direct sunlight will start to dry out your pumpkin as well as warming it up, and this is one of the ways mold can start.
In addition, a little ventilation in the area where your Jack O'Lantern is displayed will help reduce humidity. This will keep the surface of the pumpkin from retaining moisture and will also help to prevent the formation of mold. Also, make sure to bring your pumpkin inside if temperatures close to freezing are forecast.
Taking care of your Jack O'Lanterns can be tricky, but by following these steps you should be able to enjoy your pumpkin for more than a week and you will not see any mold. So get thinking about a great design and start carving!
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