With Halloween right around the corner, children all over are looking to pick the perfect pumpkin and decorate it. Unfortunately those pumpkins don’t stay fresh long once carved, and start to get soggy, mold, and get stinky. So how can you preserve the pumpkins so that children can enjoy them longer? Well, the best way is to find an alternative method of decorating the pumpkins. Paint, stickers, gauze wrap, there are a number of other ways to decorate those pumpkins, but for you that have a carving tradition here are 6 other ways to preserve your pumpkins!

Spray your carved pumpkin with a mix of bleach and water (use a 1 tsp:1 gal mix). The bleach will kill bacteria and help your pumpkin stay fresh longer. Let it dry upside down. Once completely dry, add 2 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to a quart of water. Brush this solution onto your pumpkin.
You can also pat the pumpkin dry and take Vaseline smearing it over the cuts on your pumpkin to limit exposure.
Coating the pumpkin with a wet floor cleaner.
Spray the pumpkin with WD-40.
Use silica beads-open the packet and slightly embed each bead so they are not concentrated in one spot (space them about an inch or so apart).
Purchase a pumpkin preserve.

7 Ways To Preserve Your Carved Pumpkins