Preserving a Jack-o-lantern

Oh my, oh my don't use bleech...it is so harmful for one and if you ever touch the jack-o-lantern wouldn't it rub off on you. I heard but have not tried it yet as my pumpkins await carving but to use a vinegar and water mix...one part water one part vinegar. With this spray inside and out and all cut areas. I am so excited to try this once mine are carved. Acutally i don't own bleech and would not use it on something I would be around...lighting the candle each time. Best of luck on preservation!

Vaseline along cut edges and refrigerate!

Bleach/water done outside works great. A couple times we've done the carving way too early and spraying them down every few days was the only thing that kept the pumpkins around until Halloween.

I sprayed one with water/bleach mixture and one without, just to see what would happen. The one without the bleach turned into a nasty, gooey, moldy mess. The bleach sprayed one is still sitting on the stoop. One of his teeth fell off, but I think he'll make it to Halloween. Just spray it outside in the yard and don't wear your good clothes. :)

It's food. Refrigerate it.

The bleach solution is best:) Not messy at all. Also, I have found that the hotter it is (Texas and all) the quicker it decomposes. Also, if you pick it up off the ground, like on a stand, porch, etc. less likely to come in contact with bugs.

Check out this pretty exhaustive study:

http://www.myscienceproject.org/pumpkin.html

The best option? Just leaving it alone.

(Whatever you use, you have to do it as you're carving, BTW.)

Vaseline on the cut edges will help keep it from drying out.